Keepin' it warm.....

[avi8tor]

I'm running a Cobalt 220 with the 7.4L engine. After winterizing I've always hung a couple of 15 watt light bulbs in the engine compartment and left them on during the coldest winter months. Any comments? Haven't had a problem and it seems to keep to area at or just above 32 degrees and keeps the moisture at bay.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

Ayuh,....

Why.?.?.?.

I see it as Nothng but a Fire Hazard....

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

Properly winterized you don't have to do that.

Your not the only one who does that?

My friend does that and i'm always telling him thats not a good idea.

 

[Bdt 1967]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

I did that last night, it got cold here and I am not winterized yet, I drained the block but haven't put any antifreeze in yet, just wanted to be safe. I guess that's what a person gets purchasing a new boat 1 week before the first freeze.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

I'm running a Cobalt 220 with the 7.4L engine. After winterizing I've always hung a couple of 15 watt light bulbs in the engine compartment and left them on during the coldest winter months. Any comments? Haven't had a problem and it seems to keep to area at or just above 32 degrees and keeps the moisture at bay.

Howdy,

There's a couple of things wrong with doing it that way. (and you can get electric heaters for airplanes too)

If your power goes out over night and it's cold enough to freeze, you could easily crack the block/manifolds.

Unless you were to use explosion proof fixtures/bulbs you have a huge risk of a fire.

There are products you can but that will do essentially the same thing except for the power failure problem. (Murphy's law: The power will fail at the wrong time)

Just drain the engine, manifolds and associated plumbing properly and you won't have to worry about any of this.

Or you can do like I did and install a closed cooling system (But I still have to worry about the "raw side" of the system)


Regards,


Rick

 

[mylesm260]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

I have always liked the idea of a small electrical heat source in my engine compartment.


Light bulbs do carry a small risk of fire though, he does have a point.


I've been looking to see if anyone makes a 30 watt or so magnetic heater that's completley sealed. That way you could just stick it to the side of your block, and 30 watts directly on your engine would give you (number out of my *** here) like an 8 degree cuission from freezing. As well as help keep the moisture out.

Unfortunatly all the magnetic engine heaters I've seen are 200 watts or more. I thought about getting a step down transformer, but that just seems like a lot of work.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

Those do exist. but they do not solve the problem if the power fails, the CB pops, or the thing just fails for no reason.

Why add additional "problems" to the problem?

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

There are certain times of the year especially in the spring where condensation goes into overdrive and everything in my garage gets sweted up bad, I've heard a 100 watt bulb is what it takes to keep an engine from sweting up in an unheated garage good luck, personally I just spray everything down with wd40 it keeps corrosion down doesn't make a big mess and I think it smells good.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

I'm running a Cobalt 220 with the 7.4L engine. After winterizing I've always hung a couple of 15 watt light bulbs in the engine compartment and left them on during the coldest winter months. Any comments? Haven't had a problem and it seems to keep to area at or just above 32 degrees and keeps the moisture at bay.

Absolutely nothing 'wrong' with doing this...I do this with both my boat, and jetski, here in North Florida...where we only see a few 'freeze' warnings during the winter months! Both my boat, and ski, are closed loop engine cooling...but use raw water for the exhaust cooling. I have never had to go through the hassel of winterizing, and contribute this to the warmth of the light bulb.

I use the small light bulbs designed for use in the refrigator...probably better suited for temperature extremes, and may actually offer more heat than what you are using.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

Absolutely nothing 'wrong' with doing this

Well, I mentioned the reasons why I wouldn't do it....

Place your bets.....Roll the dice......

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

I got the impression that the idea was to keep his already winterized engine from condensation not to prevent freeze.

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

Well, I mentioned the reasons why I wouldn't do it....

Place your bets.....Roll the dice......

Agreed.

But the original poster stated that he was doing the winterizing, and ALSO using a light bulb.

I see nothing wrong with some extra 'insurance'...kind of like adding some tire sealant to your spare tire. I like to cover all of my bases...and then go one further! I like his thinking...!

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

Spray corrosion pro all over the motor. Wd 40 is not what i would do.

Like bondo says any grease is better than no grease.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

Agreed.

But the original poster stated that he was doing the winterizing, and ALSO using a light bulb.

I see nothing wrong with some extra 'insurance'...kind of like adding some tire sealant to your spare tire. I like to cover all of my bases...and then go one further! I like his thinking...!

It's funning how things happen.

I am on the board of a multiple home water well association. Our small pump house uses a light fixture and infrared light bulb to "keep everything from freezing" and it works ok I guess......EXCEPT:

I went in the pump house last week and noticed that the power was off and the breaker was popped.

When I unscrewed the bulb, there some sort of critter under the bulb and everything was black from being seriously burned. (the critter that is) I think that the critter was "lit up" momentarily with associated sparks and fireworks before the CB popped.

Now I wonder what would have happened if there was an ignitable fuel vapor in that building when the critter completed the circuit with his tiny little body?

hmm.


Oh well I'll try something else.... I'm taking the 5 gallon container out of there that had gas in it for the generator ( ) AND....I'm pulling the generator out of there too!


Go ahead and use your light bulb......probably won't be a problem....

 

[Bondo]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

After winterizing I've always hung a couple of 15 watt

Ayuh,....

Typical Boaters,......

Dreaming up ways to Reinvent the wheel,....

To Cure yet another Non-Issue.........

Right up there with Over-charging their electrical storage devices,+ worrying whether it's too cold, or too warm.....

 

[Rocky_Road]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

It's funning how things happen.


When I unscrewed the bulb, there some sort of critter under the bulb and everything was black from being seriously burned. (the critter that is) I think that the critter was "lit up" momentarily with associated sparks and fireworks before the CB popped.

Now I wonder what would have happened if there was an ignitable fuel vapor in that building when the critter completed the circuit with his tiny little body?

hmm.

Was it that cute little Geico gecko?

If so...not to worry.

You are in good hands...and totally 'covered'!

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

It's so easy, a caveman could do it!!

 

[mylesm260]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

Those do exist. but they do not solve the problem if the power fails, the CB pops, or the thing just fails for no reason.

Why add additional "problems" to the problem?

Don't get me wrong, I still drain my block, and re-fill it with anti-freeze. And I am not planning on relying on this electrical heat source to prevent my block from cranking. It's just like an insurance policy. What if the antifreeze didn't make it to the back corner of my block where there's still some water trapped by sand or debris? Also, the heat in the engine compartment will keep mosture at bay which is good for everything, the wood, the carpet, the electrical connectors, etc etc....

 

[RockGeek]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

Moved question to appropriate forum.

Sorry - newbie to the boards here.

Thanks!

RockGeek

 

[Don S]

Re: Keepin' it warm.....

Start a new thread with your question RG, not a good idea to ask something about your boat in someone elses post;