When is an oil heater benifical?

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I have a home standby generator that uses standard auto 5 - 30 synthetic oil. It sits idle but could turn on for a power outage at any time. The factory says it is a good idea to install their $100 oil filter heater if our area gets below 32f. The installer says it is not needed in our area, lower Michigan. The winter averages in the 20s with lows in the teens and with a few weeks in the single digits, like this week. Is the $100 filter heater a good needed for this oil?

Air cooled engine.
 
5W30 can handle temps a lot lower than 32F, or single digits for that matter. Will an oil heater help? Sure, but it isn't really needed in the temperature range you described. Keep in mind you can also use 0W30 in lieu of "standard auto 5W30" as well.
 
Upsell. How else are you going to show off the Ultra? Wouldn't a plain old stick on pan heater be more effective?

This thread reminded me of that Subaru oil filter sock thread.
 
The Generac cold weather "kit" also includes a warmer that the battery sits on. I opted for one here in Lansing, MI. Not cheap but glad it's there. Wednesday's high temp is forecast to be -3 degrees F.
 
I'm thinking they want to give you the best chance of getting that automatic start when you are away. I see It also recommends 5w30 if you are bothering with the kit.

All in all, good advice if you want to get that reliable start.

For what it's worth I plug in my vehicles if I need to start them below 0 F. Not because I need too but I feel it gets rid of some needless wear.
 
I have a 20KW Generac air cooled whole house generator here in FL and had a similar system for our house in VA.

* My current generator's owner's manual recommends 5W-30 for temperatures 10 degrees F and below, 10W-30 for temperatures between 10-40 degrees F, and 30W between freezing and above. Bottom line is that I think you will not need a heater if you use a full synthetic 5W-30 oil.

* I used Amsoil 10W-30 Small Engine Oil in VA and do so as well here in FL. No oil consumption and no engine issues for 5 years in VA and 10 hear in FL I actually think this would also work for you as well.

https://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-prod...4-stroke-10w-30-sae-30-small-engine-oil/

* As I said in the other thread you started on this forum, I think your exercise time is way to short. I have mine set for 12 minutes.
 
I wouldn't worry about an oil heater at those temps with 5w30. Battery heater.. maybe. I would focus my worry on the crankcase breather tube icing up. While rare it can happen after extended time. They sell a heater that wraps around the hose it's an orange spiral looking device that uses 120v. I believe they are 10 or 15 watts and they hard wire into the unit. This is really only a concern if the weather is under zero.
 
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