Magnetic Engine Block Heater

[sixdogs]

The frost plug heater works the best and I had one on a 2110 Ford tractor that would warm up very well in an hour or two. I used to leave it on overnight and it was like starting in summer despite conventional oil and very cold temps.

The lower radiator hose circulation heater works almost as good as the frost plug heater. There is the advantage that it circulates coolant so on my Chevy plow truck I would leave it plugged in all night and the heater control open so the minute it started I had warm air from the heater. That was a great heater.

The magnetic heater sort of works but is best on a smaller engine. I often thought it would work better if I could toss an insulation blanket over while it was on but I never did it out of fear of fire. They just lose all their heat to the surrounding air.


EDIT--on the block heater and radiator hose heater I always got the highest watts rating that I could. I don't recall the numbers but most of these heaters had a choice of maybe 600 and 1000 watts. More is definitely better.

 

[TomSeller]

I have a magnetic block heater that I might use on occasion as an assist to the frost plug block heater. In a very cold situation i doubt they would heat the engine much at all. The magnet on mine actually holds the heating plate slightly away from the metal so it relies on an air exchange. As a result the heat is low and can warm up the oil somewhat. My frost plug heaters are 750 and 600 Watt, a lot more than the mentioned 200 Watt of a magnetic. In my opinion heating the water jacket is the best way to influence the heat in the combustion chamber. Heating the air going into the air filter with a hair dryer is a good trick too.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I tried two on the old JD backhoe setting outside. I never got them in a place flat enough to build up any heat. Now the MF 265 has a block heater and I think it would fire off at zero in four hours like it was 70F setting out in the sun. The head will get nice and warm and that is what a diesel needs.

 

[D7E]

Inline hose heaters work very well, thank you.

Yes they do , actually better than core plug ..We have 30 odd pieces of equipment that has to start down to -35c . The 5 that have hose heaters are the fastest to warm up . Just throw magnets in the trash and same time .

Sometimes it's the only way

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Fire them up means different things to different people I guess.

 

[Egon]

Don't throw those magnetic heaters away. Try them for keeping tools warm when working in the cold and near power.

 

[oosik]

I lived in a very small town - Glenallen - half way between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Winters would go on forever - days would warm up to -25F and nights could drop to -45F. This would go on for weeks and then a break - up to +20F. The very best situation is to have a heated garage or building where the vehicle can be parked when not in use. Otherwise, we found that the in-line tank heaters - circulate the engine coolant - worked the very best. When a vehicle had to be parked outside the tank heater would be plugged in and remain on all the time. That is, IF you wanted the vehicle to start at a moments notice. The tank heaters we used would bypass the radiator and only heat & circulate the coolant in the engine. This is because the thermostat is between the tank heater and the radiator and the tank heater never got the coolant so hot that the thermostat opened and allowed passage into the radiator. They were very efficient and would raise engine coolant temps to +70F to +90F dependent on outside temps.

 

[oldballs]

Don't throw those magnetic heaters away. Try them for keeping tools warm when working in the cold and near power.

Heck, I doubt if it would even keep one's butt warm, if stuck in one's back pocket.:laughing: Okay, I just had to say that!

 

[Express]

We used the stickon heaters with airplane recip engines and they seem to work ok. if i keep the tractor in the garage do you think a magnet heater or stickon heater will be enough? and does the SUDT fluid help with the cold temps?

 

[Gale Hawkins]

A stick on heater might be better to keep a steel water tank from freezing solid.

If I was going to expect much out of a 200 watt magnetic base heater I would put it on a few minutes after parking it and leaving it 24/7.