Magnetic Engine Block Heater

[buickanddeere]

A magnetic 200W or 300W heater is an assist heater, not a whole engine heater. Placed on the oil pan of an already warm engine . That engine is usually warm enough to start the next morning if parked in a shed and sheltered. Or the magnet heater is used to thin the oil while the coolant heater actually warms the engine.

 

[Egon]

Is that West Topsham VT? If so, you have to be near me, here's my install of a block heater. Don't waste your time with any stick on or hose heaters, block heaters work much more efficiently.
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/kioti-owning-operating/260970-kioti-bock-heater-ds3510.html

Inline hose heaters work very well, thank you.

 

[CJONE]

The best 2 heaters you can use are frost plug and lower hose if installed correctly. A oil pan heater works just not as good as a coolant heater. We used stick on heaters [heat pads] for the oil pans in conjunction with coolant heaters on stubborn engines. Do not waste your time with oil dipstick heaters. I have used a external tank type and they work good but you need quite a bit of room for them and being exposed they seem to fail quickly. AS far as a magnet type, good luck on a aluminum oil pan. CJ

 

[Buckgnarly]

Inline hose heaters work very well, thank you.

They may work well, but not efficient, nor better than a block heater. You heat the coolant in the lower hose, the heat/warm coolant goes up to the radiator, and then the radiator also works efficiently at releasing all that heat! It's better than nothing, but not better than a block heater. If there is an application for a block heater, it's the best way to go.
Block heater heats the coolant, cast block, oil on cylinder walls, etc.

 

[JerryK]

You just have to use an aluminum magnet.... Most of the freeze plug and lower radiator heaters are made by the same company. They do come in different wattages.. Still best to park it inside out of the weather.... They used to build fires underneath the tank motors during WWII......

 

[Egon]

They may work well, but not efficient, nor better than a block heater. You heat the coolant in the lower hose, the heat/warm coolant goes up to the radiator, and then the radiator also works efficiently at releasing all that heat! It's better than nothing, but not better than a block heater. If there is an application for a block heater, it's the best way to go.
Block heater heats the coolant, cast block, oil on cylinder walls, etc.

You mean an inline hose heater only heats the radiator?

 

[Buckgnarly]

You mean an inline hose heater only heats the radiator?

No, but the nature of it allows more of the heat to escape from the radiator. Even if it circulates the coolant it's not going to open the thermostat, so no coolant can get pushed into the block efficiently. You will lose more heat from the rad than the block type heaters.
The block heater is going to heat from the inside out, not outside in like a hose heater.

 

[CJONE]

You just have to use an aluminum magnet.... Most of the freeze plug and lower radiator heaters are made by the same company. They do come in different wattages.. Still best to park it inside out of the weather.... They used to build fires underneath the tank motors during WWII......

I KNEW I forgot something when I was there!! We had a 350 big cam cummins that got the 500,000 btu propane torch a few times to get the pig started. About the same as the tanks! CJ

 

[Egon]

No, but the nature of it allows more of the heat to escape from the radiator. Even if it circulates the coolant it's not going to open the thermostat, so no coolant can get pushed into the block efficiently. You will lose more heat from the rad than the block type heaters.
The block heater is going to heat from the inside out, not outside in like a hose heater.

So how does the heated coolant get into the Rad. If the thermostat is closed?

My truck has a bypass around the thermostat!

 

[medic1050]

On my JD 4410 I use both the block heater to start the engine and a 400W magnetic heater on the hydraulic reservoir to heat it some to thin the hydraulic fluid so I can pull the tractor out of the barn a little easier to allow for an open air (No CO Poisoning) warm up. The block heater and glow plugs with Rotella Synthetic oil fires up the engine first try every time. The heat on the Hydraulics reduces the amount of pump whine when trying to move the beast when she is cold. Hydraulic fluid warms to decent temperatures (Return line on power beyond couplers are warm) in about 8 min.