Car cover for snow advice?

Do you think I could just hang a low wattage trouble light inside the Mazda and achieve the same thing?

I could run a long extension cord with outdoor timer on it maybe? Weatherproof of course.

I have never seen one that works.

The get condensation under from the hot vehicle and engine and freeze in place and if they don't do that, the wind flapping them fast destroys your paint job.

They also rot out the paint job because they make condensation which activates the film of salt from the roads.

All in all a bad idea.

You can get block heaters that plug in so you have interior heat almost instantly and 'in car' heaters that can work on a timer so the insides are pre warmed when you come out, but both use a big pile of electricity.

Or as you surmised, you can use a trouble light and cord. depending on your temperatures, anything from a 40W to a 100W might be needed but likely they would need to be on for a long while. I use spot lights to keep parts warm I have to work on them or for sealer to dry.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

snipped-for-privacy@privacy.net wrote:

Do you think its safe doing the above?

I'm not a mechanic and don't want to install a block heater.....so am attracted to the work light idea. But is it safe?

Sure, just get the one with the full face cage so it can't accidentally rest the bulb on anything that could burn.

We use light bulbs for heat in a lot of applications here in Canada, mostly to keep water pipes from freezing. The lights go in pump houses or in crawl spaces where the plumbing pipes run and are activated by a thermostat.

The 'best' is still a block heater that fits into a 'frost' or core plug in the block. It warms up the fluid in the block and gives you heat pretty fast when you start the engine. Some block heaters go in the rad lines and circulate the hot fluid by convection so you have instant inside heat, but you pay for this with heat damage to the hoses and premature hose failure.

A garage shouldn't charge more than a half hour to install a proper block heater.

In the real cold up north, everyone has a block heater and every parking place has a plug in. At -40 the engine needs about 3 hours of block heater to start easy so most people use timers overnight due to the power draw.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

snipped-for-privacy@privacy.net wrote:

I see. yes id use a low wattage bulb in full cage and hang it from middle of inside cab somehow

Point taken.

I will look into having a block heater installed. Its just that with something "installed" I can easily move it from car to car such as if I trade cars or whatever. But I agree its probably much more effective

I will probably still try out the hanging light bulb idea 1st tho.

BTW... BIG thanks for all the advice everyone!!

They also drive away in the morning forgetting to unplug the block heater. You find AC extension cords in the street. If I plug the car in for half or quarter hour before starting the engine it's fine. It is a small engine, 1.3 litre.

You can also throw a folded blanket over the engine when you get home at night. It slows down the cooling rate of the engine. Again, you should remember to remove it in the morning before starting the engine.

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