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I got the idea from this truck on John Bizal's site;

http://midwestmil.com/plowtrksale.html

I bought some 1 1/4 PVC, a "T" connector, a couple of caps, some 1 1/2 in pool vacuum hose, and a couple of rubber PVC connectors. Set myself back maybe $20 bucks total.

I drilled 4, 1/4 in holes in the PVC, then cut slits maybe 3/16ths wide between the two holes. I made the slit for the driver's window maybe 18 inches long, while the passenger side I only went maybe ten inches. Not as concerned with the passenger window. I painted the PVC Olive drab to blend in better than just leaving it white. Last snow storm I had the truck out and had no defrost capabilities at all, which sucked. Made for a pucker ride for sure. Hoping this works, even a little. Will be better than wiping the window with the back of my glove every two minutes. Still haven't tested my alternator to see if its history, but I charged the batts fully the other day so I will have some juice to run the truck in the next storm that's due to hit this weekend. There is a slight emergency factor at play with the truck being able to drive in the snow. If a bad enough storm and an emergency were to arise, I want to at least be able to get through the snow, to the hospital which is only about 4 miles away. God forbid but one has to be prepared for anything. .

That's a good solution to the problem Nick, let us know how it works during the next storm. These trucks are great in the snow if the windows are kept clear if snow, ice and fog. If you are able to do so, post some pictures please.

The concept is sound, but I'd have to find a way to camoflauge that snorkel....
Gary

I turned on the fan of the heater after I installed the piping, and got good air flow. I know this thing will work. I tried to post a picture, but I just can't figure the method out of how to do so.

Carter;

Can I send you the photo's ?

Yes Nick please do and I'll put them here as well as in the Webshots album I made showing your truck.

Carter;

PM sent.

Very Nice! Now I know what I'll do, use your ingenious design!

Here are your Pictures:

I wish I could take credit, but the credit goes to John Bizal or whomever installed it in his shop. I don't know however, how he cut the pipe in order to get the airflow needed to the windshield. I just surmised that long skinny slits would increase the speed in the volume of air in the pipes, somewhat like how a hose nozzle constricts then speeds up water flow out of the hose. As I mentioned I got good airflow when I turned on the fan. Only concern I have now is how much heat will we feel in the cab as I am down to the small opening, and the lower door on the heater for your feet. I did keep that little door closed when I did my test.

I bet they just drilled a serries of holes in the pipe the let the air out and onto the windshield. Kind of like a sprinkler hose. Maybe a 3/4 or 1 inch holesaw would make nice big holes. Depending on the size of pipe that is.

I was thinking of using the fixture from the end of a shop vac. You know the 12 to 18 inch wide part that you clean/squeegie the floor with. It already has the right shape and size and is already made for high airflow plus it's already made to mount to the end of a piece of tubing. Just run the tubing to one of these fixtures mounted at the base of each windshield with the discharge slit facing up or attach them to a common cross manifold. Just take it all off in the summer if it's not needed.

k8icu wrote:I bet they just drilled a serries of holes in the pipe the let the air out and onto the windshield. Kind of like a sprinkler hose. Maybe a 3/4 or 1 inch holesaw would make nice big holes. Depending on the size of pipe that is.

Maybe, but I would think that bigger holes would be less efficient because the air would not speed up as it exits the pipe. But then again who knows.

Av8r wrote:I was thinking of using the fixture from the end of a shop vac. You know the 12 to 18 inch wide part that you clean/squeegie the floor with. It already has the right shape and size and is already made for high airflow plus it's already made to mount to the end of a piece of tubing. Just run the tubing to one of these fixtures mounted at the base of each windshield with the discharge slit facing up or attach them to a common cross manifold. Just take it all off in the summer if it's not needed.

I'm sure that would work as well.

I was talking to someone some time ago that had been down this road with an M-715. He said a lot of folks had built defroster fixtures with small holes for high velocity but had invariably enlarged them considerably. Apparently high volume airflow is just as important, if not more important, than the velocity of the airflow. One merely needs enough velocity to keep the air moving sufficiently across the windshield surface. He also pointed out that most car defroster vents have rather large openings to move a lot of volume. The solution that he had seen that worked well was the shop vac fixture. Said it gave a good combination of velocity and volume. Now as a disclaimer I will point out that I have no first hand experience installing a defroster unit on an M-37 and that there are probably several good solutions to this, but I am quite interested in what does in fact work well. Just this morning on a rainy, gloomy day here in Kentucky I was taking a sheep to the vet in my 37 and my coat's elbow and sleeve were getting quite the workout keeping the fog off the windshield. Hopefully by next winter I will have the heater and a defroster in my 37.

Here are Nick's defroster shots he sent to me:





Webshots album of Nick's truck photos :
http://community.webshots.com/album/569 ... ity=HNcLlv

Red, olive drab ,and blue , very patriotic !