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The other day I was in the bilge checking fluids before a trip. I reached down to manually trip the bilge pump float and put my hand on the thermostat housing for support, and was pretty surprised to find that it was quite warm. Engine had not been run since the previous weekend. I ran my hands around the rest of the cooling hoses and down the sides of the block in as many places as I could reach and even though they weren't as warm as the thermostat housing, everything did feel warmer than ambient temp...it was mid morning with temps approaching 80s, just for reference. After sitting there for a minute and thinking about it, I remembered that the hot water heater is plumbed into the engine cooling to heat the water while the main is running. The water heater had been on since I arrived the night before, as I don't normally leave it on when we aren't there. I was pretty amazed at the amount of heat transfer through that system, although in a way it doesn't surprise me because after replacing the element and the thermostats this spring, the water is always smokin hot...guess it doesn't take much to heat 6 gallons of water, and of course when the main is running, I'm sure the hot water temp is close to engine temp since there isn't a mixer there. But the notion that it works both ways never really occurred to me.
So...I'm thinking to myself that leaving the hot water heater on in the late fall might be some cheap insurance in case of an unexpected cold snap between weekends in late October, November? Obviously, without any way to circulate the hot water through the system, I wouldn't rely on that as a substitute for winterizing, or a bilge heater. However, plug in block heaters on trucks don't circulate water either...the element inside the water jacket relies on the heat transfer through the water to keep the system above ambient temps...theoretically, any water in the system that has continuous contact would distribute the heat. If the water is that warm, surely it would stay warm enough to keep from freezing in cold temps...it only needs a few degrees. A 100w light bulb in the near vicinity was always enough to keep my bilge pumps from freezing on my wooden boats.
Has anyone ever noticed this, and wondered the same thing? Like I said, I'm not thinking it's a substitute for proper winterizing or a bilge heater. Also it's not gonna do squat for my generator or my freshwater system, I know. But as a little extra insurance against those unexpected cold nights? Maybe?
I'd be interested in hearing what folks have to say on the subject....pros, cons, whatever.
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Jack
2005 268 Vista - Sold
2001 Silverton 35C 8.1L Crusaders
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