Cold weather starting

[Piedmont3]

TrLong,
If your hands are the only part of you that is cold, You might try 2 things.
1. Mittens instead of gloves. They will keep your body heat contained better than gloves. The individual fingers of gloves cause your body heat to get out of the gloves easier than the mittens.
2. If you have to have gloves try putting a plastic bag inside your gloves. this will keep the moisture and wind from getting to your hands. I have had only limited success with this.

IMO the mittens work better than gloves for warmth.

 

[Egon]

For Nova Scotia -10C is cold.

For Alberta, where I spent most of my life, - 10C is nice weather. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My Kubota B7100 will not start at - 10C without the use of the inline heater.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[trlong]

CJ,

Thanks. I've started looking for some fo the US or Canadian Military Mitt's. Last year they were all sold out by the time I started looking. Hopefully I can find some this year and then, depending on temp, use gloves or the mitt's.

For the gloves, they are making some pretty good, high-tech, liners these days that do make a difference. I use them skiing but I do more work skiing than holding a wheel.

Tom

 

[DrRod]

Another good trick is to put some aluminum foil in your mittens -- functions sort of like a space blanket. Which, now that I thnk of it, why not cut up a space blanket and use it to line boots and mittens.

I have a pair of those white rubber paratrooper boots -- "Mickey Mouse boots" -- and they never reach a cold weather limit.

But a friend of mine once said it best: "when its thirty below, the only footwear I need is a pair of fuzzy slippers." /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[MikePA]

Tom, I agree 100%. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I have three, five gallon diesel containers. I always dump the recommended amount of PowerService in before I fill them and I always plug in the block heater the day before snow is forecast. I'd rather do this and not need it versus need it and not do it. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif I also run synthetic engine oil and synthetic hydraulic fluid.

 

[trlong]

Egon, DrRod, Mike,...

OK, now we've completely hijacked catvet's thread, maybe we should start a "Cold Weather Do's and Dont's".

1st proposed rule: "Don't Live in Alberta in the winter (go to the coast where it's balmy)". Corollary: "If it's so cold when you open the door to go out that your Malamute looks at you like you're nuts, you probably are" /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

2nd: "If it's -30 F, put on fuzzy slippers, stoke the woodstove, and wait 'til it warms up to venture out" [to paraphase... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif]

3rd: "An ounce of prevention (diesel treatment and a few kWhr.'s) is worth a pound of cure, or even peace of mind"

Tom

 

[Egon]

Okay! Guilty!

Warm fuel in the tank may make one feel like he has done some good but the results are debatable. Use winter fuel with a conditioner, plug the tractor in and all should be well. If really concerned about fuel throw a tarp over the tractor when it is plugged in. This will help heat the whole tractor. Even better put a small heater with fan under the tarp. Doing this can also be a solution/alternative if one has no block heater. Taking the battery inside and keeping it warm will also help. There are also small electric blankets that will fit over the battery. One can also block off part of the airflow past the radiator to help bring the engine up to temperature and keep it there. This is exspecially helpfull if the tractor is not working hard.

Egon /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[catvet]

Thanks for all the comments. The Hijacking has not been bad. The feedback has been interesting and has provoked lots of thoughts. Makes me want to build a heated garage for the tractor. I always have to be a bit careful with electric since we are off grid and the PV panels don't crank out that much juice in the winter. Esp. when covered with snow.

 

[Egon]

Guess block heaters won't help any if you are off the grid.

In the past some have drained the coolant and/or oil and heated it.

Some have taken a shovel full of hot coals and placed it under the motor block. Have to be carefull when doing this.

Egon

 

[ByronBob]

Do you use wind also along with PV?

I did a huge report on wind energy in my last class before I got my BS degree in Engineering. Wind is a real viable energy source in the winter up in Vermont.