hotstart

Google for "boat calorifier" or some such; not cheap, mind.

Short ones are definitely available - try the aptly-named

On or around Wed, 22 Oct 2003 21:58:46 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@dev.nul (QrizB) enlightened us thusly:

neither are the kenlowe ones.

ta, I'll have a butcher's.

My ex RAF Defender 130" ambulance had a Peregrine engine preheat system which relies solely on thermo syphon to circulate the heated water. Details here:

In article , Austin Shackles writes

Which made me think... Why not a kettle element? It's small, sealed to be waterproof and has a handy plug built-in (usually). I wonder if one might be fitted to the sump instead of in the cooling system?

Would this work? It occurs to me that you could use a 110V step-down xfmr to reduce the power (around 600W if my mental arithmetic is correct) a bit, as boiling oil isn't thrilling.

Regards,

Simonm.

On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 15:35:56 GMT, SpamTrapSeeSig made me spill my meths by writing:

You can get those cigar lighter plug in jobbies, run on 12-24v?

Further to my previous waffle the vehicle also came with a Peregrine sump heater too - a heated pad that is strapped to the underside of the oil pan controlled by a thermostat screwed into the sump itself. Both coolant & oil heaters are 240v.

Steve. Suffolk. remove 'knujon' to e-mail

On or around Thu, 23 Oct 2003 15:35:56 GMT, SpamTrapSeeSig enlightened us thusly:

I thought about that, but the kettle element is fitted from inside the kettle. an immersion element screws in to the outside, and I just happen to have a fitting on a defunct hot water cylinder, provided I can get the blanking plug out of it... Also, the immersion typically y has a thermostat on it, or can be fitted with such.

I have a Kenlow Hotstart from way back... some years anyway. Used it with an old 2286 diesel. Work very nicely. The only problem was when I didn't have mains power, like at work. I'd find the battery wasn't all it should be. Rudolph has nice Webasto petrol powered heater which I fitted myself. And very nice it is too!

Beth

Austin, I've got a hotstart lying in my garage, took it off when I replaced the 110's bulkhead last summer due to me not using it any more. I fitted it when the motor was in daily use as my prime vehicle, with both 2.5 disiesel and later, v8. A lot quicker to heat the disiesel than the v8 (20 mins versus 35-40 mins) I suspect due to the v8's aluminium radiating more of the heat away. Very effective though. If interested in it, make me an offer and I'll check it's still ok. Badger.

On or around Fri, 24 Oct 2003 19:58:25 +0100, "Badger" enlightened us thusly:

I'll keep it in mind. Currently in e-mail communication with a chap from the Peregrine lot for a price for theirs, Kenlowe being IMHO to pricey, possible 'cos they're being too clever - I don't want something that warms the vehicle interior etc. by running the heater, once the engine's hot, it does that itself quite quickly.

Fascinating website, all manner of heating stuff...

There was a new, unused Peregrine one at Old Sod for £45.

Austin, What about I have Badger's Kenlowe and then you can have my Peregrine coolant heater?

Steve. Suffolk. remove 'knujon' to e-mail

Austin Shackles waffled on in a quite bewildering manner to produce...

don't some of the BMW and Mercedes models have a thermos flask type thingy to store hot water in? Maybe that would help?

On or around 25 Oct 2003 16:24:23 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@aol.comknujon (AN6530) enlightened us thusly:

whass wrong wivvit?

seriously, dunno which Kenlowe kit Badger has - the latest one apparently interfaces with the car's heater to heat the interior, which I ain't fussed about - given a warm engine, heating the interior is no big deal. The thing is, Mother's (not Martyn) disco, being a TDi, takes about 5 miles or more of motoring to get anywhere near warm.

Nuffink Guv

Steve. Suffolk. remove 'knujon' to e-mail

On or around 25 Oct 2003 22:10:49 GMT, snipped-for-privacy@aol.comknujon (AN6530) enlightened us thusly:

I'll let yer know - might be interested in yours if you want to sell it - Ideally, I want 2 - one for mine and one for the disco, would make sense in some ways to have 2 the same.

We used to use a Caldwell heater when living in the UK, I think it had a tiny (in power) immersion heater, something like 75w or so, kept the engine hot but did not make it hot - i.e. you plug it in engine warm, and it stays warm. It also had a low power battery charger built in, so in the morning, your engine was thoroughly warm & battery fully charged.

Disaster used to strike if you plugged it in cold, the thermostat was closed, insufficient thermosyphon resulted, and a burst hose would always be the result.

This in a Series 11a, BTW.

Don't need it now we life in Queensland, of course ...