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I have a 30,000 btu propane heater that I could plug into an inverter on my truck to use. Experimenting at home with a temp gun I am getting over 500 degrees out of the end an aluminum tube. I'm thinking this is to hot and it may damage the cowling. Thoughts? Too hot?

John

Sounds a bit hot. I have a Red Dragon - I set it that I can JUST keep my hand in the warm output where it is going into the bottom of the cowl.

I agree with Graeme; 500 degrees will be hot enough to soften or possibly melt the fiberglass or at the very least, burn up the paint on the cowling. That's pretty darn hot and I personally wouldn't use that much heat. I tend to favor warm air and longer durations of preheat. Remember, you just want the engine and oil to warm up a little to help with engine start. It doesn't need to be red hot!

I was thinking it was too hot, wanted to hear from others. Thanks guys

John

I's sure someone here has looked at this but back when I was with GM I remember an engine block heater that we sold for the northern states. Simply plug it in and and it warmed the engine, I believe that it warmed oil. I googled engine block heater and found that there is a dipstick version which might work without doing any drilling on the block. Has anyone explored this ?

jrs wrote:I's sure someone here has looked at this but back when I was with GM I remember an engine block heater that we sold for the northern states. Simply plug it in and and it warmed the engine, I believe that it warmed oil. I googled engine block heater and found that there is a dipstick version which might work without doing any drilling on the block. Has anyone explored this ?

From other experience:

So you need electricity - which I don't have in the tie downs.....

Dipstick heater - if left on, Notorious for "sweating" during humidity cycles and so filling the engine with corrosive steam.

Block heating - usually with heater bands around the base of the cylinders (quite possible on the AeroVee) and a "pad" on the bottom of the sump to overall warm the oil in the sump and engine. Not sure how you would get the pad to work on an AeroVee - not a lot of flat surface to work with.

I'm thinking a portable generator with a electric heater. This would be for late fall and early spring, not dead of winter. I took a temp of my wife's hairdryer and it was about 180 degrees. Seems like that would work.

John

I had this exact same problem in years past. I solved it easily by moving to Phoenix!

Me too Lou! I sent you a PM.

Scott

pappas wrote:I had this exact same problem in years past. I solved it easily by moving to Phoenix!

But tell me this, Lou.........with our low wing and clear view of the sun...........how many months of the year is it just too darn hot to fly? I know it's doable because we had two of our RV guys move from our airpark here in northern California to your area in the past few years. What say you?

Art,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Sonex taildragger #95,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Jabiru 3300 #261