alternate air?

[cj8vet]

OK, maybe a stupid question-but as a low time maule owner-I was reading my POH yesterday and noticed in the partial power on takeoff section- "Pull alternate air" is this really the carb heat ?
Maybe I need more instruction ihn how to use the heater/vent too/
it is a 90 mxt-180-2 knobs on rt panel- 1heat 1 fresh air right? best used together in winter for warm air flow, now on the left I have carb heat and parking break, more to the left is? what I thought back seat heat but my kids didnt seem to think it helped. what does knob do?
is alt air same as alt static on my old cessna?
mark
I know, no stupid questions, just stupid people.

[a64pilot]

The alternate air inlet is in case your airfilter ices up or some how or another becomes clogged. If you take your engine cowling off and look at the ducting it should be apparent how the alternate air door operates. Look for a cable attached to a door. Once you find it you should be able to easily find which knob actuates it. I would then placard the knob as alternate air. On my M-6 it's a T shaped handle just like the trim is, just on the left side. It is not alternate static. Our alternate static would be to bust the gauge face on an instrument that is hooked to the static system, My vote would be the VSI.
On my M-6 there are two each heat vent knobs and two each fresh air knobs. Both my heat knobs are on the right, but I have a fresh air knob on both sides. If you remove the cowling and have someone actuate the knobs, it should be easy to see what moves in the engine compartment. I say do it that way because in the case of my aircraft things were re-arranged and not where they should have been. I have no idea why someone would have done that, but they did. Things are where they should be now.

[maules.com]

Alternate air is only on the injected engines. MXT7-180 is carburetted.
Follow the cables and see what they do.
Make sure you don't pull brake lock by mistake.....mark it clearly and at 'GUMPS' always press left brake pedals for mushy not hard feeling TWICE before landing. Carb heat does carb heat and should be marked.
Heaters and cold air are not so important.
Get a maintainance manual and Parts book and study them with an instructor if necessary to locate the correct knob so you can induce an action which should always produce a reckognized result.
Good luck