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Old 09-01-2020, 09:39 PM   #21
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IMO, rubber would be cheaper, faster, and more durable. Vibrations picked up in long copper lines are gonna cause ya issues over time I would think.

Plus you can replace a rubber hose on the road with a knife and a flat head screwdriver and the entire system is already plumbed to take rubber hose.

And cadillac of course you have to secure and protect it. That is a given.

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Old 09-01-2020, 09:41 PM   #22
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Makes sense too. Thanks!
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Old 09-01-2020, 09:56 PM   #23
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I’d just use the rubber hoses and put them into some Plastic tubing like wire harness tubing ..
copper being rigid might be worse in the long haul
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Old 09-02-2020, 09:07 AM   #24
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Location: Eastern Shore of VA and Fleming County, KY
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Year: 2004
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Originally, my bus had 2 tubes through the engine to interior firewall. Hoses from the engine compartment connected to the engine side, and hoses on the interior ran along the floor on the interior side. They hit 2 under seat heaters, before going into 2 90 degree swept bulkead tubes that took them under the floor right behind the driver seat. Then there was regular heater hose underneath that went from those 2 tubes up to the front defrosters accessible via the front facia drop-down (external).

I figure if Thomas had no problem with heater hoses under the bus, then I'm not too bothered, when mine are installed better protected than theirs were.

I am a LOT more worried about an air line getting busted than a heater line. I can close off the heater loop and still drive. I'm not going anywhere if an air line gets damaged.

However, if I were doing it again, knowing these concerns, I might be inclined to make everything more protected while underneath.

As for using copper pipe, seems like it's a soft walled pipe, and subject to the same kind of damage potential as regular heater hose. Also, I think 1" copper pipe would be expensive to install. Being a metal wall pipe, it would transfer heat externally quicker. Hot water baseboard heat in houses is copper pipe with aluminum fins, and they heat an entire room with that. That copper will lose a lot more heat from engine to heater than a heater hose will. If you then insulate the pipe, then you have to protect the insulation. There's a lot to think about there.

You definitely want to stick to the same diameter pipe as the original heater hose, otherwise you're adding flow restrictions, which can matter on that long a run. My bus has a booster pump in the engine compartment just for the interior heat run.

I hope this helps,
Jim
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Old 09-02-2020, 09:14 AM   #25
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Jim, absolutely this helps as well as everyone that responded to me hijacking this thread! Sorry OP, I figured you'd also be curious what to do. I wouldn't mind finding a long replacement hose though. If I'm going to pull it out, might as well replace the 17 year old rubber.
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