REFLECTOR: Are engine/oil heaters worth it?

Chuck Jensen cjensen at dts9000.com
Wed Mar 8 13:20:30 CST 2006


Aviation Consumers, engine builds, et al, seem to be fairly consistent
in the recommendation that preheat between 20F and 35F is recommended
and required below 20F if you like to fly to the full TBO.  The numbers
vary slightly from source to source, but as said, they are consistent in
recommending it.  Interestingly, continuous heat may not be best.  The
warmth in the oil will certainly drive off any moisture present, but the
cold engine above recondenses it to form water droplets that fall down
and the process starts all over again...your own miniature rain forest.
Hard to know if that actually occurs, but seems plausible.  In sum, a
heater seems superfluous for Orlando, occasionally useful for
Chattanooga and essential for Chicago...unless the big bucks for a
heated hangar are no problem.

 

Chuck Jensen

 

-----Original Message-----
From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
Behalf Of Terry Miles
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 12:33 PM
To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
Subject: REFLECTOR: Are engine/oil heaters worth it?

 

Dear Anybody,

 

	http://www.reiffpreheat.com/ <http://www.reiffpreheat.com/>  

	 

	The above is a engine heater company that shows up each year at
Osh.  I am thinking that oil viscosity alone is sufficient to handle
startup and idle RPM to temps down to zero degrees F without using these
things...assumming I make sure I have good oil temp at takeoff.    They
make a ring-type heater that wraps around each cyl.  Or a cheaper
version that is just a big spot heater attached to the underside of the
oil sump.  

	 

	Are these good ideas?  I am trying to finish up my wiring plan
and need to decide on some of this stuff now if I can.  

	 

	Thanks,

	Terry 

	Illinois/Penn

	IO540K

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