Looking for some feedback on small diesel heaters.
I would like to warm up my splitter hydraulics and the motor. The splitter sometimes sits in an open shed with no power. There is 12 volt dc available.
Don't know if a jump pack would work.
Thoughts appreciated.
Before I retired I worked as a heavy equipment mechanic out of a service truck. The company supplied us with small torpedo heaters and truck had a welder to run it. I didn't like hearing welder so I bought a small power converter and wired up to truck battery. I think it was a 500w. It ran torpedo heater with no problem. They use very little power and small power converter was fairly cheap.
if you decide to get an inverter, then it could power a magnetic Katz block heater. one on the engine and one on the hydraulic tank.
A jump pack wouldn't last long. My 8000 BTU needs 10 minutes to warm up and 10 minutes to cool down when shut off. A good battery has better output at colder temperatures then the Li batteries in most jump packs. Not sure how long you need to run it but a deep cycle battery would last longest as long as your not talking below zero temperatures. You do not want to run out of power before the combustion chamber is cooled down. Also they really don't like long exhaust lines or heating ducts so be sure there is always ventilation if you're just dumping the exhaust. I have recently seen dewalt has a portable propane spot heater and I think Milwaukee is working on one for things like that and they don't need ventilation.
Thanks for mentioning Milwaukee.They have a 70,000 btu unit that might be appropriate.
The heater is propane,120 or M18 volt.I have a full compliment of the batteries so it can be used when away from a power source.
My splitter is a bear to pull over when the oil is cold. I use a magnetic heater on the tank now, but it takes a long time to notice any difference.
I've wondered about installing a standard block heater in the hydraulic tank for cold days. Plug it in for an hour before use. Not sure if there would be any reason not to, but never investigated further. Not necessarily what you are looking for, but might help others.
How cold ? I start my Predator on my processer down to 10 above zero F . any colder its too cold for this old body.
the block heater (Katz) i run off 110 V. at an hour on the 500 watt, I can put a hand on the metal hydraulic tank, and it feel slight warm, not hot. I have mentioned before that I used to slip belts on cold days. so, I tightened the belt and then it shredded due to cold fluid being more viscous and therefore harder to turn the pump.
I think a torpedo heater is the easiest solution, like Wlmedley said get a small inverter you can plug into your vehicle.
Any of the electric heaters, whether magnetic or immersion, have a high amp draw.
Just found the Milwaukee M18 heater and they say it will run 5 hours on a 5ah battery. Going to need to drag around a 20 pound tank of propane also though. Looks like a nice compact unit but it may burn the paint off your machine if it's close enough to be effective outdoors.
I'm not a big fan of the propane heaters. When it is cold enough that I need a torpedo heater, propane models don't work very good. The smaller portable tanks ice up and stop flowing gas.
you know it is cold when you have to heat the tank to get enough gas to heat something else.
Well,I decided to use what I had on hand.Since my Timber Devil is an upright style splitter it was easy to put a lumber cover over it.A 20# cylinder with a tank top radiant heater supplied the heat.
30 minutes raised the tank temperature ( near the pump) from 17 degrees to 60 degrees.
Easy starting,now.
Where did the degree icon go?
No degree icon, but Alt 248 will do it. ° When you release the Alt key the ° will show up.
oF The X2 icon in the font box also works. Superscript a small o.
Well I got rid of the wimpy battery.
I purchased a NOCO 4250amp jump pack at Magicman's recommendation.
That woke things up quite a bit.
https://www.princessauto.com/en/35000-btu-portable-radiant-propane-heater/product/PA0008944985
these IR radiant heater units throw a lot of heat and are aimable
on sale now CDN$144 down from $269
Due to the fact my old 11HP Briggs industrial engine has electric start it's not a problem .Plus the 8-9 gallons of hydraulic fluid is Dextron 2 tranny fluid temperature has no or little effect on how it runs . Of course this is Ohio not Alaska .