Engine Preheater - any good?

I made up my own for $40. Got a ceramic heater from WallyMart for $19 (6" x
6" x 7.5"), then went to Home Depot and got aluminum flex duct (not the
aluminum covered plastic - I'm talking flex/corrugated aluminum), a duct
collar, and a flange. Bend the flange to the shape of the heater, mount the
duct collar in the 4" pre-drilled hole in the flange (home depot sells these
right next to the duct collars). Then fasten it to the front of the heater.
I cheaped out and used aluminum duct tape until I got it positioned right.

Set up with a timer and you've got 1500 watts of heat. I place the free end
of the duct in the nose wheel opening in my C172. After 3 hours, it's ready
to go.


"Bob Chilcoat" wrote in message
news
My partners and I are considering this preheater:
http://aerothermheaters.com/

It's advantages seem to be that, unlike Tannis and other sump heaters,
it's
not permanently attached to the airplane, and therefore doesn't require an
STC or W&B recalculation (unless you forget it and leave it attached :-).
Anyone ever use something like this?

--
Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)