Necessary or novelty ?
There about 400 bucks for a 750 watt unit firm either extreme or boatsafe.

Depends who is paying the electric bill :grins:

Necessary or novelty ?
There about 400 bucks for a 750 watt unit firm either extreme or boatsafe.

couple lightbulbs can do that. Is it covered?

Will be shrinkwrapped tomorow.
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Mike,
Don't bother with the heater.
I think it's much more of an issue if in the water and there is a moisture situation..
Hoping it warms up so I can remove my life raft from my boat and get my cover on.

30 years of boats in the yard next to the house and none have ever had a bilge heater.

Do you mean a Blockheater?

If so - well worth the investment. SuperCold mornings the diesel starts right up with no smoke. Very nice in the early spring and fall.

There has been some write ups on these and if I can find it I will post it. Basically there is some evidence that it is better not to let a diesel get that cold.. Frankly I don't see it as a problem as long as you are not starting it when it is really cold (thermal expansion rate issues) There will be some stresses on the block when it gets cold though, no question. Deisels just don't like being started real cold. Lots of times you will see more smoke in the late fall and that is due to the current engine and fuel temp.

I think the so called "bilge heaters" are expensive because they are "marine" and will work for gasoline engines and are spark arrested and can be exposed to moisture.

My uncle use to keep his big boat in the water year round in a canal behind his house. The water would freeze up thick but he had a "bubbler" installed on the bottom under the boat and it ran all winter to keep the ice clear next to his boat. He also had a bilge heater to keep the bilge around 40 degrees. He would start the engine thru-out the winter from time to time.


I have two of the cheap heaters in my boat now. (they are not in the bilge but the thought has crossed my mind to get a real bilge heater as well) One is not much of a heater but more of something to help combat moisture...moving slightly warm air in confided places . The other is a cabin heater...sort of like a toaster with a fan. I use it when I am on board working on a boat project. It can warm up the boat to whatever you want...it is nice in there.:) Neither are made for wet environments but if your bilge is dry and you are out of the water I suppose you could put one of those 79 dollar heaters in there (but it is intended for cabin space)...there is a freeze setting on the thermostat to not let the room go below 38 degrees. I only turn these on when I am on the boat during the winter.

I really wouldn't bother heating your bilge in the yard. This is not the same scenario as if you were using the boat in the winter and using a block heater. That heater probably cost $400 for if it is an official heater for that purpose it is probably explosion proof. Just keep what your doing with the heaters you use when doing projects.

It is good practice to always use some kind of engine preheat to keep things more "expanded". Even when laying up for months at a time in warmer environments it is the practice, (commercial wise). This is not always possible or practical with smaller engines, i.e. if on a mooring you can't plug the boat in. For these situations just make sure your using the proper oil for winter months. i.e. a multiviscousity oil or a lighter weight recommended by the oil engine, oil OEM.

As for block heater you can get a generic block heater like this Wolverine Engine Oil Heaters Engine Block Heater (http://www.wolverineheater.com/) for 89 bucks. (never been a fan of those dipstick devises) It is a pad that attaches to the underside of the oil pan and from what I heat they work great. (but you need 110 power) Since I am currently planing on extending my fishing season next year it is on my list of stuff to get. But I don't know if they are intended for winter storage devises.

Heating in a boat that is out of the water is IMHO a waste. Just pull the drain plug and let her sit bow up. If you staying in the water however, that is an entirely different thing. Than a bilge heater of some type is almost a necessity.

Mike,

As others have noted, in the yard is a waste. In the water is a different story.

Mike,

As others have noted, in the yard is a waste. In the water is a different story.

I would invest in a bus heater instead for the the spring Cod & fall tuna.

Allready installed the bus heater. Just thought I'd sleep a little better knowing the motors are not in a deep deep freeze. And yes I know many an engine has withstood even below freeIng for longer periods of time. I do like the idea of the pre warmed block for the cold seasons. She smokes like crazy on those Late November mornings. I'll look more into the heating pad type heaters that go on the underside of the oil pan.
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Do you mean a Blockheater?

If so - well worth the investment. SuperCold mornings the diesel starts right up with no smoke. Very nice in the early spring and fall.

I have a block heater in my Jeep, you don't need one, at least the jeep boards so guys to -20F not using them

One of my plow trucks I had in the past was a Ford F8000 with a Cat 3208 naturally aspirated.
A few winters ago I plugged in the block heater for a whole month because it smoked like hell when started on a really cold day.
After I saw that months electric bill (jumped $300)
The block heater has not been plugged in since, I'll let it smoke !
Plus my trucks are parked behind my garage close to an acre away from my house and I have no abutting neighbors.

One of my plow trucks I had in the past was a Ford F8000 with a Cat 3208 naturally aspirated.
A few winters ago I plugged in the block heater for a whole month because it smoked like hell when started on a really cold day.
After I saw that months electric bill (jumped $300)
The block heater has not been plugged in since, I'll let it smoke !
Plus my trucks are parked behind my garage close to an acre away from my house and I have no abutting neighbors.

I agree it smokes when it starts, sounds like well you know, so what.

One of my plow trucks I had in the past was a Ford F8000 with a Cat 3208 naturally aspirated.
A few winters ago I plugged in the block heater for a whole month because it smoked like hell when started on a really cold day.
After I saw that months electric bill (jumped $300)
The block heater has not been plugged in since, I'll let it smoke !
Plus my trucks are parked behind my garage close to an acre away from my house and I have no abutting neighbors.

Engine is just cold and not cooking off all the fuel. *shrug* If it starts it starts. If not, well, yeah. :fury:

Ok so a few weeks before Christmas I bought the extreme 600 watt bilge heater from west marine. I had an email coupon from port supply good for 30% off so I couldn't refuse. Cost was about 400 if I remember right (comparable anywhere) with the 30% coupon I got the west extended warantee plan for the 30% I saved, so total cost was just about 400 with the 4 year warantee.
Its sitting in the engine compartment between the engines, pointed towards the centerline.
You can hardly feel it's on.
it's basicly like an aluminum heat sink with a small computer type fan on low blowing air accross it.

I have a wireless thermometer in the house with the sensor in the bilge sitting on top of one of the motors.
It maintains the temp at 35-40 degrees no problem and has never dropped below 33 degrees(yet)
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Sounds Good. I was in my bilge today ripping out a failing AC pump and let me tell you it was cold. It is a bitch working with stiff hoses that are cold. I have not turned on the heat in a while and I thought i could get in and do the rip out done quickly...not when it is 25 deg. It was cold just to grab a wrench.

In my stocking for Christmas I got one of these wolverine patches that you adhere to the crankcase...I don't plan to use it for winter warming but I will like to try it next fall.

I really want one of those boat houses P is building....

-8 outside this morning, the bilge was at 27 all night. Still cold but not -8
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