Non-Electric pre-Heat

[Dan1940Chief]

My hangar at KVVS is an old one -- no electricity.



I'd prefer lights and an outlet, but it's the only hangar space within 40 miles.

So I looked online and found this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5bK_ivwXs4.

I just built one using a Coleman PowerShot backpacking stove, and ammo can, and flexible dryer tubing.

I drilled a few more holes after testing last night showed the flame was a bit O2 starved.

Tests today were perfect -- LOTS of heat, adjustable output, and the hose allows directing the heat to the best spot in the cowling.

I'm in no rush to use it, but when it gets cold, I'll be ready!

[Dusty]

I always carry something a bit like that in winter, but made from a soup rather than ammo can. I suppose bigger is better if you're not lugging it around, but mine lives in my fishing pole tube and weighs pretty much nothing.

SCAT hose works better than the drier duct, but is pricey.

I hate the damned thing, and just figure it'll burn my plane down someday. Hope you have enough insurance to buy everyone around you new planes/hangars.

For overnight camping, I use a Coleman catalytic heater, which goes under the cowling. It will NOT heat a cold engine.

For more permanent installations, electricity is the only way to go. No open fire, no moisture, ain't gonna burn your plane down with just a LITTLE common sense. A cheapo Coleman generator will fit in the back of a Champ with just a little creativity, and the 2 smaller offerings from Honda and Yamaha fit easily and look sexy doing it. Best $700 you'll ever spend. Just ask your neighbors!

[gusc]

If you use fire you will eventually burn it up.

[Dan1940Chief]

If you use fire you will eventually burn it up.

Gas, spark, air -- there's lots of fire in my airplane....

[Dennis]

That brings to mind a worry that I have about gas in the hanger. I have two planes that holds almost 107 gallons plus a tank trailer which holds another 70 gallons plus 6 gas cans holding another 23 gallons. That is 200 gallons of gas not to mention the 5 gallons of naptha and 5 gallons of MEK and other paints and thinners. Top this off with the hanger is heated with natural gas.

Wow, talk about a spark at the wrong time. Well, I guess it could be worse, I'm not a farmer and DO NOT have any Diesel or fertilizer stored in the hanger.

Dennis

[Dan1940Chief]

That brings to mind a worry that I have about gas in the hanger. I have two planes that holds almost 107 gallons plus a tank trailer which holds another 70 gallons plus 6 gas cans holding another 23 gallons. That is 200 gallons of gas not to mention the 5 gallons of naptha and 5 gallons of MEK and other paints and thinners. Top this off with the hanger is heated with natural gas.

Wow, talk about a spark at the wrong time. Well, I guess it could be worse, I'm not a farmer and DO NOT have any Diesel or fertilizer stored in the hanger.

Dennis

Safe handling and repeated procedure is the way to maintain safety.

If you always do things in an ordered, safe way, you will do it when you're tired and not thinking.

If you don't, carelessness will eventually catch up with you.

I have a 5 Gal container of auto gas in my hangar, oil, cleaning supplies, plus a fabric airplane with 12 gallons of 100ll/mogas mix. It's a hazardous environment and hanlde it as such.

Whenevr I use my ammo can preheater the airplane will be outside the hangar.

[gusc]

Dennis,

You probably don't have an open flame in your shop very often either, that is the difference.

I do all my welding in a different building or outdoors.

I have four buildings full of vehicles and the Champ. If one of these ever catches fire that is the end of my toy collection!!

However, that is still probably better than having an attached garage full of vehicles, lawnmowers and other gas users.

[Dennis]

Hey Gus,

Approximately 25 years ago, I was welding in my garage next to my wife's car when the whole world seemed to end. I opened my eyes to discover the welding hood gone, the back wall blown off the foundation, the garage door off its rails, the door leading into the house blown open, all garage windows blown out and the ceiling sagging due to broken joices. Drill bids on my work bench were blown into my wifes car and a pair of needle nose plyers went past me to the other side of the garage. The concussion went through the house blowing receptical plates off the wall and blew out the slidding glass door on the other side of the house. My clothes were burned off the front side of me and the skin was slidding off my hands plus second degree burns over most of the front side of my body. I looked like Wile E. Coyote. My hair was burned and spotty and my clothes were hanging on my back smoddering. Boy did that hurt. And, I was home alone.

After calling the fire department and an ambulance, I was looking in the garage and notice the burned and frayed lable to a box which contained 8 pounds of black powder stored in my work bench.

So I agree, garages can be dangerous. BTW, thank goodness for morphine.

Dennis

PS. My wife did not think it was funny.
PPS, Lesson learned.....don't weld near the gun powder.

[gusc]

Dennis,

Sounds like you have described an episode of Roadrunner and Wiley Coyote!

About the only explosive I don't have in my buildings is gunpowder!

[Nathan K. Hammond]

Damn!

nkh

[Senior]

A cheapo Coleman generator will fit in the back of a Champ with just a little creativity, and the 2 smaller offerings from Honda and Yamaha fit easily and look sexy doing it. Best $700 you'll ever spend. Just ask your neighbors!

Now I'm curious as to how you warm a stone cold engine in the winter with a small generator??
I have a 800watt portable & haven't figured out how to convert that little bit of power to enough heat to warm the engine. I tried a battery heater wrapped around the oil sump but it's not enough heat in above zero temps, even thou it felt like you would burn your hand placed flat on it!

[Dusty]

Now I'm curious as to how you warm a stone cold engine in the winter with a small generator??
I have a 800watt portable & haven't figured out how to convert that little bit of power to enough heat to warm the engine. I tried a battery heater wrapped around the oil sump but it's not enough heat in above zero temps, even thou it felt like you would burn your hand placed flat on it!

Electric bathroom heater under a good engine covers. Run it for an hour (two if below say -40, depending on your cover), then let everything equalize for an hour or so.

The biggest problem I've had is getting the damned generators to run in the cold.

[Dan1940Chief]

Why not a 100 watt bulb trouble light under the cowl and good blankets and cowl plugs?

[drjeff]

The word, "ACME" would have been on there somewhere if you looked like W.E. Coyote. Glad you came out alright on that one.

[Senior]

Electric bathroom heater under a good engine covers. Run it for an hour (two if below say -40, depending on your cover), then let everything equalize for an hour or so.

The biggest problem I've had is getting the damned generators to run in the cold.

I tried an electric Mini-furnace but it's just a hair to much load for the generator.
1,000watts might run it but 800 won't
Your right about starting in winter but my house is near enough to keep genny in garage till needed.

Dan: maybe 8 x 100 watt bulbs under a insulated cover but a single bulb ain't much heat!