heaters

[phintz]

Has anyone used EZ heat for their rotax engine? It looks to just adhere to the oil tank , it has a temp controlled thermostat so it can be turned on over night. I was leaning towards this vs. a propane type heater, seems simpler

Thanks
Patrick

Series 6
rotax 912-100 hp

[kmach]

Hi,
I use the reiff 150 watt, with a timer. I did look at the ez heat but went with the reiff. I definitly wanted the oil to be warmed as well as heating the engine. For heating away from power I made a multifuel stove preheat setup similiar to the alaskan preheater , called the northern companion. Of course an insulated cowl cover and prop /spinner cover helps the preheating .

[Kurt.A]

You might want to have a look around for oil pan heaters. They are a stick on pad that would stick to the bottom of the block in our case. plug them in and leave them on all night. They work very well for warming the oil and metal surfaces.

[Av8r3400]

I've posted photos before, but I use an inexpensive "cube" heater mounted on an old work light stand to blow warm air into the cowling.


http://www.teamkitfox.com/Forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3936&stc=1&d=1350957685



Not too usable out in the bush, though...

[jrevens]

If you've got power in your unheated hangar, I think that something like what Av8r3400 did is ideal. I use something similar, but attached a 4" dia. flexible aluminum vent pipe to the face of it & bring that up into the cowl. If you're using pre-heat a lot, I don't like the gas-fired heaters. I've seen engines that are literally peppered with corrosion & pitting that was attributable to gas-fired heaters. Among the products of combustion are water & carbonic acid. Although a weak acid, it does do slow damage to aluminum. All the moisture that condenses on a cold engine is not particularly good, even by itself.
The nice thing about electric heat is that it is dry, and heating all of the engine (cylinders, oil tank, crankcase, etc.) fairly uniformly is better, IMHO, than a pad glued to the sump or crankcase, and relying on conduction alone to heat the rest of the engine. I just think it's easier on, and better for the engine.

[WWhunter]

Picked up this 'Milkhouse' heater at the farm supply store. Bought some small venting and adapters that I mounted with rivets to the front of the heater.
I use it for different airplanes. Just stick the tube into the bottom of the cowl and place a cowl blanket over the cowl. I do leave an opening in one of the cowl inlets for the heated air to move through better. I also have a Tanis on the plane with the 912 and it heats up the engine very nicely. If I am out on the ice or away from home, I can bring along my small Honda generator for power.

[Dave S]

Also using an electric heater very similar to Keith's.....1500 watts & never had to run it longer than an hour in the hangar to get the ULS warmed up..

Dave S
St Paul, MN

[phintz]

Also using an electric heater very similar to Keith's.....1500 watts & never had to run it longer than an hour in the hangar to get the ULS warmed up..

Dave S
St Paul, MN

I spoke to Dave about this on the phone already but thought I'd share with everyone!

I went with the milkhouse heater! I stopped at Walmart and got the heater for $20.00 then I was off to Menards to find a heat duct adapter, along with some dryer vent! My total bill was about $47.00 and had it put together and running! After about an hour the engine was toasty warm and fired up on the first try!! This is a very inexpensive and good way to heat the cold engine!!

Thanks to all for your input and thoughts on this!

Patrick
series 6- trigear
912 100 hp

[Micro Mong Bldr]

1500 watts, an hours, and what kind of ambient temperature was it?

Cheers,

L

Model 2 HKS and a Micro Mong project

[WWhunter]

I am normally living in Northern MN and if you watch the weather much, my area of the country is usually the coldeset in the nation. Yepper...it's friggin cold. The heater works up here without any problems in temperatures that most guys won't even go out of the house.
I will normally stop flying when it gets doble digits below zero. It just isn't worth it for me to be out flying in -20 weather. If one goes down in that kind of weather and is unpreparred, life can get very iffy.

[airlina]

The next step for me in the preheat process was a way to control the activation from home, so I wouldn't have to drive to the hangar to set the timer or plug in the heat then come back 2 hours later to fly. After some research , I found that most manufactured cell call activated units run $200-300 . Being the true homebuilder (read cheap) that I am , I figured there was a more economical way. So with a bit of further interneting I just finished a homebuilt unit for 60 bucks or so. I found a Romanian Helicopter pilot who builds a cell phone activated (the light on the screen of the cellphone does the activation) relay switch for 25 bucks shipped to my door. I had an old cellphone that I bought a new sim card and 3 mos of prepaid minutes for another 20 bucks ($10 for the sim card and $10 for the 3 mos of mins so about $3 per month for cell service). A trip to lowes for a elec box to put the relay switch and plug in for a few more bucks and I was good to go.I just installed this at the hangar and testing has just begun. If it works OK , i will take photos with more details in a future update. Bruce N199CL

[Av8r3400]

Okay, Bruce: If this project works out, I don't think I'd be alone in requesting a full write up (new thread start) with photos, drawings and the works on the build and operation of this system.

[airlina]

Okay, Bruce: If this project works out, I don't think I'd be alone in requesting a full write up (new thread start) with photos, drawings and the works on the build and operation of this system.

OK Larry, so far I am one for one, got up at 5:30 , checked duats, wx looked good, called the preheater , went to the hangar at 8:00 am to a toasty IO-240. Probably gonna go again tomorrow. Bruce