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Interior Heater for Storage

Xkuzme1

Xkuzme1

Well Known Member
I started looking for a small, safe, low wattage, heater that I could leave in the cockpit of my plane during the winter. So far, I have not found anything appropriate.

I thought a small oil heater might be good, but even the smallest ones are too big. It wouldn't take much at all.

Anyone have any thoughts?

X
 
I have one of these for my RV-6 but have not used it yet.

81Bc-5GXK9L._SX522AA522_PIbundle-999,TopRight,0,0_AA522_SH20_.jpg


Got the idea from a friend that used a similar but more expensive unit in his RV-6A Florida winter hangar. Technically it is not a heater but a dehumidifier. IIRC, the unit I have is 70W.
 
why?

Not sure why you would want to do this...I can think of many reasons why not to, but I am curious of the reasons why.
 
fixnflyguy said:
Not sure why you would want to do this...I can think of many reasons why not to, but I am curious of the reasons why.
Click to expand...

My Dynon EMS D10 display is VERY Very very dim when temperature is below 32 in direct sunlight. It is unusable till it warms up in direct sunlight below 32-degrees. A little heat is all it needs to make it usable.

The unit was sent to Dynon a year ago and they said it meets spec. They gave me the option of a replacement unit and I accepted. The replacement unit display is also unusable in direct sunlight below 32 degrees till after the unit has warmed up.

The mechanical flight gauges should be preheated in cold weather for maximum life.
 
Would a seat heater from a late model car & a 12V power supply do it? I'd check on whether the car's computer does any temp control, but assuming that it's just switched on/off by a switch on the console, it should be reasonably safe if left unattended with no body sitting on it (mfgr would have done at least some due diligence for liability protection).
 
Xkuzme1 said:
I started looking for a small, safe, low wattage, heater that I could leave in the cockpit of my plane during the winter. So far, I have not found anything appropriate.

I thought a small oil heater might be good, but even the smallest ones are too big. It wouldn't take much at all.

Anyone have any thoughts?

X
Click to expand...

Hey Todd,

I just put a ceramic heater with the tip over protection in the floor and let it run about 30 min prior to the flight. It seems to do a good job and I don't have to worry about something going very wrong while I am not nearby to watch it or check it every few minutes.

Take care.
Doc
 
John Owen said:
Hey Todd,

I just put a ceramic heater with the tip over protection in the floor and let it run about 30 min prior to the flight. It seems to do a good job and I don't have to worry about something going very wrong while I am not nearby to watch it or check it every few minutes.

Take care.
Doc
Click to expand...

I use this same method... plus I rigged up a device that I can call with my cell phone to turn it on an hour before i get to the airport. Very similar to the commercially available ones, but I think I only paid $125 for it.
 
Simple Light

When I was a kid we had a sail boat on the Gulf of Mexico. Dad would put a 100 W light in the cabin just to keep it dry (against humidity). No issues, no special equipment, almost no cost.

Good luck!
 
I lived aboard sailboats up and down the east coast for 15 years. In that time I tried several heater types; nothing beats a light bulb for safe baseline heating. It won't keep you warm but it will do a good job keeping things "warmer" and dry. Ceramic, oil and other electric space heaters - active and passive - all shorted causing small electrical fires or meltdowns. These are good if you are there to do the necessary if it becomes necessary. I won't risk my plane to a space heater. My two cents worth.

Robert
RV7

P.S. None of the fires or meltdowns I experienced were related to tip overs.
 
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A dehumidifier is supposed to "cool" the air in order to remove moisture. The good ones heat it back up before circulating into the air....but I can't see that small device doing any of it really.

I would go with a flood light....maybe two. Get the reflectors that point towards the panel if having the screens at a particular temp is an issue.
 
unless you can go with some type of ''stick on'' heater pad you are gonna need a boatload of watts to keep a cockpit warm with its relatively poor insulation. you can get stick ons at 25 watts. otherwise with electric could be a couple $/day. and i don't trust them.
preheat the cabin with a space heater while you are right there by it. this works pretty good to warm the panel surface up if you are careful how you position the heater.
 
Use a black canopy cover if outside or a hornet if inside

In stock at aircraft spruce.

www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/eppages/aircraftheaters.php?clickkey=3037835
www.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/eppages/aircraftheaters.php?clickkey=3037835

Since most of us only fly on sunny winter days, If you are tied down outside try a black blanket or towel over your seat backs. You will be pleasantly happy with the solar gain inside. A black cowl cover will help also.
 
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canopy-shock cooling

Ok, I have read the posts and about different types of heaters and I was wondering about shock heating/cooling.
I have all types of heaters and I also have a hangar.
I tried heating the cockpit with a small heater....
But quickly thought twice about it.
Assume you get the cockpit toasty warm....well because the plexi is the top of the heated area, then it will be nice and warm.....
Then open hangar door and roll out into sub freezing temps...
Will the Plexiglass hold up to this quick temp change without cracking?
Not sure how much differant this is than a great cabin heater being used at Altitude with sub freezing temps but that scenario would be more of a gradual change.
Just wondering if anybody has experienced any unpleasant effects of interior heating?
 
this is just my guess, i don't have experience about this. i think if the heater is placed so it doesn't get within a foot of any plexi the cabin will heat slow enough to prevent any cracking problems. cabin probably heats as fast when you take off in a long climb.
i have preheated my cabin with no problems several times . just didn't feel it was necessary.
rig it so the top edge of the warm air catches the panel and most is hitting the floor.
 
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