Rixen's MCS7 Hydronic Heater Retrofit Installation | 2018–2020 Winnebago Revel
ODB removes your Revel's factory Espar/Rixen's MCS-5 heating system and installs Rixen's MCS7: cabin heat and hot water that adjust automatically for altitude. Fully commissioned and leak-tested.
Factory heater out. Rixen's MCS7 in. Commissioned before you pick up.
We remove the factory Espar/Rixen's MCS-5 heating system from your 2018–2020 Revel and install Rixen's MCS7 in its place. You get cabin heat and hot water from a current-generation system that adjusts automatically for altitude, run from one touchscreen. We're Colorado's Winnebago Revel and Ekko specialists, and this is a Revel-specific retrofit.
Why upgrade a 2018–2020 Revel
- Altitude. The factory Espar furnace is rated for unrestricted heating only up to about 4,900 ft (1,500 m). Above that, it depends on an add-on altitude kit. The MCS7 compensates automatically to at least 11,000 ft.
- Age. Factory systems are now 6–9 years old, and Eberspächer has replaced that furnace generation with the Hydronic S3.
- Smoother heat. The factory unit switches between high and low (0.27 L/h at its low setting). The S3 modulates steplessly and burns as little as 0.15 L/h at low demand.
- Simpler controls. Five switches and a thermostat become one 5.5" touchscreen with phone access.
See what's in the kit: Rixen's MCS7 Hydronic Heater Retrofit Kit.
What we do
- Inspect. We check coolant condition, the fuel pickup, exhaust and the existing hydronic components. Anything pre-existing that needs repair is quoted before work starts.
- Remove the factory MCS-5 furnace, switches, controls and other components the retrofit replaces.
- Install the MCS7 furnace, power box, touchscreen controller, two-speed glycol pump and kick-space air handlers.
- Re-integrate the coolant reservoir, domestic hot water heat exchanger and mixing valve. These carry over from the factory system.
- Route and adapt coolant, fuel, exhaust, intake, domestic water, air heat, electrical and control lines for clean integration and service access. We replace the exhaust pipe, muffler and aged flexible fuel line, and keep the hard fuel lines, which meet S3 requirements. The factory 120V electric element is reconnected to the MCS7 control board.
- Configure cabin heat and hot water in the MCS7 controller. Altitude compensation is automatic.
- Commission: fill and bleed coolant, prime fuel, run the system, leak-check every connection and function-test heat and hot water.
- Hand off: a walkthrough of the touchscreen and phone access at pickup.
The installed project
| Installation labor (this item) | $2,295.00 |
| Rixen's MCS7 Hydronic Heater Retrofit Kit, Revel Generation 2018-2020 44E (required) | $3,994.88 |
| Kit + installation | $6,289.88 |
| Coolant and installation materials | Estimated during quote review |
| Optional: Installed Engine Heat & Preheat Integration | $2,600.00 |
Not included: the MCS7 kit and materials (priced above), and repairs to pre-existing vehicle, plumbing, fuel, electrical, cabinetry or hydronic issues unless quoted separately.
Add engine heat while we're in there. Engine heat and preheat integration adds a dedicated heat-exchanger loop between the engine and the coach system. The two coolant circuits stay separate. It recovers engine heat while you drive (up to 30 kW, per Rixen's) and can preheat the engine from the touchscreen before a cold start.
Fits: 2018–2020 Winnebago Revel with the factory Espar/Rixen's MCS-5 diesel hydronic system. Final requirements can vary with vehicle condition, prior modifications and production-year differences. We confirm them during quote review.
FAQ
How long will my van be here?
About a week. We confirm your install window during quote review.
Can I supply my own parts?
No. We install only parts we source, so we can stand behind the result.
What could change the final price?
Coolant and installation materials are estimated during quote review and depend on your van's routing and condition. Pre-existing issues we find during inspection are quoted separately before any work is done.