DIY sump/ oil pan heater

[tolsen]

I never got around to measuring oil temperature. Main reason is the oil will blacken woven insulation case on my thermocouple cable.

The sump heater still works fine and vibration does not appear to be a problem.

This evening I tried powering the heater by car battery and a 150 watt continuous rated inverter.
The inverter has battery discharge protection and sounded the alarm and cut off power after less than ten seconds.

[tolsen]

Got the heater fitted to sump and sump bolted to engine. Heater works fine. The oil gets warm but not too warm. Will leave it on for about four hours and then measure oil temperature.

I used PU40 polyurethane sealant between sump and engine block. Used same sealant for timing case. Had that off to inspect timing chain, oil pump chain and all sprockets. Turned timing chain around when refitting.

[mottofreee]

Being a electronic device (heating element) fuse is Ultrafast or Superfast (with semiconductor).
Also, the heating element should be equipped with the safety optical indicator (a LED).
I say this because I worked in the maintenance of construction equipment (from Caterpillar ), now with locomotives equipped Cat .
However, purely mechanical devices are more reliable but more accurate electronic equipment .

[tolsen]

I know what in rush current is. Had to fit a NTC device to prevent a transformer blowing its fuse.

[mottofreee]

The Chinese do various things ...
I will try with a resistance wire Manufacturing.
The oil should not be in direct contact with it. Sorry, inrush current is a specific term.

[tolsen]

What you are saying makes no sense. My sump heater is PTC. Electric cabin heater elements in both the 450 and 451 Cdi's are PTC. Of course the element itself cannot be exposed to the oil, that is just the same as for an electric wire heater. My PTC sump heater is housed in a sealed stainless steel pipe.

[mottofreee]

PTC is an electronic device electronic .In most PTC applications are for inrush current.
PTC thermocouple in case TO220 - area too small for the given application! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TO-220
PTC thermocouple (Peltier element) are thermally conductive junctions with a yield of 50%. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoelectric_cooling
Not resistant to:
- Contaminants (from the oil)
- Pressure (shock waves)
I mean resist less in Chinese style.
And most importantly, are heat pumps!
So ... resistance wire or resistance wire or resistance wire.
For 250W / 12V => ~ 7mmp and already using platband. What amount of energy is required for cracking them? You can hit the engine ground (how much you can, 10 times) and nothing happens resistance.
12V and tens of amperes (at least 30) can be obtained from an ATX SMPS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switched-mode_power_supply
Or a transformer UPS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uninter...e_power_supply
Do so and you do not have a headache .

[tolsen]

PTC heaters are much more reliable than resistance wire element heaters. No wire that may break. Self regulating and do not need any thermostat. Very good restance to vibration too? Not so with resistance wire heaters.

[mottofreee]

For winter - screw cap with heating element .
For summer - screw cap with magnet .
Changing a resistance heating is undesirable - decreases reliability.
The heating element is sealed at the factory but can attach the screw plug.

[tolsen]

Why summer and winter? You intend to fit heater element for winter? Why not leave it fitted permanently?

[mottofreee]

Now convert oil pan one with drain plug.
Drain plug will be summer magnet resistance and winter.
Hole for plug seat and component ,
1-DSCF1347.JPG
drain cap chair,
1-DSCF1349.JPG
drain plug (for summer)

1-DSCF1346.JPG

[mottofreee]

I really work with something like this, the locomotive. MTBF is 10 years for some types of locomotives, at other - forever (EGM type).
I have never met heating resistance disintegrated, than damage (interrupted, with the short to ground, etc.).
Operating voltage heating element 12V is optimal because more than 12V can destroy computer system.
The 230V can destroy and element connection between the steering wheel and pedals and/or passenger.

[Thrumbleux]

I really think this is one of those things that people can talk about for ever but until it's actually tested, no one can really be sure on the outcome. Hopefully Tolsen will keep us up to date with how well it is working over time.

That's it in a nutshell. Got to admire TK for having the idea and giving it a go. I'm just too scared of it disintegrating and going through the oil pump and the grief it would cause me given my smart is my only method of transport in a rural area. So I suffer starting with cold oil while TK has his nicely warmed prior to setting off.

It's typical of a thing I enjoy on car fora though - people bringing their ideas to the masses. One I picked up on lately is how Megasquirt can be used to replace the fuel system (worn carb(s), inefficient/unreliable early (eg Bosch D) injection systems) on older cars making them much more reliable and fuel efficient - typically the bugbear of an older (say 1960-70s) cars. I'd only thought of Megasquirt for tuning engines beyond the constraints of their own fuel system before.

[tolsen]

For the last time, vibration won't be an issue.

The Canadians use stick on oil pan heaters that tend to fall off, Webasto diesel heaters or Defa 2818 block heaters.


Defa 2818.

[cougar7609]

How did the heater that was fitted to canadian cars work? Was it a similar idea?