Best Heater

[mffarmall]

It's not even July, but I wanted to ask what is the best heater that is simple to mount and use for the winter?

 

[Egon]

Block or inline for a liquid cooled engine.

 

[greg_g]

It's not even July, but I wanted to ask what is the best heater that is simple to mount and use for the winter?

I prefer the pan heater. I've got Wolverines stuck to the oil pans on both my tractors. You select the heater size based upon sump capacity - plus the heater has a thermocouple - so there's never any worry about "cooking the oil". No coolant draining, no hose cutting; basically it's a peel and stick operation. Clean the dirt/grease off the installation area (bottom or side), stick the heater on, route the electric cord up and outa the way, slather aluminized silicone (provided) around the heater edges, and you're done. The silicone tapers the heater edges to zero so so weeds/twigs/branches out in the woods or the pasture can't peel the heater off while you're working.

Besides ease of installation, the oil sump is the lowest part of the engine, and most everybody knows that heat rises. So - heat rising off the warm oil will spread to the engine block - to include the water jackets. It's a given that hose heaters will warm the water jackets too, But they're above the oil level. Warm water, cold oil.

Stay away from dipstick heaters.

//greg//

 

[Diamondpilot]

My vote is for a lower radiator hose heater. I had a pan heater and it just did not work well enough when we got down to 20 or 30 below and blowing wind. The Katz unit I installed will heat the whole engine in one hour even on the coldest of mornings.

Chris

 

[Egon]

Conduction will get the oil warm. Convection will heat the entire engine block. Pan heaters on engines are not that common in the colder climates.

Radiation and convection will melt snow below and on the hood given the proper sized block heaters.

 

[greg_g]

Pan heaters on engines are not that common in the colder climates.

Sounds like you're condemning something you've never actually used yourself. Or perhaps you had disappointing performance from an undersized pan heater.

Granted, Kentucky's isn't considered a "colder climate". But mine's fired right up just like on a summer day - after sitting overnight in -7F temperatures. Not that I intend to try and disprove their claim, but the manufacturer states these heaters have been tested to -80 (don't know if that's F or C though). And the fact that they've got models approved by Cat/Cummins/Detroit should say something too.

//greg//

 

[Egon]

I've never tried one as up here they are just not a common sight.

 

[studor]

I have tried the pan heaters -- and on a tractor in cold climates where the snow is likely to reach pan height they are a PITA -- and they take a lot longer than the ones in the cooling system. Stick with a rad hose job if you are in harsher conditions -- just make sure it is mounted so it cannot be hit by the front tires or the loader (do not ask how I know). If you have a pan one they work well on logsplitters

 

[greg_g]

I have tried the pan heaters -- and on a tractor in cold climates where the snow is likely to reach pan height they are a PITA -- and they take a lot longer than the ones in the cooling system.

Again, I can't believe that would/could/should happen to a properly sized and installed pan heater. The brand I use is designed to maintain the oil at a constant 125F. Plus the heat is directional, the pad heats the pan - it's not wasted on the snow. But the lower half of the engine gets warm enough to melt any snow within a foot. It's not unusual for me to come out in the morning and find a bare spot beneath the tractor.

That said, perhaps there is/was a Canadian manufacturer or distributor of poor quality pan heaters that's given pan heaters in general a bad name up there. My own personal experiences with American-made Wolverines (on 3 different tractors) has been 100% satisfying. My KM454 for example - has a 2.5 gallon sump, and can be heated to 125F in as little as an hour. But because the heater wattage is matched to sump capacity, I can actually leave it plugged in indefinitely. They heat to 125F - then hold it there - until somebody pulls the plug.

Just outa curiosity, what happens to the efficiency of a lower hose heater if/when it's parked in snow that high?

//greg//

 

[Egon]

There have been pan heaters used in the frozen north but the block or inline heater just work better. A lot more engine stuff gets heated by the circulating water than by just oil in the crankcase. Check out places with -40C temperatures and see what you find.

For real heaters you have to get into the one's used on over the road tractors.

 

[Ranch_Hand_Supp]

Block or inline for a liquid cooled engine.

I agree, does take a little more mechanical skill verses the glue on pads.

All OE MFD's warm the coolant.

Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

 

[studor]

Greg -- its not the parking in snow thats the problem -- its the driving through it It tends to pull off things like wiring and pads! And yeah -- the ones I used were some American brand POS that were probably assembled in Mexico -- I was not kidding -- when you need to make the hydraulic oil in a splitter a little thinner they work great.
The chinese coolant heater that I now have on my tractor works in ten to fifteen minutes in brass monkey weather (as a navy guy you know what that is )
We do agree on one thing though -- a dipstick heater is appropriately named

 

[greg_g]

There have been pan heaters used in the frozen north but the block or inline heater just work better. A lot more engine stuff gets heated by the circulating water than by just oil in the crankcase. Check out places with -40C temperatures and see what you find.

For real heaters you have to get into the one's used on over the road tractors.

Let's try to keep this discussion relative to farm tractors in Colorado - ok? I'm not saying there's anything wrong at all with water heaters. The OP asked for input on what kind of heater to consider, I gave him mine.

We're talking about an engine heater for a guys farm tractor for goodness sake. To install a recirculation heater you need heater hoses, and I'd be real surprised to learn the the OP tractor has any. More to the point, common inline heaters for the lower radiator hose don't have a circulation pump. They rely solely upon conduction, because convection involves movement of the coolant. Then there's the admission that you've never even tried a pan heater.

Studor, I can only surmise that your negative experience was related to an improper installation. My Yanmar was the first to get a pan heater back in the late 90s. Far as I know, it's still installed and working fine. My two current tractors have been wearing Wolverines installed back in 2004 and 2006 respectively. They're used 12 months of the year, quite often in tough pasture grass, brush, and woodlots. Since neither pads nor wires have been compromised through all that, they're absolutely going to hold up to pan-high snow. Matter of fact, I busted some 3 foot drifts with my KM454 in Dec 2005.

But I will yield to Ronald's input about OE heaters on MFDs. A dealer probably has something purpose-built for the OP tractor. So how 'bout we let this little tit-for-tat simmer here and give some other players a chance.

//greg//

 

[mffarmall]

Thanks for the help. I will look around at what people around here have. And it does not matter what I put on I will make it look pretty. Then I will get onto the next project and have to move all the work that I have done. I usually find that when I'm waiting for her to heat up I have to drink coffee. To bad I couldn't just talk durty to get her hot.

 

[Egon]

Greg, your just getting opinions of what works best from people that need the items in question to keep the vehicle running.

The block and inline heater works well as hot water raises and cold water sinks.[ other that at a very limited temperature band] My tractor cooling system does not have a water pump but relies on this type of system.

Colorado does have cold spells in the high country does it not?

 

[greg_g]

Greg, your just getting opinions of what works best from people that need the items in question to keep the vehicle running.

Uh-huh. Except I'm not the one who ASKED for the opinions. I was a year off with that snow anecdote though - sorry about that. According to my photo album, it was December 23rd, 2004 - an extremely atypical one-day snowfall for this part of Kentucky. The photos were taken the next day, after the sun had melted about half of it away. Prior to that, I used my KM454 to clear all the driveways in the neighborhood. I regularly went through 3 foot drifts, a few up to four feet. Might not be much to you folks in cold country. But it should serve to demonstrate that snow did not prove to be an issue with the brand of (correctly installed) pan heater I use.

But I shouldn't have to defend my own choices and experiences. The whole point here is to share with the fella from Colorado. I am not maligning your preference for water heaters, and I've already deferred to Ronald about standard MFD heaters. So why do you three persist in hammering my preference for oil heaters?

//greg//

 

[greg_g]

MrFarmall - now that you've revealed we're talking about a Jinma (FarmPros are just rebadged Jinma), there have been a few folks that have used freeze plug heaters. Perhaps those who have used them can contribute personal experience.

The following is opinion only, I've never used one on my tractors. I elected not to use that type for a couple of personal reasons:
1. they mount even higher on the engine than the lower hose heater
2. there are none that I'm aware of that are made specifically to fit the typical JM254 engine.
Reason #1 is relative to the "heat rises" principle. Reason #2 is related to my concern that they're typically a permanent installation. That means they're stuck in the side of the engine block during the heat of the summer too. A cooling system malfunction (over-pressure) could potentially pop a generic freeze plug heater right out of the hole. Next thing you know, I'm a mile away from home - and all the coolant just blew out into the field.

But others who have successfully used them on Chinese tractors may be able to show you the other side of this particular coin.

//greg//

 

[Egon]

Greg, To me it is immaterial what kind of heater you use. I only stated what seems to be the norm in colder climates and Colorado will get some cold winter weather.

The pan heater would work well on a transmission. In -40C there are times the gear shift is a little reluctant to move and even parts have broken when trying to shift gears. One learns to leave the transmission in neutral if one wants to release the clutch.

 

[hbaird]

It is 85deg with 40% humidity here. It feels good just reading about cold weather, snow drifts and heaters.
hbaird

 

[ragkar]

I use a battery blanket
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...e-used-battery-blanket.html?highlight=blanket