Before and after 150 watt oil pan heater. Guess?

[finmile]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: finmile
But I meant that if someone would go a bit crazy with the heater, for example 500W for 5 quarts sump, wouldn't there be a risk for too high surface temperatures on the oil pan (locally where the heater pad is)? And thus some adverse effects on the oil.


That's true for just about everything in life.

Agreed

Just wanted to say that, because sometimes people tend to think that more is always better. It ain't.

 

[finmile]

Originally Posted By: Garak
I don't think 500 watts would be too high for five quarts, at least in a lot of winter conditions we see here. I still keep forgetting to check the size of my heater. But, of course, as you mentioned, don't go crazy. I wouldn't think it too brilliant to be using a 500 watt heater in my G37 when it's +5 C out just to make it easier for me to use a monograde SAE 40 or something similarly bizarre. That would simply be inventing problems for oneself to solve.


For me 500W for 5 quarts seems quite heavy.

But I guess it depends on how you are planning to use it. Only on the coldest weather, or already at +5C (41F).

Think it this way. What if you would plug in the 500W heater and accidentally forget it plugged in for overnight. And the ambient temperature would be at +5C. Would it cause trouble? The equation I used before gives 83C/149F temperature raise for one hour, so what would the temperature of oil be the next morning…? Boiling?

I would personally prefer a lower wattage heater, because I could use it more freely. I can't install one however, because my car’s oil pan is so rusty…

 

[Garak]

It would certainly be fairly high, but I'd be curious as to how much heating it would actually do under various conditions. The geometry is important, too, as is the construction of the pan, and how well it's shielded from the elements.

I wouldn't use it above -20 C, personally, and wouldn't see a need. I checked mine; it's a 200 watt unit, and I only used it in really cold conditions like that, anyhow. I used it in the Lightning when I got it, and used it only in those really cold conditions. I think I used it only below -25 C even. Like I said, it's not like I was compensating for a foolish oil choice like SAE 30.

I still had a multigrade 5w-30 in there.

 

[TiredTrucker]

Well, the 500w probe in my oil pan shouldn't be an issue with 9.5 gallons of oil it is immersed in.

 

[Gasbuggy]

Just want to add that I powered this with a good quality 50 foot extension cord and the car sits outside on a stone driveway.

 

[Garak]

Probably not, TiredTrucker. The old Audi had a factory probe heater, thanks to a frivolous lawsuit in Canada. Someone decided to throw a stick on oil pan heater, too. The stick on one was dead, but the factory one worked just fine, so go figure.

 

[Gasbuggy]

Winter is approaching, bumping this. These Katz heaters are now being sold in Auto Zone.

 

[Brons2]

Does one plug it in at work also? No idea, I live in the South.

 

[Gasbuggy]

Originally Posted By: Brons2
Does one plug it in at work also? No idea, I live in the South.



I would if given the option.

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted By: Brons2
Does one plug it in at work also? No idea, I live in the South.


You won't need one in Texas. I would fold over if I saw somebody plugging in at work on a 40F day. Once you drive to work, your temperatures do not cool your oil down to a state that needs to be thawed out. Ever.

I only plug in overnight to the block heater to prevent freeze plugs popping in the dead of winter (-40F+). Oil pan heater/ battery blanket gets plugged in below 15F.