Cherokee getting fat

Matt Barrow wrote:
: As does Reiff, and it has a thermostat that Tanis doesn't.

How many watts for a comparable system? I'm just thinking of the failure mode
of the thermostat. It certainly *would* be nice to plug it in and know it's not
cooking if it gets too warm out.



--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

wrote in message
...
Matt Barrow wrote:
: As does Reiff, and it has a thermostat that Tanis doesn't.

How many watts for a comparable system?

??? watts how?

I'm just thinking of the failure mode
of the thermostat. It certainly *would* be nice to plug it in and know
it's not
cooking if it gets too warm out.

http://www.reiffpreheat.com/Thermostat.htm

http://www.reiffpreheat.com/DigitalTimer.htm

The most important thing to heat is the oil, if you can only heat one
thing. I have two heat pads on my oil sump on my 182 and that's it.
Tanis and Reiff work but are only of value if you can't cover the engine
compartment. I have a Kennon cover for mine and the whole engine
compartment is a toasty 80F while the oil is 100F.

wrote:

Dave Butler wrote:
: That's interesting. I've never owned a heater, don't know about Tanis or Reiff,
: since I've been flying, I haven't lived in a climate where heating is called
: for, but...

Generally, the freezing point is about where it's considered a good idea to
preheat. Some people say 40, some 20.

: I'd think "at the head" is not a particularly important place to have the heat.
: Seems to me heating the oil in the crankcase so it can be pumped more quickly
: and start lubricating is a better bang for the buck.

That's important, although with multiweight oils it's less so.

: ... or maybe the rationale is that heating the head relieves the "choke" of the
: cylinder barrel and reduces wear that way? If so, I have to wonder whether the
: few degrees rise you're likely to get from an electric heater has any
: significant effect on the amount of choke.

: Why heat the heads?

: Ignorant and looking to learn... Dave

You got it... there was an article (Mike Busch on avweb?) on the clearance of
the dissimilar metals (pistons and cylinders). There's a point (temperature) where
there is *negative* clearance (i.e. scuffing). If one can warm the thing from 0F to
+40F, you've already gotten past it. Also, the heat loading is uneven due to the
mass. It takes a (relatively) long time for the cylinders and heads to heat up
compared to the lightweight pistons in very close proximity to the fire.

-Cory

"Newps" wrote in message
...
The most important thing to heat is the oil, if you can only heat one
thing. I have two heat pads on my oil sump on my 182 and that's it.
Tanis and Reiff work but are only of value if you can't cover the engine
compartment.

Both Tanis and Reiff recommend an engine cover and plugs. Reiff (maybe
Tanis, too) recommends a prop cover as well.

I have a Kennon cover for mine and the whole engine
compartment is a toasty 80F while the oil is 100F.

I don't normally use a cover (cowl plugs), but it's in an unheated, hanger
with electricity. A thermostat kicks in when the air temp drops below 40F.

After 12 hours the oil and CHT's are over 100F and when I kick on cabin
heat, it's toasty in a few minutes.

Something else no one mentioned yet is a battery heater.

We don't get the extreme cold your northerners do here in Western Colorado,
but sub zero is not uncommon during winter.

In any case, with a Turbo'ed engine, cold starts are killers (not to sya
they aren't traumatic for NA plants as well).


--
Matt
---------------------
Matthew W. Barrow
Site-Fill Homes, LLC.
Montrose, CO

I *thought* you guys looked thin(ner), but never had the chance to say
anything. Good job!

90 pounds -- wow!
Ron and I only account for 50 of that!

"Only" 50???

Fifty pounds is awesome. I've lost 20, and feel great, by eating fruit.
How'd you guys manage it?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

I have been gaining gradually 1-2 pounds a month. I gotta do something
quick! I don't want you guys to have to read about them cutting up my
house to get me out!

Bryan "The Monk" Chaisone

Never weigh an airplane. Use the weight in the book. You will be able
to carry more doing it this way. It's even legal.

Doug wrote:
Never weigh an airplane. Use the weight in the book. You will be able
to carry more doing it this way. It's even legal.

Go ahead and weigh it. If you don't like what you see then forget all
about it. That's legal too.

Newps wrote:
: Go ahead and weigh it. If you don't like what you see then forget all
: about it. That's legal too.

That was sorta the plan. Trouble is, we did so many things to the plane, that the W&B changes were hard to compute.
Especially for the interior... very nebulous as far as the moment of all the little pieces.

Just for the record, we got our gear loaded to within our target weight and made it to AK. Now, just to get back in
10 days... It sure didn't want to climb much over 5000' with it as hot as it was over IN. Probably 200-300 fpm at 7000'
DA, 50 lbs under gross.

-Cory

--

************************************************** ***********************
* Cory Papenfuss *
* Electrical Engineering candidate Ph.D. graduate student *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
************************************************** ***********************

Never weigh an airplane. Use the weight in the book. You will be able
to carry more doing it this way. It's even legal.

Agreed.

Does anyone know how they compute the maximum allowable take-off weight
(and, thus, the useful load) of a Spam Can like we fly? I assume it's got
something to do with minimum climb performance, but what are the parameters?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"