REFLECTOR: Are engine/oil heaters worth it?

[Ron Brown]

And speaking of hair dryers, that works good too.  Small enough to slip into 
the cowl opening of a standard, slide it under the engine.  I taped mine 
down to a sheet of foam to keep from cooking the bottom of the cowl.  I have 
used a blanket to close off the cowl exits and gotten the oil temp over 60 
degrees in 30 minutes.

Ronnie



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andy Millin" <amillin at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'" <reflector at tvbf.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 8:19 AM
Subject: RE: REFLECTOR: Are engine/oil heaters worth it?


> An inexpensive electric heater that is shaped about like a shoe box.
> Really, just a very big hair dryer only the fan is larger and turns 
> slower.
> You can find them at Wal-Mart for about $20.
>
> Andy
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> Behalf Of Terry Miles
> Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 10:02 PM
> To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
> Subject: RE: REFLECTOR: Are engine/oil heaters worth it?
>
>
> Thanks everyone.  What is a milk box heater?
> Terry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
> Behalf Of Scott Derrick
> Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 6:09 PM
> To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
> Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Are engine/oil heaters worth it?
>
>
> I heat my plane when the temps fall below a 20-30f range.
>
> I use two cheapo electric milk box heaters. One hangs on the prop and
> blows hot air onto the engine from the cowl exhaust port. I cover the
> cowl with a insulated blanket to help keep the heat in. The other goes
> in the cabin. I think its just as important to heat the gyros, switches
> and levers, I also like to be warm when I taxi and take off. My wife
> really likes it. I heat the inside up to 85-90 degrees. The engine
> usually shows about 60 degrees if the outside is down to 0.
>
> two $20 heaters and an old blanket is a cheap way to go and works like a
>
> charm.
>
> Scott
>
> Chuck Jensen wrote:
>>
>> 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/
>>
>>     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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