Heater Control Wins Counter-intuitive design award

[Tango]

Have I got this right?
Looking at some other threads and then going out and trying to see what was happening with the heater, I think I have this figured out, which I could NOT do while driving the other evening with the windshield starting to mist up. Probably because I couldn't figure out at all what lever 1 did.

Numbering from left to right with the three heater controls, No. 1 opens up the outside air source to the fan. No. 2 controls the heater water valve. Moving toward the red makes it cooler and towards the blue (fwd) makes it cooler relatively. No. 3 switches air from defrost (which has a symbol) to the floor vents (which have none).

Someone's advice that you have to look at the triangles as "less than" and "more than" math-type symbols make sense now.

None of this was in any of the reference materials I have managed to put together so far.

It's quirky. I like that.

T

[ROOK1]

Bump to the correct century.

[pope]

There are three levers for air and heat

1. lever next to the driver is air volume. Pulled all the way back gives you max. air flow. Pushed forward closes air flow.

2. lever just to the right of first lever is heater control. Pulled back gives no heat, just outside air temp. Pushed forward gives you max. heat.

3. lever on far right all by itself, is diverter. Pulled back, it allows air to flow through the upper circular dash vents, pushed forward allows air to flow through upper dash and lower feet vents.

Air is always diverted to dash vents in all instances, unless you close air volume in step 1.

[Tango]

Sorry, this doubles up on another post I made last night. Something strange happened in that it got registered as having been written many years ago but I thought it had just disappeared into the ether (my computer was otherwise freezing up trying to upload photo's, so that didnt seem that odd).

But I appreciate the clarification.

[zachmac]

There are three levers for air and heat

2. lever just to the right of first lever is heater control. Pulled back gives no heat, just outside air temp. Pushed forward gives you max. heat.

Air is always diverted to dash vents in all instances, unless you close air volume in step 1.

All correct EXCEPT that on my car the heater control valve works exactly the opposite, forward is valve full open (max heat) and pulled all the way back / up if heater control valve closed (no heat). I wonder if I somehow I intalled it backwards since this is clearly contrary to what the red / blue seems to indicate would make sense? However, there was only one way that valve would mount so I don't know?

[Tango]

But if you move the temperature lever fwd, you are moving it towards the blue (presumably colder) setting, right? That would make more sense to me.

Just to clarify, the red triangle is towards the rear (lever up position) and the blue is toward the front on mine.

I have to say, I think the advice now is split about 50/50 with two people saying that all levers forward is heat shut off and air closed, but one or two saying heat lever is at the "valve closed" position when rearwards.

[zachmac]

But if you move the temperature lever fwd, you are moving it towards the blue (presumably colder) setting, right? That would make more sense to me.

Just to clarify, the red triangle is towards the rear (lever up position) and the blue is toward the front on mine.

I have to say, I think the advice now is split about 50/50 with two people saying that all levers forward is heat shut off and air closed, but one or two saying heat lever is at the "valve closed" position when rearwards.

I don't know what is correct but I do KNOW that with my valve in my hand connected to the lever (off the heater core) the lever pulled back to the red is valve closed (no heat) and forward toward the blue is valve open (max heat) which I agree is totally counterintuitive to what red and blue should mean.

[zachmac]

If you go to the "Related Links" section on this site there is a post that links to PDF manuals and documents as well as jpeg captures of owners manuals (very helpful if you haven't found it!!!). On Page 13 of the 2000 Spider owner's manual it says that seccond lever (Lever D in page 12 diagram):

Pulled all back - no heating of air
Pushed all forward - maximum heating of air

That seems to confirm the way my car works, pulled all back (upright toward rear of car) shuts the heater water inlet valve and shuts OFF heat, exactly the opposite of what I would think looking at blue versus red labels.

[zachmac]

There are three levers for air and heat

2. lever just to the right of first lever is heater control. Pulled back gives no heat, just outside air temp. Pushed forward gives you max. heat.

Air is always diverted to dash vents in all instances, unless you close air volume in step 1.

All correct EXCEPT that on my car the heater control valve works exactly the opposite, forward is valve full open (max heat) and pulled all the way back / up if heater control valve closed (no heat). I wonder if I somehow I intalled it backwards since this is clearly contrary to what the red / blue seems to indicate would make sense? However, there was only one way that valve would mount so I don't know?

My bad, my lever works exactly as pope described (and I described) I just failed to recognize he said the same thing.

[Tango]

Ah, mystery solved. And thank you for referring me to that RElated Links page, that is exactly what I am looking for right now, a copy of the Owner's Manual, among other things.

Tim

[rlux4]

So that your brain isn't constantly reversing the intuitive meaning of the symbols, Mike (mbouse) cleared it up a while back to my great satisfaction. It's the shape, not the color of the triangles that have the most meaning. Towards the point (small end) of the triangle is least, towards the base (larger end) is most. Same applies to either air flow, or heat.
Ron

[joelbert2k]

That's the best way to look at it. Also the blue relates to the air flow which is always cool(er), unless you live in AZ or the Antelope Vally, and red for heat.
Joel