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Pre-Heat

UrbanM

Active Member
Group,
Flying a new to me 6 that was built in AZ and did not come with any type of pre heater installed. I've been on ASAS site and both the installed and portable heaters get good reviews and a few owners use both (I assume for really cold places). Is it worth installing an oil sump heater or do some of you rely on the heaters that blow into the cowling?
I learned to fly in a southern climate and have never faced this issue. My 12 had an electric plug in that heated the case but I only used it once or twice before I sold my interest. I didn't notice much difference after using it but temps were not that cold. I bought the 6 to have something to fly during the glider off season so I will definitely be flying this winter.
Best,
Kirk
 
Here in Salt Lake it's not too bad but if you want your engine to last you really should preheat anytime the night low is below 40 degrees.

My Cirrus had sump heaters - if you plug it in the night before and cover the cowl with a heavy quilt, the whole engine will be nicely warmed for your flight the next morning. Easy to install.

https://www.reiffpreheat.com/
 
A sump heater with a cell (or WiFI) activated switch would seem to be your easiest solution. Turn it on (remotely) a couple of hours before you fly, and you're good to go. Unless it is really cold, then give yourself more time.
 
The guy from whom I bought my RV-9A bought it from the original builder in Atlanta in 2015 and promptly installed a Reiff Turbo XP heater. It has 4 cylinder bands and a sump heater. This is Minnesota, so that worked out great for me when I bought it a few months ago.

Lycoming calls for pre-heating whenever the ambient temp is below 10 F. I have the thing plugged into an Switcheon so I can start it up from my phone. It takes about 3-4 hours to get the thing up to temp...if I know I’m flying the next day I turn it on overnight and the cylinders will be warm enough to be uncomfortable to the touch by the next morning. I keep a blanket over the nose. The Reiff is amazing. I usually turn it on at 20-40 F. I do worry about condensation as the engine cools, so I also keep the engine on a dehydrator 24/7.

Switcheon is a GREAT device. Very simple\, very cost effective, and completely reliable.
 
If you are on a tight budget use a hair drier stuck in the inlet. Plug the other one. Takes about 45 minutes to get oil temp up to about 60 from 30 degree OAT. :)
 
Walmart

$20 heater, roll of aluminum tape, 6x10 floor vent shroud, rigid dryer vent hose, extension cord and timer. Shove over exhaust pipe, opening. Outside under shade hangar, 2 hours before flight. Would get my cht and oil up to 60’s YMMV.
 

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scrap material

i use my heat gun (which i already had) on a homemade wooden tripod (scrap material) and a 2 feet aluminum flex hose (10$-ish) tugged into cowling outlet.
My cowling and cowling inlets are covered by my canopy cover. But i think a blanket would do the same.
45 min on medium heat results in 70-75 F Oil and CHT.


I plug it in when i arrive at the hangar. I am still in phase one, so there are always plenty things to do pre-flight (no need to go remote controlled here).
 
personal heaters

I use a couple of these little guys. This is the 110v version, I of course use the 220v version.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0757327X3/

Throw them in the cowl at the bottom or in the intakes with a blanket on top. Takes a couple of hours to really warm things up. This would work in warmer climates, probably not Minnesota or Canada.

61F1sbhhd7L._AC_SL1000_.jpg
 
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