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Tanis heaters



 
 
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  #21  
Old December 23rd 06, 05:50 PM posted to rec.aviation.owning
Blanche
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Posts: 346
Default Tanis heaters

Matt Barrow wrote:

"Blanche" wrote in message
I had the Reiff oil sump heater installed back in August. Last time
I went flying was 2 weeks ago. Put the 2 car blankets (those blue
quilted things from your favorite Big Box hardware store) over the
cowl after flying, made sure the heater was plugged in, patted the
putt-putt on the spinner and went home.

I live in the 'burbs of Denver.

Today was a *wonderful* day for flying. Cold, clear, no wind.

The city plowed the street and I have a 10 foot high
pile of snow that is now the consistency of concrete blocking my
driveway.


Ahhh...memories of the Christmas '82 blizzard!

At least they plow your street! In '82, my car sat at the bottom of the hill
(Hampden & Tamarac) for four days because it couldn't make the last 150
yards up the hill through 25" of snow (and 8 foot drifts). In them days,
they maybe plowed the main thoroughfares, not the arterials and certainly
not the residential streets.

That was the storm that got Bill McNichols bounced out of office -- no, not
30 years of corruption, but that he had them plow the parking lot for
McNichols arena (named for a sitting mayor, no less) instead of the streets.


Yup -- BTDT.

Ah yes, that hill...not nearly as much fun as I-70 at Floyd Hill, or
the west side of the tunnel, but still entertaining.

I had 5 unexepected friends stay with me for 3 days because they
Couldn't get home. I'm near the bottom bend of I-225. In those days,
J really thought his Volvo could get thru everything and anything. And
this was a group of people from Chicago, who were used to unplowed
side streets, mayors who believed in Solar Snowplows, etc. But they
had never been thru a Colorado storm.

Just remember, McNicols named the stadium, but Webb (another sitting
mayor) named the new local Gov. building after himself. Fortunately
I don't live in Denver, just the 'burbs.

On the other hand, at least we have buried utilities so unless someone
cuts thru, we keep power on, unlike Buffalo and western NY earlier
this year. The paternal side of the family had no water or power or
heat for 8 days. They thought the same thing was happening down
here and called in a panic.

The airports, on the other hand, are another matter.
Once KAPA opened, the Citations and Lears
were coming in every 3-5 minutes, non-stop on Friday. DIA, on
the other hand (KDEN to those here) got the first Frontier flight
out just after 1200 MST. All the local news stations carried the
shot, much like a Shuttle lift-off. But there are people who have
spent 3 nights there already, and may not leave until after Christmas.
The local cities and hotels have a "distressed traveler" plan, put
into planning back in 2003, the last time this happened. Once the
road gets opened, buses get out to the airport and bring the folks
to the hotels. About 3000 people took advantage of this on Friday,
but not quite 2000 stayed at the airport to try and get stand-by
seats.

I'm still astonished at
1) all the people who have 4-wheel drive and think they are invincible and
can travel thru anything
2) and/or have lived here more than 3 winters and don't prepare --
far too many folks don't even have snow shovels!

  #22  
Old December 23rd 06, 05:53 PM posted to rec.aviation.owning
Blanche
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 346
Default Tanis heaters

Peter R. wrote:
Blanche wrote:

I had the Reiff oil sump heater installed back in August. Last time
I went flying was 2 weeks ago. Put the 2 car blankets (those blue
quilted things from your favorite Big Box hardware store) over the
cowl after flying, made sure the heater was plugged in, patted the
putt-putt on the spinner and went home.


Call me a sucker for marketing, but what covering the prop and spinner?
The point that the prop and spinner hanging out in the cold will transmit
that lower temperature through the crankshaft deep into the engine seemed
logical to me.

This is why I broke down and bought the insulated cowling cover and
prop/spinner covers from Kennon.

After three days of being plugged in and covered on a sub-zero day, my
aircraft's prop and spinner are still warm to touch.

I live in the 'burbs of Denver.


Say hello to my brother for me. He lives in Firestone.


Sorry -- didn't provide all the info.

1) Yes I have prop covers and a spinner cover.
2) the blankets easily cover the air intakes on the cowl

Not sure where Firestone is. But I haven't even seen my neighbors
from 4 houses over, the plows have piled up so much snow. Somehow,
I think we'll have a different company on contract next year.
  #23  
Old December 23rd 06, 06:20 PM posted to rec.aviation.owning
Peter R.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,045
Default Tanis heaters

Blanche wrote:

Sorry -- didn't provide all the info.

1) Yes I have prop covers and a spinner cover.
2) the blankets easily cover the air intakes on the cowl


Ah, OK. Very good.

Not sure where Firestone is.


About 25 miles north of Denver. Straight up that major north/south highway
there.

--
Peter
  #24  
Old December 24th 06, 12:01 AM posted to rec.aviation.owning
No Spam
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 17
Default Tanis heaters

On 12/22/06 07:38, "Rich" wrote:

Both
Tanis and Reiff do not recommend leaving it on all the time.


My Tanis paperwork (circa 1997) says it's okay to leave it plugged in all
during cold weather. The website still says the same thing, "It can be left
plugged in continuously, keeping engine safely warm for starting even in
sub-zero weather."

- Don
History does not long entrust the care of freedom
to the weak or the timid. - Dwight D. Eisenhower


  #25  
Old December 24th 06, 04:14 AM posted to rec.aviation.owning
[email protected][_1_]
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Posts: 81
Default Tanis heaters

On 22 Dec 2006 05:09:53 -0800, "cpw" wrote:

I live in northern lower Michigan where we have real winters some years
(not this one yet). My partner and I own a 2000 Cessna 182. We are
currently debating the proper use of the Tanis engine heater. It has
been our practice in the past to plug the heater in after a flight and
leave it plugged in until the next. We have heard lately that best
practice is to only use the heater for a few hours prior to flight.
Any opinions among other owners in cold climes?
Thanks. CPW


Had numerous conversations with Peter Tanis prior to his passing on
this subject, as well as the corrosion issue. I wish I still had the
various tech material he forwarded to me years ago.

There is a very informative article on their website that you should
take the time to read if you haven't already:

http://www.tanisaircraft.com/article6.html

The main thing that I took away from the tech material that he shared
with me with regard to internal corrosion was that the oil temp
should always stay under 100 degrees F.

If I remember correctly, a Tanis system tends to raise the oil temp
about 50 degrees F, so if ambient is below 50 degrees F, no worries.

Peter told me that one of his local customers ran Pt 135 Seneca II's
that stayed plugged in continuously (when they weren't flying)
throughout the winter. When we discussed it, they had been doing it
for over 5 years without issues.

One main advantage these aircraft had were that they were operated in
a manner that minimized the moisture trapped in the oil. That can
often be problematic for non-frequent flyers.

I have no financial interest in Tanis, and Peter NEVER gave me
anything resembling a sales pitch. It seemed to me that he felt that
educating technicians and owners about pre-heating would do his
selling for him.

Regards;

TC
  #26  
Old December 24th 06, 06:07 AM posted to rec.aviation.owning
nrp
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 128
Default Tanis heaters

A MN fnend with a 180 HP Lycoming/Cardinal received enough corrosion
from continuous Tanis heat to require a top OH after only one winter.
It obviously was localized corrosion on the bottom of the jug he had
above his desk where I worked.

  #27  
Old December 24th 06, 09:20 AM posted to rec.aviation.owning
Roger[_4_]
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Posts: 677
Default Tanis heaters

On 23 Dec 2006 16:50:45 GMT, Blanche wrote:

Matt Barrow wrote:

My daughter was marooned in Cabo San Lucas with a direct Frontier
flight due in around 5:00 on Friday. They did get in around the same
time today. Me? I think I'd have waited for a wind off the mountains
to melt the snow. Cabo sounds a whale of a lot better this time of
year than Denver, but OTOH a whole lot more expensive too.

out just after 1200 MST. All the local news stations carried the
shot, much like a Shuttle lift-off. But there are people who have
spent 3 nights there already, and may not leave until after Christmas.
The local cities and hotels have a "distressed traveler" plan, put
into planning back in 2003, the last time this happened. Once the
road gets opened, buses get out to the airport and bring the folks
to the hotels. About 3000 people took advantage of this on Friday,
but not quite 2000 stayed at the airport to try and get stand-by
seats.

I'm still astonished at
1) all the people who have 4-wheel drive and think they are invincible and
can travel thru anything
2) and/or have lived here more than 3 winters and don't prepare --
far too many folks don't even have snow shovels!


Kevin's dad didn't even have an ice scraper in his. Of course Deb and
Kevin left theirs at his folks (with chains, shovel, and ice scrapers
- They do live on the second rage back where they had 12 feet of the
stuff two years ago)

Fortunately the sun had already melted the ice on the wind shield and
it wasn't too bad once they were out of the parking lot :-))



Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
  #28  
Old December 24th 06, 09:24 AM posted to rec.aviation.owning
Roger[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 677
Default Tanis heaters

On 23 Dec 2006 16:53:31 GMT, Blanche wrote:

Peter R. wrote:
Blanche wrote:

I had the Reiff oil sump heater installed back in August. Last time
I went flying was 2 weeks ago. Put the 2 car blankets (those blue
quilted things from your favorite Big Box hardware store) over the
cowl after flying, made sure the heater was plugged in, patted the
putt-putt on the spinner and went home.


Call me a sucker for marketing, but what covering the prop and spinner?
The point that the prop and spinner hanging out in the cold will transmit
that lower temperature through the crankshaft deep into the engine seemed
logical to me.

This is why I broke down and bought the insulated cowling cover and
prop/spinner covers from Kennon.

After three days of being plugged in and covered on a sub-zero day, my
aircraft's prop and spinner are still warm to touch.

I live in the 'burbs of Denver.


Say hello to my brother for me. He lives in Firestone.


Sorry -- didn't provide all the info.

1) Yes I have prop covers and a spinner cover.
2) the blankets easily cover the air intakes on the cowl


On the Deb the spinner creates a lot of space. I wrap the blankets
around everything and pin them together under the cowl. Even at zero
the prop blades are quite warm out a foot or so beyond the blanket.
The engine is uncomfortable to touch where the crank comes out.
Probably some where around 10 to 20 below I'd have to put boots on the
prop blades, but you aren't getting me out there in those temps so
it's a non issue. :-))



Not sure where Firestone is. But I haven't even seen my neighbors
from 4 houses over, the plows have piled up so much snow. Somehow,
I think we'll have a different company on contract next year.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
  #29  
Old December 24th 06, 09:30 AM posted to rec.aviation.owning
Roger[_4_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 677
Default Tanis heaters

On Sun, 24 Dec 2006 03:14:01 GMT, wrote:

On 22 Dec 2006 05:09:53 -0800, "cpw" wrote:

I live in northern lower Michigan where we have real winters some years
(not this one yet). My partner and I own a 2000 Cessna 182. We are
currently debating the proper use of the Tanis engine heater. It has
been our practice in the past to plug the heater in after a flight and
leave it plugged in until the next. We have heard lately that best
practice is to only use the heater for a few hours prior to flight.
Any opinions among other owners in cold climes?
Thanks. CPW


Had numerous conversations with Peter Tanis prior to his passing on
this subject, as well as the corrosion issue. I wish I still had the
various tech material he forwarded to me years ago.

There is a very informative article on their website that you should
take the time to read if you haven't already:

http://www.tanisaircraft.com/article6.html

The main thing that I took away from the tech material that he shared
with me with regard to internal corrosion was that the oil temp
should always stay under 100 degrees F.


Mine stays at roughly 50C which is well above 100F. No corrosion in
10 years and the engine is close to TBO.


If I remember correctly, a Tanis system tends to raise the oil temp
about 50 degrees F, so if ambient is below 50 degrees F, no worries.


Mine is a whale of a lot hotter than that. The crank case is hot
enough to be uncomfortable to hold your hand on it tightly.
I'd guess the cowl is probably around a 100F.

Peter told me that one of his local customers ran Pt 135 Seneca II's
that stayed plugged in continuously (when they weren't flying)
throughout the winter. When we discussed it, they had been doing it
for over 5 years without issues.

As long as the engine runs often enough to keep things oiled I'd think
it'd work fine. There were several articles on this in recent years.
Most of those basically said to keep it hot enough to prevent
condensation. If you couldn't do that then only preheat before use.
Keeping it hot has been keeping the oil clear and clean until almost
20 hours.

One main advantage these aircraft had were that they were operated in
a manner that minimized the moisture trapped in the oil. That can
often be problematic for non-frequent flyers.

I have no financial interest in Tanis, and Peter NEVER gave me
anything resembling a sales pitch. It seemed to me that he felt that
educating technicians and owners about pre-heating would do his
selling for him.

Regards;

TC

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com
  #30  
Old December 25th 06, 05:26 PM posted to rec.aviation.owning
David Lesher
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Posts: 224
Default Tanis heaters

Blanche writes:


I'm still astonished at
1) all the people who have 4-wheel drive and think they are invincible and
can travel thru anything


Click & Clack say:

4-wheel drive means you can get farther away
from help before you get stuck.
--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433
 




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