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Turning on cold weather Eng. heat w/smart phone.

donaziza

Well Known Member
I;ve been reading with great interest about you guys turning on your engine warmer uppers in your hangars, miles away, using your smart phones. Would like to do same. How are y'all doing that? Are you buying something that you plug the heater in one end, the power cord to the power end, and that "something" inbetween gets the on/off signal from your phone? Where would I get it. Really be nice to have my engine all toasty by the time I got there.:p
 
I;ve been reading with great interest about you guys turning on your engine warmer uppers in your hangars, miles away, using your smart phones. Would like to do same. How are y'all doing that? Are you buying something that you plug the heater in one end, the power cord to the power end, and that "something" inbetween gets the on/off signal from your phone? Where would I get it. Really be nice to have my engine all toasty by the time I got there.:p

I have that setup and I LOVE it. I bought the SwitchBox from these guys:

www.switchboxcontrol.com

Pricey - yes. But saves me from having to go to the hanger, plug the heaters in and then spend many hours doing something else.
 
A lot of people use "The Switchbox" for $300:

PHL_4370SwitchBox110912PA.jpg

http://switchboxcontrol.com/the-switch-box/

I am too cheap to to shell out these kinds of bucks, so I built one for less than half using the KiaoTime GSM-RELAY-US4G:
https://www.amazon.com/KiaoTime-GSM...515855535&sr=8-1&keywords=4G+switch+GSM+relay

They both work nearly identically - you purchase a T-Mobile SIM card for $10 (lasts 3 months or 30 texts), and send a specially crafted text message to the # associated with the SIM card and voila! Switchbox turns on and you get a confirmation text in return.
 
The deal breaker for me is that I would have to pay F'n Verizon $20 per month for an extra "line". No Wi-Fi at my hangar.
 
Engine heater

I have an engine heater I turn on with the identical Switchbox discussed above. I got it used here on the Forum for $200. Yes you have to get a T-mobile account but it only costs $3/mo to use it. When it gets low you can just add some money with a credit card- Easy.

There's two outputs, outlet one works directly from the phone number and you can call as many times as you want for that $3/mo. Outlet 2 sends a text message to the other line and costs .10 cents each time. So you could put the heater on the phone line for unlimited use and the other on a hooked up battery charger for a ten cent charge each time you use it (on or off). Or you could hook both of them on the phone line and have unlimited use.

No worries about having wifi in the hangar. I don't have any and with the small included antenna it picks up the signal in my hangar from my IPhone at home just fine. You'll just have to set up the "phone number" of the Switchbox unit with T-mobile. No additional line required, kind of like the pagers from the old days.

You can buy a new one at the website in the post above but I bet someone here on the forum might have a used one to sell. I contacted the Switchbox guys and they stepped me through the process to get mine set up.

Get one, they work great and when you get to the hangar the engine is warmed up. Pull it out, crank up and go fly!
 
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I have that setup and I LOVE it. I bought the SwitchBox from these guys:

www.switchboxcontrol.com

Pricey - yes. But saves me from having to go to the hanger, plug the heaters in and then spend many hours doing something else.

A lot of people use "The Switchbox" for $300:

PHL_4370SwitchBox110912PA.jpg

http://switchboxcontrol.com/the-switch-box/

I am too cheap to to shell out these kinds of bucks, so I built one for less than half using the KiaoTime GSM-RELAY-US4G:
https://www.amazon.com/KiaoTime-GSM...515855535&sr=8-1&keywords=4G+switch+GSM+relay

They both work nearly identically - you purchase a T-Mobile SIM card for $10 (lasts 3 months or 30 texts), and send a specially crafted text message to the # associated with the SIM card and voila! Switchbox turns on and you get a confirmation text in return.

I have an engine heater I turn on with the identical Switchbox discussed above. I got it used here on the Forum for $200. Yes you have to get a T-mobile account but it only costs $3/mo to use it. When it gets low you can just add some money with a credit card- Easy.

There's two outputs, outlet one works directly from the phone number and you can call as many times as you want for that $3/mo. Outlet 2 sends a text message to the other line and costs .10 cents each time. So you could put the heater on the phone line for unlimited use and the other on a hooked up battery charger for a ten cent charge each time you use it (on or off). Or you could hook both of them on the phone line and have unlimited use.

No worries about having wifi in the hangar. I don't have any and with the small included antenna it picks up the signal in my hangar from my IPhone at home just fine. You'll just have to set up the "phone number" of the Switchbox unit with T-mobile. No additional line required, kind of like the pagers from the old days.

Get one, they work great and when you get to the hangar the engine is warmed up. Pull it out, crank up and go fly!

I used an early version of the above with great results. T-Mobile is the lowest cost option. Using a 200-Watt EZ Heater from Aircraft Spruce, I would have 80-degree oil temp after 2-hours of preheat in 32 degree weather when I got to the runup area.

Now that my hangar is 18 steps outside the house and on the same WiFi network, I just use a Lowe's Iris smart WiFi switch. Not sure it gets cold enough here to need it but I can still turn the heater on if I want to fly when it is cold.
 
The deal breaker for me is that I would have to pay F'n Verizon $20 per month for an extra "line". No Wi-Fi at my hangar.

Get a T-Mobile SIM. $10 or so, gives you the following:
  • You get a combined total of 30 minutes of calls or text messages per month.
  • Additional outgoing/incoming calls or texts are $0.10 each.

https://support.t-mobile.com/docs/DOC-4826

Once the $10 is gone, you can simply refill the card online via CC, or let it expire and get a new SIM.
 
If you have wifi in your hangar, you can use a "Wemo Smart Plug" Very simple and inexpensive. I think the one I have is called the Wemo mini, cost about $29 at Homer Depot. I've only been using it a couple of months, but seems to be working fine. I can turn it on and off remotely via cell phone.
 
Those Chinese GSM switches are just junk. I had lots of problems with them. As we know the times we'll be flying I ordered a digital timer that I'll program to start the heater when we expect to fly. WiFi would be a better choice and I may go to that later, but for now this seems like a better alternative.

-Marc
 
So the SIM card would just plug into the Switchbox device as if it were a cell phone?

Yup, 100% correct.

Those Chinese GSM switches are just junk. I had lots of problems with them. As we know the times we'll be flying I ordered a digital timer that I'll program to start the heater when we expect to fly. WiFi would be a better choice and I may go to that later, but for now this seems like a better alternative.

I've used these 2G/4G GSM switches since 2010 and I have yet to have one let me down even once.
 
I do have 2G unit that works on T-Mobile that I not using due to no T-Mobile reception in my area.
 
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Is this a switch that would work?

https://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Wireless-Cellphone-Electric-Appliances/dp/B00WJS5RPO/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1515893667&sr=8-7&keywords=cell+phone+switch

The heater I have once turned off, the on switch needs to be pushed to get it to restart. I know I would have to get a different heater but it would still be nice to control it with a cell call.

That switch would work if you could find a provider that still had 2G GSM service. I don't know of any...ATT and TMobile are both 4G. I learned that the hard way when my older heater relay wouldn't work this year. I think most carriers have abandoned the 2G band. That's probably why the switchbox is only $50.
 
That switch would work if you could find a provider that still had 2G GSM service. I don't know of any...ATT and TMobile are both 4G. I learned that the hard way when my older heater relay wouldn't work this year. I think most carriers have abandoned the 2G band. That's probably why the switchbox is only $50.

T-Mobile still support 2G GSM. Talk is they will support it through 2019.
 
T-Mobile still support 2G GSM. Talk is they will support it through 2019.

T-Mobile's 2G network doesn't work at my home airport or my home. I popped a SIM card in my 2G GSM Switch box and it doesn't even pick up a signal. Same SIM card in a new 4G box and it worked flawlessly. T-Mobile 2G worked just fine 2 years ago.

Point is, if you are investing in a new switchbox, make sure it is 4G. The 2/3G models may or may not work, and they definitely have a short lifespan.
 
So I went and researched this all out this afternoon. Yeah, the $300 switch box would work apparently, but I'd still have to get a AT&T prepaid Mobile Hotspot box for another $60, and then purchase their 1 gig plan for another $25, plus pay whatever for a monthly fee. ( Mike bullojm1) mentioned the T Mobile sim for some $10 per month or so.

All the others, Wemo etc, require a WiFi at the hangar which I don't have. Long story short, if I still lived in Milwaukee, yeah--do it. But I now live in Atlanta, in a hangar---and thus I'd need this about 4 to 6 times a year in January and February. I'm thinking, it's not worth the money anymore. I've got a "many amps heater" with a fan in it, and then one of those big silver colored heat duct tubes (like your furnace uses)---shove that up the back end air vent exit, by the exhaust pipes and wait. Can't remember from last year if it took a half hour or a full hour.

Ho Hum---woulda been nice.:(
 
So I went and researched this all out this afternoon. Yeah, the $300 switch box would work apparently, but I'd still have to get a AT&T prepaid Mobile Hotspot box for another $60, and then purchase their 1 gig plan for another $25, plus pay whatever for a monthly fee. ( Mike bullojm1) mentioned the T Mobile sim for some $10 per month or so.

All the others, Wemo etc, require a WiFi at the hangar which I don't have. Long story short, if I still lived in Milwaukee, yeah--do it. But I now live in Atlanta, in a hangar---and thus I'd need this about 4 to 6 times a year in January and February. I'm thinking, it's not worth the money anymore. I've got a "many amps heater" with a fan in it, and then one of those big silver colored heat duct tubes (like your furnace uses)---shove that up the back end air vent exit, by the exhaust pipes and wait. Can't remember from last year if it took a half hour or a full hour.

Ho Hum---woulda been nice.:(

Why do you need the $60 mobile hot spot box? I have the $300 switchbox and I don't have the hot spot box.
 
Why do you need the $60 mobile hot spot box? I have the $300 switchbox and I don't have the hot spot box.


Gregg, Educate me if you would please. Best Buy and AT&T said I needed it---to transmit the cell signal to the switchbox?? If I don't need it Fantastic. Can you explain it here in detail, not only for me, but for all the others watching too?:confused:
 
Turning on cold weather Eng. heat w/smart phone

I have the latter version of the Switchbox and I pay $3/mo service fee plus 10 cents per text. It costs 40 cents to turn on the heat and turn it off. It works like this, you text to turn on the heat, the Switchbox texts you back to say it's on. You text to turn off the heat, the box tests you back to say it's off. You can't simply unplug the extension(to save 20 cents) when you get to the hangar, because if you do the Switchbox gets out of sync. You payT-Moble in advance , if the card runs out of money, you have 3 months before it expires and you have to buy a new sim card. The second best thing I like about the Box is that it has a White Page, it will only accept calls from the numbers you enter, all others are rejected, no "wrong number" calls turning your box off and on. The thing I don't like is that it has no lights to tell the box is powered up or lights to indicate which of the two lines is heating the oil or making the coffee. I understand the latest version has little murcury lights in the recepticals. Hope this helps, Dan from Reno
 
Gregg, Educate me if you would please. Best Buy and AT&T said I needed it---to transmit the cell signal to the switchbox?? If I don't need it Fantastic. Can you explain it here in detail, not only for me, but for all the others watching too?:confused:

The GSM switch boxes have a sim card holder built in. You install the sim card in the box so it effectively turns it into a not-so-smart phone. One problem that this causes is this: If you have a problem with your box and you call T-mobile (for instance), they will ask you what kind of phone you have. If you tell them it's a "device" the support goes down hill. They don't know how to deal with a switching device.

BTW, GSM switch boxes are available from Wafer Star for $140:
http://www.wafer-shopping.com/4g-ve...stralia-europe-canada-p-351.html#.WluwC3lG1EY
The only difference between these and the commercially available unit is the sticker on the box.

You will also need a couple of female plugs with pig-tails and a male plug with pigtail. These could be "borrowed" from old appliances etc. or they are available on line.

-Marc
 
I am currently using one of these I purchased I believe off Amazon or Ebay. I paid $115.00. Works good with AT&T SIM card. It would also work with T-Mobile but I do not have T-Mobile service in my area. You will need to install male and female cords. It came with an external antenna and a small battery for back up.
 
OK, I'm going to research this smartbox Marc mentioned in post 22, for $140. Stay tuned---I'll let you all know how it turns out. Went flying today. Sure would have been nice to have something that works.:rolleyes:.
 
EAA's Sport Aviation magazine had a step by step outline of how to build a switch yourself that was quite easy to do. You can control it via a few simple commands by text and it replies with confirmations, etc. All in all, it cost about $60 for parts and you pay for texts as you use them. Very cheap and satisfying to build. I think the article appeared about a year ago.
 
+1 for the waferstar/Kiao Time/Chinese gsm unit with tmobile card. There is a little trick to learning to use the text interface/code but not too big a deal. They used to have an app that would make up the codes for you based on your password and what you wanted it to do, but that app stopped working with one of the recent apple upgrades on my iphone. No big deal. I just copy and paste previous commands and send them.
 
from the FATPNW Facebook page - there is a member that is working on a "Hangar Buddy" that does much more then just turn on the heater. Similarly interfaces through SIM Card - but can give you a lot of info as well..

I wanted to finally reveal to FATPNW an electronics project that some of you may want to build.
It is called the ?Hangar Buddy?, and it is based on an incredible project by Maria DeGrazia. You may have seen it in the EAA Experimenter under the name ?piWarmer?.
So what is this thing? It is a device that lets you start preheating your engine with a text message. While there are a few commercial products that do this, I took the concept and ran with it.
In addition to starting your preheater of choice, it is also a device that is designed to give you some piece of mind about your hangar.
It can tell you if you have a dripping fuel sampler.
It can tell you if you left the lights on.
It can tell you how cold your hangar is.
It has a security model so only specific phone numbers can send a command.
It also has a small screen that lets you see the device?s status when setting it up.
It also has a high gain antenna that can be placed so you can find signal.
The code has been reengineered to be a ?platform? and easy to add new abilities to the device.
Depending on the sensors and displays you want to add, you can build it for as little as $100, less if you have parts laying around. The typical phone bill should be around $9 a month.
The source is Open Source, and the wiring diagram is included. Soldering required.
DISCLAIMERS: I am not making any money off of this. All software provided ?as-is?. Instructions do not include an engine heater. The parts list includes a GFCI adapter.
Let me know if you build one.
https://github.com/JohnMarzulli/piWarmer
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I had no WiFi at my hangar but the FBO, about 100 yards away does. I used the following to get set up. You will also need to configure the FBO router firewall for port-forwarding.

Two of these. One in the FBO, one on the outside of my hangar:
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Nan...=UTF8&qid=1508175979&sr=8-8&keywords=ubiquiti

Window mount inside the FBO:
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Net...D=31JdpJfo9FL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=detail

Wall mount on the hangar:
https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Nan...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=3DW1PK9KW78AC6F8MMXN

Wifi unit inside the hangar. This plugs into the POE box for the hangar antenna:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HXT84DG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

WiFi/BlueTooth outlet:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0721QD57S/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
Spoty cell coverage alternative

Here's a simple and relatively inexpensive temperature controlled switch for my Reiff engine preheater that I found on Amazon for $36.99:

2w555if.jpg


We've got relatively mild winters here in TN so I set it to come on when it gets colder than 35 degrees and it shuts off when the outside temperature reaches 50 degrees. Cell phone coverage is spotty at best at my hangar so a cell phone switch was out of the question. So far it seems to work well. Maximum rated load is 1100 watts so it's plenty for the Reiff "standard" system with an oil sump hot strip and four cylinder hot bands (300 watts).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KEYDNKK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
BTW, GSM switch boxes are available from Wafer Star for $140:
http://www.wafer-shopping.com/4g-ve...stralia-europe-canada-p-351.html#.WluwC3lG1EY
The only difference between these and the commercially available unit is the sticker on the box.

You will also need a couple of female plugs with pig-tails and a male plug with pigtail. These could be "borrowed" from old appliances etc. or they are available on line.

-Marc

There does not appear to be a provision in the housing for routing the plugs and wiring through the housing. Are we supposed to drill holes in the housing?
 
I use a 4G-GSM-High-Amperage-Remote-Control-Relay https://www.ebay.com/itm/4G-GSM-High...o/192083520963 to operate my engine preheater.

T-Mobile has a 30 text/month stand-alone cell phone data plan for $3.00/month.

Unit reports back to my cell phone that relay is on for x amount of time. To verify, I have an electric analog alarm clock on same circuit as heater. I reset hands on the clock to 12:00 and when I get to the hanger I look at the clock and see that the heater has run for set time.

Works great...

Cell phone switch mounted on column inside hanger
2gt9jcp.png


Remote antenna mounted outside metal hanger building
blq54.png


Cell phone text message to turn on engine pre-heater w/ reply that relay turned on for 150 minutes
2nlj07.png
 
Condensation

One of the big negatives of having a heater come on when it?s cold is that if you don?t fly, you could be setting up the perfection condensation atmosphere in your Lycoming. I?ve heard a story about a person who had a brand new engine and used a heater but didn?t fly. The engine internally was a rust bucket after only one year. If you heat it up, you need to fly it.


Here's a simple and relatively inexpensive temperature controlled switch for my Reiff engine preheater that I found on Amazon for $36.99:

2w555if.jpg


We've got relatively mild winters here in TN so I set it to come on when it gets colder than 35 degrees and it shuts off when the outside temperature reaches 50 degrees. Cell phone coverage is spotty at best at my hangar so a cell phone switch was out of the question. So far it seems to work well. Maximum rated load is 1100 watts so it's plenty for the Reiff "standard" system with an oil sump hot strip and four cylinder hot bands (300 watts).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KEYDNKK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
There does not appear to be a provision in the housing for routing the plugs and wiring through the housing. Are we supposed to drill holes in the housing?

No, there are holes and connectors molded into the housing of the GSM box. The pics just don't show it. It's good practice to have any circuits with 120vac protected from human touch. Since a connection has a higher chance of being faulty, it should also be enclosed to prevent fire from overheat.

-Marc
 
Fly regularly = no rust

If you heat it up, you need to fly it.

No worries, I fly mine at least once a week. I do agree that if you don?t fly your aircraft regularly, your motor will likely turn into a rust bucket inside. The temperature regulated switch box is simply an alternative way to turn on a pre-heater if you have spotty cell coverage or no WiFi available at your hangar. Reiff has a pretty good article about leaving a heater on constantly (which this control box does not do):

http://www.reiffpreheat.com/Article-Fiorentini-ContinuousPreheating.pdf.

Some say it?s no problem, some say it is, but all agree that you should fly regularly. Same way some say to leave the oil dipstick lose for any moisture to escape and others say the moisture will leave via the crankcase breather tube.

Should you prime or should you not? :D
 
I just came across this thread after having invested $300+ in a Switchbox, dealing with their incredibly annoying and unhelpful support people because of an issue with the SIM card, and then after finally getting it working, using it maybe 2 times to turn on my heater ... one of the 2 plugs burned out and fried the cord to the heater. The Switchbox is a way over-specialized unit with apps that are super buggy. I just bought a FreedomPop hotspot ($0 for 500mb/month and free hotspot device) that gets me ATT 4G wifi plus a Kasa/TP-Link wifi power strip ($70 ... although you could probably do a single plug for even cheaper). Works better and easier than the Switchbox ever did.

Jeff
 
So, I finally got around to automating my hangar.

Step #1 was to install a Ubiquity WiFi bridge with a homemade directional 'Cantenna' and a surplus WiFi router. I can easily reach the public WiFi across the road from the hangar complex.

Step #2 was to install a Wemo smartplug. This isn't an easy process due to revisions of the phone software out of step with the Wemo, but I got it done.

Now I can control any 15 amp appliance from home from my device or Alexa.

Step #3 was to program my ESP32 controller as a door alarm/environmental monitor. I get emails and texts (via email carrier portal) when someone enters my hangar. Once a day, I send a temperature profile. This is a totally custom hardware and software device that I've been working on for quite some time. It controls the trim in the aircraft, and with a different software load it's a hangar door alarm and thermometer :)

So for a total investment of about $100, I have a hangar alarm, temperature alarm and engine preheater (or to keep my paint supply above freezing). If my time was included, about $10,000.

I could have skipped the Wemo plug and just used my controller, but at $25 it was a no-brainer. It's a brave new world.
 
Step #1 was to install a Ubiquity WiFi bridge with a homemade directional 'Cantenna' and a surplus WiFi router. I can easily reach the public WiFi across the road from the hangar complex.
.

Can you give us more detail on how this works? We have wifi at the terminal, but not at the hangers at my airport. This would be neat!

Thanks,
DEM
 
I got a FreedomPop account and one of their Netgear Unite Mobile Hotspot which gives you 500MB/month free data. I put it in my hangar thereby creating a wifi network built off of the hotspot's cellular data connection. Since the wifi-connected power strip that I have my engine heater connected to uses only tiny amounts of data, I never actually pay anything to FreedomPop. It's a bit of a pain to get the hotspot working (presumably because FreedomPop wants to make it hard to do exactly what I'm doing, which is to say taking advantage of their "free" offer), but once set up, it's been working great for me for 6 months.
 
In my case, I bought this:
https://www.ui.com/airmax/bulletm/

and made this:
https://jacobsalmela.com/2013/09/07/wi-fi-cantenna-2-4ghz-how-to-make-a-long-range-wi-fi-antenna/ It screws directly on to the Ubiquiti.

I used a surplus wifi router (the type does not matter). I also bought a POE injector like this: (search for POE Splitter) and I had on hand a 12V wall wart power supply to use with it. Of course, you'll need an ethernet cable.

The Bullet/Cantenna combo is very directional, but I have had it work up to 10 km over water! Typically, though, it will work several hundred feet... maybe across an airport.

Turns out that my installation is all inside, pointing out a window from my hangar office. You can, however, mount the Bullet outside, but you may want to paint the can to prevent corrosion.

V
 
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Light bulb

Any thoughts on hanging a 60/100W light bulb through the oil access flap down into the cowling and just leaving it on. That's what I have been doing the last couple of years in the winter and seems to keep motor above freezing.

It is not switching on and off which I have heard is the main problem causing condensation in the motor if you do not fly enough.
Figs
 
Any thoughts on hanging a 60/100W light bulb through the oil access flap down into the cowling and just leaving it on. That's what I have been doing the last couple of years in the winter and seems to keep motor above freezing.

It is not switching on and off which I have heard is the main problem causing condensation in the motor if you do not fly enough.
Figs

My only thought is that a 100 watt incandescent bulb gets really hot - too hot to touch - so you'd want to keep it away from wires and tubes and any oil drip
 
Any thoughts on using an electric dog heated pad in the cockpit to keep things warmer? With the -20 winter last year I ended up with a canopy crack. I was thinking of leaving this in the cabin and I can turn it on when the temps get nasty cold.

Pecute Pet Heating Pad Low Voltage Safe Electric Heating Pet Mat for Dogs

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H24Y5MX/ref=crt_ewc_title_oth_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A25JY1VDWGYHHE

I've used a heating pad (human variety) as a battery warmer over the years. I don't see why a dog heating pad wouldn't work just fine. Do you plan to throw a packing blanket (or equivalent) over the canopy to better retain the warmth?
 
I've used a heating pad (human variety) as a battery warmer over the years. I don't see why a dog heating pad wouldn't work just fine. Do you plan to throw a packing blanket (or equivalent) over the canopy to better retain the warmth?

I didn't go with the human heating pad because those all have to be turned on. I am planning on turning the device on only when the temps fall below freezing. The dog heating pad is on whenever it is plugged in

In the winter I have a heavy blanket over the canopy. I have one over the engine as well along with plugs for the air inlets.
 
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My only thought is that a 100 watt incandescent bulb gets really hot - too hot to touch - so you'd want to keep it away from wires and tubes and any oil drip

I can confirm this...my 100w bulb, which I stuffed under my oil sump, and between the exhaust pipes, dropped down onto my fiberglass cowling...I now have a faint, but visible brown scorch mark on the exterior of my lower cowling. :(
 
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