Wolverine heater on a low set engine?

[backman]

My 1 year old Cummins supplied block heater shit the bed last week. Exchanges with Tony Athens have convinced me not to replace it as its design is inherently faulty and unsafe.

I like warm engines and a dry engine room and in previous boats used Wolverine oil pan heaters affixed to the bottom of the oil pan to gently warm the engine and keep the engine room dry.

When we looked at it last year we didn't see an easy way to get under a low set QSM, sand the paint off the oil pan and then be able to correctly stick the Wolverine onto the pan.

Anyone have a clever solution how to install a 5" by 7" sticky pad on the bottom of an engine with only a few inches clearance between the engine and the hull?

 

[BillD]

My 1 year old Cummins supplied block heater shit the bed last week. Exchanges with Tony Athens have convinced me not to replace it as its design is inherently faulty and unsafe.

I like warm engines and a dry engine room and in previous boats used Wolverine oil pan heaters affixed to the bottom of the oil pan to gently warm the engine and keep the engine room dry.

When we looked at it last year we didn't see an easy way to get under a low set QSM, sand the paint off the oil pan and then be able to correctly stick the Wolverine onto the pan.

Anyone have a clever solution how to install a 5" by 7" sticky pad on the bottom of an engine with only a few inches clearance between the engine and the hull?

Backman,

Curious ??

I had Tony and his crew @ Seaboard Marine setup my 6BTA 370s before he shipped the pr. out to me. One of the many upgrades/tweaks was the addition of a 250W block heater. Both have worked flawlessly 24/7/365 for the past 5 years. No issues and risk of fire.

Engines stay "armpit" warm

 

[Toolate]

Not a diesel guy but doesnt someone make a dipstick or drain plug heater that would get you out of that situation?

 

[steveinak]

block heaters are the way to go.

 

[hntrss]

Take a look at the Kim Hotstart Kim Hotstart Heaters featured by Industrial Equipment Company. I have used these religiously and they are far superior to the ones that plug into a freezeout. You will only buy this one once. I hook mine up to a timer, the kind you would use for a pool filter.

 

[harpoon83]

we use the kim hotstart heaters on all of our generators at work, they work good.
But my initial idea was to hire a team of "little people", they fit well into tight spaces.

 

[reelsportfishing]

Add an external block heater. They usually come 1000 or 1500 watts. Tie in at the lowest point and the highest point of the block.

 

[Lion's Paw]

They do not have to be on the bottom of the pan. I have two on the sides of my pans for the same reason - couldn't easily get them on the bottom. You just end up using skinny models of the wolverine.

Besides easy starting, biggest thing they help with is keeping the rust down on the engines. Since the engines are warm they don't sweat condensation when the humidity is up.

 

[BillD]

You "could" make up a small bungee cord "net" to hold the pad to the pan and attach say 6 SS rings to the QSM.

You may have to find 6 bolts or attachment points 3 each on each side of the engine.

On 2nd thought, cancel my idea. You wouldn't want to have a bungee break and get wrapped around anything "spinning"

 

[delucat2]

I had no interest in getting stuck upside down in my engine compartment, so I just stuck it to the side of the exhaust manifold. Keeping the oil warm in SoCal is not a big deal. You'll get most of the benefits with it higher on the engine, but maybe not all. Such is life.

 

[MASTERENEGADE]

From Nov on till april I keep a ceramic space heater in the bilge and seems to be doing the job very well for the lat 9 yrs. Never any condensation and the engine even on the really chilly mornings never hesitates to fire rite up.

Again easy cheap and practical!!! if it breaks or fails, I just replace it.

 

[backman]

So I have a 2000$ QSM block heater install that failed after 6 months. Tony Athens (and others) have said - its both unrelaiable and unsafe due to the high wattage - lick your wounds and get a Wolverine.

Tony also said the same as some of you - get 2 250 watt wolverines as low as you can on a flat surface and it will be good enough.

Is a ceramic heater really safe in a wet marine environment?

 

[MASTERENEGADE]

Ceramic is SUPPOSE to be the safest. Like i said in 9 winters of in water storage i have yet to have an issue. I plan on doing the same again this winter.

 

[Eslang]

So I have a 2000$ QSM block heater install that failed after 6 months. Tony Athens (and others) have said - its both unrelaiable and unsafe due to the high wattage - lick your wounds and get a Wolverine.

Tony also said the same as some of you - get 2 250 watt wolverines as low as you can on a flat surface and it will be good enough.

Is a ceramic heater really safe in a wet marine environment?[/QUOTE
Not much vertical space on that oil pan. You going to pull the motor to install a wolverine heater?

 

[El Mar]

What about a magnetic one? Put it wherever you want.

Zerostart® 3400017 - Magnetic Heater | O'Reilly Auto Parts

 

[backman]

no way; but I am going to take a crawl down there this weekend and see if I can find a flat surface to mount them on. There may be access on the aft end of the engine.

I should not have listened to my marina last year and should have followed my instincts when all the coolers were off....

 

[BillD]

So I have a 2000$ QSM block heater install that failed after 6 months. Tony Athens (and others) have said - its both unrelaiable and unsafe due to the high wattage - lick your wounds and get a Wolverine.

Tony also said the same as some of you - get 2 250 watt wolverines as low as you can on a flat surface and it will be good enough.

Is a ceramic heater really safe in a wet marine environment?

I checked with Tony on this. He had Wolverine make a heater pad (#18 on Seaboard Heater Product List) specific to the Cummins oil pan.

He suggested to use 2 x 250W #18 heaters on each side of the pan.
Access problem solved and in the spring / summer you can plug in just one pad and save on electricity.

Wolverine Oil Pan Heaters for Cummins Marine Diesel Engines

FWIW, Bill D

 

[greg]

You guys run these year round? I was thinking you only run them in the winter months (for those of you who overwinter in the water)?

 

[backman]

on my old boat I ran them from launch in March till water temp was over 70 in JUne and turned them back on again in mid Sept till the end. 7 X 24. Nice happy dry, warm engines as a result; nice dry engine room also.

 

[greg]

on my old boat I ran them from launch in March till water temp was over 70 in JUne and turned them back on again in mid Sept till the end. 7 X 24. Nice happy dry, warm engines as a result; nice dry engine room also.

I have a wet shaft, so I always have water in my keel. Drip.. Drip...

Only thing a heater will do is make it more humid.......