Magnetic Block Heater

[MLD]

Does anyone have any experience using a Magnetic Block Heater? I've only seen them in a you tube vid. They sound like something I could use as this is the year I'm going to plow instead of shovel here in New Hampshire.

 

[sweettractors]

Does anyone have any experience using a Magnetic Block Heater? I've only seen them in a you tube vid. They sound like something I could use as this is the year I'm going to plow instead of shovel here in New Hampshire.

They are not efficient. Ken Sweet

 

[bp fick]

I have two of them in my shop. Stop by and you can have them. For nothing.

Actually, they typically are stuck on the oil pan. It's a long story why I have them, but my new tractor has an honest to goodness freeze plug block heater and, well, it's a couple of light years apart in terms of functionality.

 

[grsthegreat]

the only thing there good for is to heat the oil pan on my generator...it works great for that. useless for tractor.

 

[savageactor7]

I have a clip-on 40 watt light for the oil pan...that'll keep the oil thin enough to give me the starting spin I need at 20 below. With properly treated fuel of course.

meh...crude but effective.

 

[tcreeley]

I had an old 1948 Farmall cub I used for plowing snow. The only way I could start it below 30 was to have the magnetic block heater always plugged in and stick to the oil pan. I wanted to use a coil filter in the radiator hose like in a car, but there was no place to put it. The magnetic block heater worked for me- even below 0, but the cub is small. - you may want two of them! I also kept a tarp over everything that cut the wind chill on the engine- indoors is even better.
I've also used a magnetic block on an air compressor that didn't want to get going and would blow a fuse. I like them- cheap and they work.

 

[kuboman]

I have used many of them over the years. They work great for what they were intended for and that is attaching to the oil pan. They will take the chill off the oil but not the main block which is where some get confused with. They were never intended to be a block heater but used in tandem with the block heater. Although I have used them to warm a small aircooled a few times and they work great if you throw a blanket over the engine.:thumbsup:

 

[Deano]

I have two of them in my shop. Stop by and you can have them. For nothing.

Actually, they typically are stuck on the oil pan. It's a long story why I have them, but my new tractor has an honest to goodness freeze plug block heater and, well, it's a couple of light years apart in terms of functionality.

Sounds like a deal!!! Wait a minute...maybe not!:laughing:

 

[MikeD74T]

Spend the money on a genuine immersion or tank coolant heater. Warm engine parts will warm cold oil better than warm oil will warm cold engine parts. Having a heated block prevents an uncommon but expensive problem. Running a cold engine too hard too soon can cause the pistons to expand faster than the cylinders causing serious damage, especially on diesels. If magnetic heaters were anything beyond a gimmick you'd see them installed from the factory on something??? May be acceptable on an air cooled engine. My father used a blanket & 100 watt bulb on our VW bus when temps got below -10F, but he still had to hand crank because the starter wouldn't spin it over. At -40F nothing worked! Miked74T

 

[jonyyuma]

Interesting, I could not find a good place to stick a magnetic block heater to my Kubota, and I hate the dipstick heaters...If I added one it would be in the lower radiator hose, or the block coolant jacket. I found on my cars that heating the fuel line and filters did a pretty good job ...used a par 38 100 watt spotlight under the hood.We don't have many days below 20 deg here?

 

[grsthegreat]

The magnetic heater has its place on some small motors like generators (mine holds 2 qts of oil), but they do suck up 250 watts and lose alot of that heat to the air. I put mine on a plug in thermostat so it only runs when temps get below 38 F and shuts off when it gets above 45 F. 250 watts x 24 hrs x 30 days = 180,000 watts or 180 KW @ $0.06/kwh here in n idaho = $10.80 per month if running 24 hours a day. Wont break the bank

 

[foggy1111]

I've had a magnetic heater for many years. They can be usefull for lots of stuff including an oil pan heater. Not sure I ever tried to put mine on an engine block. As said.....a block heater is much more effiecent and gets the job done correctly.

Most often, a magnetic heater is more of a band-aid approach. Still....a band-aid can be handy to have around. In Minnesota we are always looking for some way to warm things up. :thumbsup: