Temporary stopgap while I recover - keeping engine warm

[Refueler]

Having just been discharged from hospital .. I am in order but I tire easily with all the tablets etc I'm on ...

I also have so much work to catch up on ...

My MoBo was trailered out - as can be seen in other thread .... and another thread talked about cooling water pipe conversion - before Hospital ....

I needed something just to stop temp dropping below 0C till I can bring myself to scrabble about under that 6cyl lump !

I looked at Greenhouse heaters - but need to order online ...
I looked at normal heaters - but they have live wire elements and its a carburettor engine with gasoline vapours collect in the engine bay. I have a vent blower that you run for a few minutes before starting engine to clear so that I'm not so easy about.
I went to Bathroom / Sanitary shop to see what they had ...

Inter5esting array.

Formed stainless tubing you can either pipe hot water through or fill with special powder and a wire element to create electric. Not easy to sort and mount.
Electric towel rails - but they were too big and price !!
Interesting one item was a long cable like heating element that you wrap around pipes in the garden to stop them freezing .. I definitely have another job for those ....

They advised looking in a Truckers Shop .... so on way to the largest Truck Details shop - I stopped in the local DIY builders merchants just to see ...

Guy I know in there speaks good English ... so I explained and we look at the heaters they have ... nothing really suitable .. I thought of those small square Ceramic heaters ... but nothing. Just mentioned to him about Towel Rail heaters being too big ... arrrrr come look at this ... maybe this will work :



80W 240v .... safety rated.

Bought and installed :



You will note the wireless temp sender on top of Air Intake box .... 50m range ... I have main receive unit display on my window sill where I can see it now ... already in an hour - temp in that bay has risen from 4C to 9.5C ....

Luckily all was well in the bay - even though night temps have dropped last few nights to -ve ... the bay insulation has helped. With this - who knows - maybe I don't need antifreeze through system ???

Price ? 52 euros.

 

[Refueler]

Outside is now dropping near zero as evening comes in .... temp in engine bay is now 10.5C and still rising ...

At 80W ... it could even be solar or inverter powered ..... for cabin use on those chilly sailing adventures ...

 

[Seastoke]

Could you not put a piece of 25mm over the heater and engine to keep temp lower in bilge

 

[Refueler]

Could you not put a piece of 25mm over the heater and engine to keep temp lower in bilge

Photo is without full cover over ... which has same sound foam insulation as you see on sides ...

Now its in place - so its basically a near sealed box ... with the cable allowing it to vent slightly ...

One guy said get an Electric Blanket for a bed and wrap it round ... not a bad idea - but the cockpit cover is old and water seeps through the fabric and into bilges / bays ...

 

[Clash]

You can also get those seedling propagation mats. They're waterproof. Quite small though.

 

[Refueler]

0C outside .... 10C in engine bay ...

 

[Boathook]

0C outside .... 10C in engine bay ...

Hopefully your thermometer was allowing you to see the temperatures from indoors rather than going out.

 

[billskip]

In Sweden the Volvo had a heater element permanent in the sump and had a socket for an extension lead to plug onto a thermostatic controlled timer socket in the garage.

 

[Momac]

The towel rail heater looks like a good solution. I see they are available in the Uk

To minimise energy use I have my tube heater on a plug in thermostat control set to cut in when the temperature in the engine bay falls below 5 degrees C . I guess its about a 80 Watt heater.
A also have a small Hyco frost protection heater with a built in thermostat . I have had it some years. I have that positioned near the calorifier which I am never certain is fully drained. I don't have the heaters permanently fixed but that could easily be arranged.

 

[jon and michie]

Good piece of kit - I used to use 2 bathroom heaters but there are just straight tubes and I got hold of temperature sockets (like timer switches but for temperature) so when it got below 6 degrees they turned on automatically.

 

[Refueler]

Good piece of kit - I used to use 2 bathroom heaters but there are just straight tubes and I got hold of temperature sockets (like timer switches but for temperature) so when it got below 6 degrees they turned on automatically.

I thought of searching out Temp switches ... but given that soon we will be long period in minus temps and I will be flushing engine with Anti-freeze - I decided to pass.

BUT ... I have ordered a couple of 45W and a couple of 80W greenhouse heater tubes ... to test ... will likely add a couple to the boat and see how it goes ... couple will be going in my 25ft Motor sailer ... and I may buy more now that I have found a shop selling over here .... to put in my 38ft ...

 

[47GC]

I use these smart sockets for radiators and tubes. Works really well with the app.
https://amzn.eu/d/420RvZf

 

[Refueler]

I use these smart sockets for radiators and tubes. Works really well with the app.
https://amzn.eu/d/420RvZf

Amazon - no pricing at present and its UK form ... I need EU ... which I found on Ali-Express...

But thanks for link.

 

[stone beach]

Sorry to be negative but did I understand correctly the engine room has gasoline in it?
The heater isn't at all suitable for use in the presence of gasoline vapour, neither are plug in thermostats, (these are no problem at all in a diesel engine room). Or have you managed to get rid of the gasoline while you are using the heater?

 

[Refueler]

Sorry to be negative but did I understand correctly the engine room has gasoline in it?
The heater isn't at all suitable for use in the presence of gasoline vapour, neither are plug in thermostats, (these are no problem at all in a diesel engine room). Or have you managed to get rid of the gasoline while you are using the heater?

The heater is a bathroom Towel Heater with NO exposed elements whatsoever .... if it had - it would not be Certified for use in Bathroom environment ...

The thermostats etc in discussion are not in use ....

 

[DavidJ]

Sorry to be negative but did I understand correctly the engine room has gasoline in it?
The heater isn't at all suitable for use in the presence of gasoline vapour, neither are plug in thermostats, (these are no problem at all in a diesel engine room). Or have you managed to get rid of the gasoline while you are using the heater?

Why is that?
it looks to be a simple no thermostat device (so no potential on/off spark) so would appear to be safe.

 

[Refueler]

Why is that?
it looks to be a simple no thermostat device (so no potential on/off spark) so would appear to be safe.

Correct .... looks like he's making assumption based on scanty information ...

 

[billskip]

Why is that?

Because if a thermostat switches it causes a spark, if there is a buildup of petrol fumes it can make a rather loud noise.

 

[Refueler]

Because if a thermostat switches it causes a spark, if there is a buildup of petrol fumes it can make a rather loud noise.

BUT THERE IS NO THERMOSTAT ...... its an ON / OFF plain encapsulated rail heater.

The reason it was chosen.

I have various heaters I could have used - but they have exposed elements / thermostats etc and I was clever enough to understand they would not be suitable.

 

[billskip]

Correct .... looks like he's making assumption based on scanty information ...

It may also be an assumption that it's a simple solid state stat...however assumption should be eliminated....