Looking for user comment : Oil Sump Heater

[Javier Gorordo]

If anyone has experience with the Reiff's HotStrip Oil Sump Heater,
will appreciate any input as to its usefulness/performance.
Specifically, I wonder how well (how fast) this pair of 100W heater
strips can warm up a cold-soaked sump (8-qts) in an O-300 (open
hangar, assume low in the 20s overnight).
Plan is to rig it with a thermostat and an outdoor timer to have it
maintain a certain sump temperature, but figure that the ultimate
worst scenario will be to heat up from the 20s. Plane is in an open T
hangar.

Thanks in advance

Javier Gorordo
c/o N1190F
08C, MI

[Ron Rosenfeld]

On 24 Nov 2003 14:01:23 -0800, (Javier Gorordo) wrote:

>If anyone has experience with the Reiff's HotStrip Oil Sump Heater,
>will appreciate any input as to its usefulness/performance.
>Specifically, I wonder how well (how fast) this pair of 100W heater
>strips can warm up a cold-soaked sump (8-qts) in an O-300 (open
>hangar, assume low in the 20s overnight).
>Plan is to rig it with a thermostat and an outdoor timer to have it
>maintain a certain sump temperature, but figure that the ultimate
>worst scenario will be to heat up from the 20s. Plane is in an open T
>hangar.
>
>Thanks in advance
>
>Javier Gorordo
>c/o N1190F
>08C, MI

Aviation Consumer did a review of various heating strategies a few years
ago.

Steve McNicoll (a contributor to this group) had a bad experience with the
Reiff oil sump heater.

I use a Tanis heater -- oil sump and cylinders -- and leave it plugged in
all winter. So I don't have a warm up problem.


Ron (EPM) (N5843Q, Mooney M20E) (CP, ASEL, ASES, IA)

[Chris Kennedy]

Javier Gorordo wrote:

> If anyone has experience with the Reiff's HotStrip Oil Sump Heater,
> will appreciate any input as to its usefulness/performance.
> Specifically, I wonder how well (how fast) this pair of 100W heater
> strips can warm up a cold-soaked sump (8-qts) in an O-300 (open
> hangar, assume low in the 20s overnight).


I have their 'turbo XP' system on my 540 I can't speak to actual rise
time, since I usually just wander over and plug the thing in the night
before. It _has_ been trouble free and the 540 seems to enjoy being
warmed even when it's not been cold soaked.

I have their engine and prop covers as well. I _have_ done some futzing
with those and find that they _do_ make a difference (without them the
oil pan, cylinders and heads will be warm to the touch, but with them
everything under the cowl is nice and toasty). I'm not sure what the
contribution would be on an engine with a solid crank, but with a
constant speed prop the prop cover seems to make quite a difference.

[Victor J. Osborne, Jr.]

I put the Reiff system on my A36 and it was easier to install than the Tanis
system.

It works as advertised.

--

Thx, {|;-)

Victor J. (Jim) Osborne, Jr.



take off my shoes to reply

[MichaelR]

I use a Reiff oil sump heater along with a large mover's blanket on the cowl
and prop. Plug it in the night before and everything is in great shape the
next morning. Never had a problem with it.





"Javier Gorordo" > wrote in message
m...
> If anyone has experience with the Reiff's HotStrip Oil Sump Heater,
> will appreciate any input as to its usefulness/performance.
> Specifically, I wonder how well (how fast) this pair of 100W heater
> strips can warm up a cold-soaked sump (8-qts) in an O-300 (open
> hangar, assume low in the 20s overnight).
> Plan is to rig it with a thermostat and an outdoor timer to have it
> maintain a certain sump temperature, but figure that the ultimate
> worst scenario will be to heat up from the 20s. Plane is in an open T
> hangar.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Javier Gorordo
> c/o N1190F
> 08C, MI

[News Groups]

I have the new hotstrip sump heaters in mine and leave it on all the time as
it has a thermostat. Works like a charm and was very easy to install. Do use
a blanket to cover the nose.
Will recommend.
Mani
"MichaelR" > wrote in message
...
> I use a Reiff oil sump heater along with a large mover's blanket on the
cowl
> and prop. Plug it in the night before and everything is in great shape the
> next morning. Never had a problem with it.
>
>
>
>
>
> "Javier Gorordo" > wrote in message
> m...
> > If anyone has experience with the Reiff's HotStrip Oil Sump Heater,
> > will appreciate any input as to its usefulness/performance.
> > Specifically, I wonder how well (how fast) this pair of 100W heater
> > strips can warm up a cold-soaked sump (8-qts) in an O-300 (open
> > hangar, assume low in the 20s overnight).
> > Plan is to rig it with a thermostat and an outdoor timer to have it
> > maintain a certain sump temperature, but figure that the ultimate
> > worst scenario will be to heat up from the 20s. Plane is in an open T
> > hangar.
> >
> > Thanks in advance
> >
> > Javier Gorordo
> > c/o N1190F
> > 08C, MI
>
>
>

[Steven P. McNicoll]

"Javier Gorordo" > wrote in message
m...
>
> If anyone has experience with the Reiff's HotStrip Oil Sump Heater,
> will appreciate any input as to its usefulness/performance.
> Specifically, I wonder how well (how fast) this pair of 100W heater
> strips can warm up a cold-soaked sump (8-qts) in an O-300 (open
> hangar, assume low in the 20s overnight).
> Plan is to rig it with a thermostat and an outdoor timer to have it
> maintain a certain sump temperature, but figure that the ultimate
> worst scenario will be to heat up from the 20s. Plane is in an open T
> hangar.
>

I purchased a Hot Padd heater from Reiff. The heater could not be mounted
on my engine in accordance with the supplied instructions, so I made do as
best I could. The adhesive didn't cure and the pad easily peeled off. I
returned the pad to Reiff for a refund, they sent it back to me with more
adhesive. Apparently I violated the warranty by not following the
instructions to the letter, (the fact that it was impossible to follow them
was of no interest to Reiff). I don't know if the Reiff heater is any good
or not, I do know that their product support and customer relations are
terrible. I won't do business with them again.

[Steven P. McNicoll]

"Ron Rosenfeld" > wrote in message
...
>
> Steve McNicoll (a contributor to this group) had a bad experience with the
> Reiff oil sump heater.
>

My bad experience was with the installation procedure and with Reiff's
customer service. The heater itself may have been a fine product, but as it
could not be installed on my aircraft in accordance with the supplied
instructions and adhesive I never had the opportunity to learn if it was.

[Snowbird]

(Javier Gorordo) wrote in message >...
> If anyone has experience with the Reiff's HotStrip Oil Sump Heater,
> will appreciate any input as to its usefulness/performance.
> Specifically, I wonder how well (how fast) this pair of 100W heater
> strips can warm up a cold-soaked sump (8-qts) in an O-300 (open
> hangar, assume low in the 20s overnight).
> Plan is to rig it with a thermostat and an outdoor timer to have it
> maintain a certain sump temperature, but figure that the ultimate
> worst scenario will be to heat up from the 20s. Plane is in an open T
> hangar.

Javier,

We have a combination of the Reiff oil sump heater and the
cylinder bands.

With the combination, it will warm from low 20s to mid 30s
in about 1/2 hr (ie not much more time than it takes us to
preflight, load the plane, and do a pit stop).

I can't answer as to how the oil sump alone would perform.

We've had the combo for about 5 yrs and are happy with it.

Best,
Sydney