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Portable Power at Remote Airports For Preheat


Txbyker

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My search in the forums did not yield much for this subject.  I have a Reiff preheat setup that requires an extension cord to plug in.  The base hangar is all set up but I am wonder about what to do at destination airports when parked outside overnight.  I travel with overnighters and will want to preheat the engine prior to starting sometime in the near future.  I can carry a long extension cord and look for a 110 outlet but I am wondering if there are any portable power supplies that can output the required voltage for a few hours and that doesn't weigh a too much. 

 

Thanks,

 

Russ

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A Reiff standard system draws 50 watts (100w for deluxe) per cylinder and 100 watts for the oil sump. Your six cylinder system would need 400/700 watts continuous power. There are many small gas powered 800W to 1000W continuous power generators available. I just found one on the Harbor Freight website for $129.99

 

I have yet to be refused an electrical plug-in for my extension cord at any FBO I have overnighted with.

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My solution to a similar situation (instead of a Reiff, I use a modified Mr. Heater propane), I replaced the 120V AC fan by a 12 V DC one and carry a 12 V portable car battery booster pack.

This has always worked.

Yves

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My fix involves a 100-foot extension cord, a clip-on light with a 100W light bulb -- it fits nicely up into the left cowl flap opening -- and I then use rolled towels to plug the cowl flap openings and a plug for the cowl inlets.  Engine thinks it's sitting on the beach in Florida!  

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I'm thinking about getting a spare 2 gallon tank with the suction gas cap connection to my honda2000i generator which effectively will allow it to run my reiff system for 30 hours. With a long cable lock the gen set can be set on black walk strip and left running while locked to the point of your choice...(gear). So if fbo needs to move the plane they can.

I also leave a 750w space heater set at about 50 degrees on inside the plane to reduce cold start wear on the gyros. (Nice to have leather seats warm to). When I start preflight I crank the space heater to 1500w setting and turn up the thermostat to make it warmer once in the plane.

Space heater sits between rear seat pass feet and unless I have pass it stays right there. I'd leave the heater turned up all the time but I wouldn't have enough gas to run it at the higher power settings.

The good generators like honda and Yamaha are almost impossible to wear out and run for thousands of hours.

I hate being cold.

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My plane has a Tanis system that is set up much the same way. When I first got it I was parked on a ramp outside, so I purchased a Honda 1000W generator for the first winter. I found that in two hours I could get the heat up to respectable levels, but this is Atlanta, so I wasn't starting from sub-zero temps. My solution when traveling is pretty simple, although slightly more expensive. I just have the FBO bring it inside the night before I'm going to leave.  They will charge a few more bucks for that but then the whole plane is nice and warm, not just the engine.

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As a confirmed southerner, I never fly when the temperature is lower in degrees F than my age in years.  Pre-heat no longer required!

 

At the rate I'm going, hell will the be the only place warm enough for me to fly.   :ph34r:

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As a confirmed southerner, I never fly when the temperature is lower in degrees F than my age in years.  Pre-heat no longer required!

 

At the rate I'm going, hell will the be the only place warm enough for me to fly.   :ph34r:

 

You are missing some good fun!  Yesterday, I departed KMSS at 34F and enjoyed initial climb of >2000fpm in air that was both thick for good lift and prop efficiency, and cool allowing a steep climb angle that doesn't overheat my engine.  I was up to 6000ft in under 4 minutes to practice my lazy-8s.

 

This morning was 17F...but alas I had to go to work and couldn't fly.

 

P.S. You are going to have to keep those cowl flaps open even in cruise in that "one place warm enough" for you to fly.

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I use a home made pre-heater when camping in the Idaho back country with my Husky (plane) and Golden Retriever (dog). The pre-heater is made along the lines of the "Northern Companion" http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/ncpreheater.php

but costs a whole lot less!

 

Heater consists of a good multi-fuel camp stove, Primus or MSR - - one with a remote fuel bottle is

best. Example: http://www.amazon.com/MSR-11774-Dragonfly-Stove/dp/B000BBGQ7O

some sheet metal vent fittings from Home Depot (reducers from large to 4") and a length of 4" silicone scat hose. The largest reducer has vent holes drilled around the bottom (large end) and small holes for some stabilizer legs so it won't tip over. The large end and goes over the stove. Scat hose is routed into lower flap opening. Engine blanket with far side air inlet left open for venting completes the package. 

 

Obviously one cannot leave the aircraft unattended when using this type of heater. The good news is it doesn't take all that long, raising engine temps from sub-freezing up to 60 or 70F in maybe half an hour. Incoming hot air measured with an IR spot can exceed 200 F, and this is with the stove throttle down below medium.

 

In the hangar, I use a cheapo EZ-heat sump heater, an old sleeping bag cover (with zipper removed), and a cell phone switch to turn it on the night before.

 

bumper

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Im thinking of a way to do this also. My plane is based at 3n6/New Jersey which has access to wall power 120V and the SwitchBox works great there.

 

But when I fly to Providence RI (KSFZ) there is no power outlets and Im working on designing something for myself.

I'll report back if it works/weight/etc.. will be a battery solar thing

P
 

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  • 1 month later...

You are missing some good fun!  Yesterday, I departed KMSS at 34F and enjoyed initial climb of >2000fpm in air that was both thick for good lift and prop efficiency, and cool allowing a steep climb angle that doesn't overheat my engine.  I was up to 6000ft in under 4 minutes to practice my lazy-8s.

 

This morning was 17F...but alas I had to go to work and couldn't fly.

 

P.S. You are going to have to keep those cowl flaps open even in cruise in that "one place warm enough" for you to fly.

 

 

You are right about climbing like a scalded angel in the cold. I just launched one day from KEYE was having a blast climbing at rates I couldn't believe (march 22nd of some year or another, maybe 2006) when it was 0F, until I noticed the alarm for the oil temp going thru the roof on the JPI. Oil had congealed in the cooler! Immediate power to idle, 180 to airport. While I had launched with the oil temp above 150, it hadn't opened up to the cooler yet where the blockage was. I wont do that again in real cold wx. By the time I landed, the oil temp had returned to normal and all was well.

Man, the climb was outstanding until it was spoiled, however.

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Space heater behind front 2 seats stays there unless I have rear pass all that has to be done is flip power cable off front seat out door and only latch door enough to hold shut.

Aaron -- can you educate me on the Honda portable generators. Which would do you have? Would you go smaller or larger?

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I have the 2000 but if I was going to only use it for aviation I would most likely buy a 1000 model. My rieff standard preheat system uses 250w-300w and a space heater on low 750w would run on a 1000w generator. The 1000w honda is lighter, but like anything you can always use more power.

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My solution to a similar situation (instead of a Reiff, I use a modified Mr. Heater propane), I replaced the 120V AC fan by a 12 V DC one and carry a 12 V portable car battery booster pack.

This has always worked.

Yves

I have used the same one with good results. I set it on the floor underneath the pilot side cowl flap. I disconnect the cowl flap link and open the door completely to allow the hot air in vertically up. You can feel the hot air coming out of the air intake.. Because it works from a propane bottle there is no need for power cords. Pluging the air intake expedite the heat and a more balanced heat. Open the cabin heat to warm up the cabin at the same time.

Details at http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mr-Heater-F215100-Little-Buddy-Portable-Propane-Heater-3-800-BTU-F215100-New-/331087059094?_trksid=p2054897.l4276

José

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Do you guys fly with the propane tanks in the plane?  Are there any risks related to the pressure changes and LPG?

 

Andrew

I do. As long as you keep the valve closed there is no risk at altitude. As soon I park the car next to the plane I set up Mr. Heater to heat up the engine while loading and getting ready for departure. At 30F and air inlets plugged it takes about 20 minutes or less to have oil drip on the dipstick. Most of the time I use the FBO preheating since it is included in the handling fee. But at remote aiports there is no preheat or it is broken (my luck).

 

José. 

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