By roy bryant (Sliverpkr) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

hi im new to the sport. i recently purchased a late 80's argo with a 17 horse kohler everything works great but some type of heat would be nice. im woried about using a electric heater because of the amperage draw and swaping to a liquid cooled engine seems pricey. would a higher amp alternator with electric heat be the answer?

By Kevin Vallelunga (Kevinv123) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

With the top/windshield engine heat should be sufficient. I use my 98 Vanguard mostly for ice fishing and rarely need a jacket while driving, with temps below zero.

By pete6x6 on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Roy,

I would look into a higher amp alternator. Changing the engine at this point would be cost prohibitve. I'm back guys Pete6x6

By Marc St-Cyr on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hi Roy, I'm also new to the sport. I just brought home an argo response a couple of months ago. I purchased the alternator with the thought of installing an electric (12 v) heater in the cab this winter. The response has a fan to cool the brakes, to my surprize it's amazing how much heat that blows into the cab ! My suggestion to you is to simply place a fan somewhere in the engine compartment and blow that excess heat into your cab.

By Alan Michaud (Maxuser) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Silverpkr, not sure how the Argo is configured. But, if similar to Max you can get toasty by adding a top. We use a Max for snow trail grooming and there are times I have to remove jacket and sweater and open a side curtain to keep from melting. And this is in 10 to 10 below zero weather. Of course field crossings do get the curtains closed back up in a hurry!

The exhaust goes outside the canopy, of course, but the engine heat is inside with the Max setup. About fifteen minutes of idle time getting ready to go out brings the inside temp up quite nicely. Well, there is still one problem area, the feet!
The bottom always stays cold .. so pack boots are a must.

By the way. The current capability of these engines is an issue. We have the throttle cable heater and use an electric ram to raise/lower the groomer we pull behind the Max. Mid-winter the regulator failed and we didn't realize it. (had put in HUGE battery to offset the momentary motor draw of the rams) Anyway, we always run at night and the lights are on constantly, the throttle cable heater is on constantly and the 18 HP Brigss only puts out 15 amps. :-\
Just finished converting the unit we groom with to the 20HP Kohler. More torque, more amps, sounds better! :-))

And this year we will have two batteries. One inside on a trickle charge and one in unit. Every other day we will swap.

The problem we had was once the charger failed and the battery (800 CCA) lost more and more charge it froze. Yes, a low charge battery can freeze. It took out four cells. Two weeks ago as we began prepping for the season I checked and found the regulator had died.

Live and learn.
Or ... when it finally brakes you remember what you was supposed to do! hehehehe

enjoy!
Al

By Attex Bob on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Roy: Here is my two cents worth. You can take your muffler or muffler pipe and weld a pipe around it. Then weld two bungs on each end. Mount a boat blower somewhere in the engine compartment and hook one end of the 12V blower to it. Duct the other end to the cab of your AATV. Put the 12V switch in a convenient place. So there you have it; sort of a VW/ AATV heater for under $30.

By pete6x6 on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Roy,

Hmmm. Uhm one thing you have to be sure of. Carbon monoxide is deadly do not blow air from the engine bay area into your cab. If there is any leaks of co2 gas guess who will be breathing it? Just be careful. I would check around to see if you can get a better heater element from a rv catalog or something like that before rigging something.

By EugeneKochnieff on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hi all,
Electric heating is just not practical!!!
Even with an accessory alternator 500w is all you can hope for and that wont heat much.

I agree that a system that uses waste heat from the engine is the way to go, as per attex bob.

Re the CO yes it is dangerous but heater or not you should still have good ventilation in you cab as CO2 is bad for you also. (I know CO prefferentialy binds haemoglobin and is toxic.)

Just get your engieering right and keep the fresh air coming.

By Tom Pike (Tpike) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I would fabricate a metal firewall that is adjustably insolated with removable velcro panels. Damn that's good. What do I know?

By kush on Unrecorded Date: Edit

If CO is such a worry, then why not put in a cheap CO detector. They're only about $30. Cheap protection if you ask me.