"cordless" engine block heaters.

[Shawn686]

I notice you mentined Acrtic Fox stuff. I have no first hand info on their stuff but this looks promissing for fule lines.

http://www.arctic-fox.com/sitepages/pid20.php

I looked at these a few years ago, but go turned away by the price. If the prices have come down alittle it might be worth while.

What do you guys think?

Shawn

 

[eleblanc]

My customers all use webasto engine heater for there diesel generator.

They are very nice, plug the fuel from the tank, then a in / out of the engine coolant, i beleive it needs some small amount of current from the battery. It will start and stop to keep the engine block coolant to a specific temperature. Without shore power they're all setup with solar panel. They do that because the coolant needs to be heated 24/7/365. But Webasto even have a remote control to start the heater some time before you head out to start the truck!
In a truck you could probably run the cab ventilation without having the run the engine to get hot air!

http://www.webasto.com/home/en/html/homepage.html

They call it Thermo Water Heaters.
Webasto has the type of heater that will blow hot air in the cab and they also have the engine block water heater.

Here is what you need
http://www.webasto-outdoors.com/heating/thermo-top/thermo-top-c-motorcaravan.html

 

[dzzz]

There's a couple threads about using an Espar unit to heat coolant, warm the cabin and provide hot water.
A truck usually parked with electrical access can use different solutions than an expedition camper in the field. Espar can be purchased at discount and is DIY for many here.
My truck came with a factory webasto coolant heater. I'm more impressed with Espar, however. Espar has options like high altitude module, where the solution with my webasto is only to run rich at low altitude.
Engine block heaters are now standard on Ford diesels sold in cold climates. But they don't warm the cab like a diesel heater.

 

[Martyn]

There's a couple threads about using an Espar unit to heat coolant, warm the cabin and provide hot water.
A truck usually parked with electrical access can use different solutions than an expedition camper in the field. Espar can be purchased at discount and is DIY for many here.
My truck came with a factory webasto coolant heater. I'm more impressed with Espar, however. Espar has options like high altitude module, where the solution with my webasto is only to run rich at low altitude.
Engine block heaters are now standard on Ford diesels sold in cold climates. But they don't warm the cab like a diesel heater.

An other solution to your high altitude issue may be to restrict the air intake when at elevation. Something like a louvered cap over the intake.

 

[snowbear]

20 degrees shouldn't cause any probs at all for starting a tight 7.3 with no preheat. Swap to full syn and like others said run it yr round. Also batteries are weaker in the cold so you get less juice to turn the starter.

A poor boy option we've used for years on planes and equipment is the coleman catalytic heater like this http://sharky-fourbees.blogspot.com/2010/09/coleman-catalytic-heater-model-512.html. Get a metal 5 gallon can with a lid and some 3" stove pipe. Fit the stove pipe in the lid and cut 4-6 2" holes around the bottom of the can. Lite it up and put it under the rig. Little engines like super cubs are warm in an hour. Big engines like cats and excavators we let'r burn all night.

 

[Code Monkey]

1) Use 5W-40W Synth oil

2) Use 'winter' formulated diesel fuel. There are also fuel heaters, some go into your fuel filter attachment. http://www.diesel-therm.com/diesel-therm.htm

3) You may want to replace your battery cables with a thicker gauge cable. I often replace battery cables with the largest gauge welding power cable I can find, with the connection lugs that go with it and marine wing nut terminal connectors. The thicker cables waste less power on resistance of the cable, and welding cables are fine stranded to be more flexible and pass more amperage. The stock cables in most vehicles are often the smallest and cheapest that the manufacturer can get away with.

4) Some kind of block heater.

I prefer a decent cooler heater than oil heater because coolant heaters generally heat the whole block. An oil heater isn't bad, but unless the oil is circulating the block will still be cold and so will the head. All that cast iron and steel takes a while to heat up and for the heat to transfer. So I prefer coolant heaters if I can only choose one over the other. But it has to be plumbed right.

 

[Code Monkey]

Oh, and there is the APUs which are a combo generator, A/C unit, engine heater (via coolant) and compartment heater. These are the units that semi-truck drivers with sleepers use to keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer, keep their batteries charged, run a TV or microwave and so on, and not run their main engine.

They can be pretty expensive though; $5K to over $10K

 

[adi]

This is one reason I shied away from a diesel vehicle. My 93 Land Cruiser Gasser started up no problems at -15.

I still have the diesel itch though, so this is good information.

Any thoughts on the concept of draining the oil, warming it up, and putting it back in? I've heard of folks doing that, draining the oil the night before, warming it up during breakfast over the campfire (safely), and pouring it back in and starting it up. Seems like a lot of steps, but the cost would just be a large enough metal bucket, and possibly a few messes.

 

[IdaSHO]

Interesting idea, but no way I would go that route.

For a few reasons.

* the mess
* the potential to contaminate the engine oil
and
* the volume. The 7.3 uses nearly 4 GALLONS of oil. All of which I only want to handle twice. When it is going in during an oil change, and when it is going into the drain pan, during an oil change.

 

[overlander]

I have a webasto thermotop for my diesel, and it has become my favorite addition. worked great on our winter trip to the snowy mountains in December. It's nice to get in a warm vehicle in the morning, and the engine starts right up. Haven't hit the negative temps yet though. I also have a fuel bowl heater, that I haven't hooked up yet. haven't needed it though. spring project

webasto's and espars (very similar products) use very little fuel and power, but if you use the cabin heat (you have to leave your heater fan on for the webasto to activate it), that will use up your battery over time. I have my webasto tied to my aux battery in my dual setup. I also have a battery minder mounted to my frame, that is directly wired to my aux battery, with the plug hanging out of my hood in the front. I plug in when my vehicle sits (like on weekends), and it works great. my fridge runs 24/7 as well, and I have a short commute.

my webasto runs every morning for an hour before I leave for work, to include the cabin heat.

 

[lowenbrau]

I've been preaching Webasto to anybody that will listen for quite a few years now. I had a Pro Heat (way too big for a light truck) in the early 90s and then bought a Webasto TSL17 in about 1999. I just move it from Cruiser to Cruiser as I get newer ones. I'm sure Espars are even better.

My Cummins starts at -25C every time with one very old battery and no auxiliary heater but when I coaxed it to life last week at -29 or so it took fully 45 seconds to make oil pressure. I probably did more damage in that one start than a year's credit card payments for a Webasto. If you have a diesel in cold weather you really can't afford not to have a diesel coolant heater. I'm shopping fr an airtop version as well to heat my tent.

 

[johnboy]

I'm about to move to alaska with my wvo diesel van so I've been giving this alot of thought. Ideally I would like to get an espar or similar unit but they are pretty pricey.
As a less expensive solution I was thinking about getting a used hot water heater from an R.V.(maybe the propane tank too if necessary) and plumbing it into my coolant system with a small 12v. pump run off of my auxillary batteries.
Any thoughts?

For a really crazy idea I have even thought of a tiny woodstove, like "the sardine" for a sailboat, with a heat exchanger in the stack plumbed into the coolant system and a 12v. pump.

 

[miedemao]

"Cordless" engine block heaters

Hi,

We manufacture 2 propane / natural gas fueled engine block heaters which would work well for your application.

The PG-25-RSV is 10,400 BTU price : $946.68 each
The PG-55-RSV is 28,000 BTU price : $1032.30 each

I know this was an old posting but was just checking our web page and saw your post.

You can visit our web site at www.engineblockheater.net

Please call with any questions. 1-888-566-1220

Best regards,

Ms. Cory Miedema
Universal Engine Heater Company

 

[Idahoan]

Hi,

We manufacture 2 propane / natural gas fueled engine block heaters which would work well for your application.

The PG-25-RSV is 10,400 BTU price : $946.68 each
The PG-55-RSV is 28,000 BTU price : $1032.30 each

I know this was an old posting but was just checking our web page and saw your post.

You can visit our web site at www.engineblockheater.net

Please call with any questions. 1-888-566-1220

Best regards,

Ms. Cory Miedema
Universal Engine Heater Company

Hmmm... Is it catalytic? How do they do in the wind? I work at remote sites without power and usually if its a diesel, we let it idle all day so we get to go home.

 

[G35Vortec454]

Would the gas generator start at that extreme cold? Just wondering.