Tab 400 Front Alde Radiators/Convectors

HBarry

Have a 2020 400. Two issues I have that would like to run by the community related to the ability for heat to move from a convector into the cabin.

First item item is the convector that sits behind the electrical control unit (Wfco) on the passenger front side. It's not at all obvious how heat from that convector is supposed to get out into the cabin. First picture below shows the top of the Wfco cabinet slid away the side wall with the convector visible. The slid away top has a notch that I presumed allowed for airflow out from the convector.

The second picture shows the compartment top in the installed position. The notch has disappeared under the wall fabric cushioning. As a result there will be minimal to no airflow coming through that notch.

 

There also does not appear to be a clear pathway up through the sidewall for air to move. The porthole is a major block and there don't appear to be any places for the warm air to exit. Has anyone else dealt with this?

My inclination is to enlarge the notch but when the seat cushion is sitting on top of the notch not much air would flow either. Thoughts?

Second issue is the blockage of the front side convector by the AC ducting from the Coolcat that runs above the convector and largely block airflow out of the slot that is intended to allow warm air to flow. This subject has been brought up on the forum before. I'm disinclined to open the entire front end to somehow (if at all possible) position and secure that AC ducting to provide room for the warm air to get around it. 

What I am thinking of doing is simply drilling a series of maybe half inch holes across the top of the vertical panel that encloses the convector and AC ducting to allow air flow out of them into the camper interior. Thoughts on this or other ideas would be appreciated.

manyman297

It’s interesting because the earlier models used to have a plastic or metal shroud that went over that AC duct to help direct hot air around it. My 2021 does not have that shroud. 

HBarry

@manyman297 have you done anything to mitigate the lack of the shroud? My 2020 400 came with the Air8 AC. Nucamp replaced it with the CoolCat. If memory serves the ducting from the Air8 that serviced the floor area near floor of the entrance door was a smaller diameter than the CoolCat ducting. Maybe Nucamp dropped the shroud  with the advent of the Air8 and its smaller ducting and never re-added it when they went back to the CoolCat?

qhumberd

On my 2019 the driver side convector has a slot under the porthole window behind the dinette. Inlet opening is on the floor in front that serves both the front convector and ? the side one. Another air path in ours are slots under the bath. Perhaps the original 2020 design and then moving the air8 unit had something to do with the heating airflow?

manyman297

@HBarry I haven’t. At first I was concerned about the heat from the convector melting the plastic of the ducting but it never has. BUT, there’s almost zero heat flowing from those vents under the table because the ducting blocks the entire opening…pretty stupid and the shroud prevented this from happening. 

HBarry

@qhumberd on my 2020 the space under the driver side dinette seat was an open storage compartment. I don’t recall there being a convector in there but maybe there was and still is although the Cool Cat pretty much occupies that volume. I’ll have to check more closely. There is a floor level slot at the front of the table. Unfortunately the AC ducting completely blocks air flow out of compartment at the front. 

I’ve seen multiple reference's to the shroud. Can someone be bit more descriptive about this piece. ie shape, precise mounting location and method of mounting. Maybe I can accomplish replicating its function. Seems like a bit of work though to access that space at the front where the ducting runs. 

qhumberd

HBarry said:

@qhumberd on my 2020 the space under the driver side dinette seat was an open storage compartment. I don’t recall there being a convector in there but maybe there was and still is although the Cool Cat pretty much occupies that volume. I’ll have to check more closely. There is a floor level slot at the front of the table. Unfortunately the AC ducting completely blocks air flow out of compartment at the front. 

I’ve seen multiple reference's to the shroud. Can someone be bit more descriptive about this piece. ie shape, precise mounting location and method of mounting. Maybe I can accomplish replicating its function. Seems like a bit of work though to access that space at the front where the ducting runs. 

So the entire convector loop in order is in this thread from @bergger. The area on the driver side of the dinette is likely where a convector lives near the porthole window.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/18266/t-b-400-convector-locations#latest