Will Bilge Heater do the Job in 6 Degree Temps?

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 05, 2014 8:17 pm

LouC wrote:

Another thing I have seen done, is to tape over the intake vents for the engine compartment to keep the cold air out.

Excellent idea on taping up the intake vents and I will do that tomorrow when I check on her. I want to thank you for all your efforts in trying to get me to winterize my boat but as a Southerner, it will take more than one blast of blue from the North to get my attention. I just hope the outcome is the same as the first go around (I will not challenge the second).

Walt · **Posted:** Sun Jan 05, 2014 10:12 pm

Though a little late, and nothing I use currently use (but have considered) an oil/dipstick heater.....
http://www.amazon.com/Kats-15200-Dipsti ... ock+heater

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Jan 06, 2014 6:42 am

Just like rust never sleeps...ice never forgives...

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

Roses are red and violets are blue
Now its colder than hell, here too

Its 26 here and I'm an hour south of Houston. I know that sounds hot compared to the cold some of y'all endure, but I have all faucets at a trickle and can't get house warm enough. Don't laugh, but we are in a hard winter freeze warning.

Walt · **Posted:** Mon Jan 06, 2014 9:24 am

It was a balmy -6F this morning. Sun is out now and up to about -2F, but wind chills aren't expected above -20F for a few days. As we say whenever I go to Houston.... "It's not the heat, it's the humidity!"

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Jan 06, 2014 1:38 pm

My cheap friends laugh when I fill the engine and manifolds with the expensive -100 AF ; being able to not think about it all winter=priceless.
Luck favors the prepared.

298VISTA2000 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 06, 2014 5:47 pm

OP checking in. I went to the boat around 4 today and it was 22 degrees outside. I had an instant read thermometer and it read 52 in the bilge so the bilge heater is definitely doing it's job. I also have the cabin heat set at 60 and so I think the boat will be OK as long as the power stays on. I also had pipe insulation foam that I stuck in the exterior engine room vents to keep air from getting in and that is a lot easier than taping them (I just hope I remember to remove them).

So far so good but I get to make another trip tomorrow and by the time I feel that I am in the clear, it will be 4 trips to the boat (4 hours drive time) and given I have a Nissan Titan 5.6L V8, I probably could have paid someone to just winterize the damn thing for what I pay in gas and then not have to worry about it.

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Jan 06, 2014 6:12 pm

Great news that the heater will keep it that warm...if you can keep cold air from getting in that would be great....Having lived with the cold here every year I know what a pain it is the first time that you really have to deal with it.
When I first got this boat the temp dropped one night to 25, I went out in the driveway and with a drop light removed all 4 drain plugs, the big hose on the water pump end and drained the raw water intake hose. It actually took longer to get the old one piece back seat out of the way, than it did to drain it! Even though I'm not a big guy (5'9 178 lbs) I still could not fit in the engine compartment (not without pain LOL) with that damn seat in the way. That's why when I re-did the interior I designed it for ease of repair, not the opposite which is what FW seems to have done with their newer smaller boats......

ric · **Posted:** Mon Jan 06, 2014 7:05 pm

It's going to dip below freezing here tonight, but maybe for an hour. The boat is slipped and the water temp is 70ish so I'm not too concerned about water freezing anywhere.

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Jan 06, 2014 9:08 pm

With the water temp that warm you should be fine. If the boat was on land then it would be more of a concern.

ric · **Posted:** Mon Jan 06, 2014 9:42 pm

LouC wrote:

With the water temp that warm you should be fine. If the boat was on land then it would be more of a concern.

Yeah, I mean if I put water in the ice cube tray it takes generally 1-2 hours in ideal conditions for ice and that's at 0* F. Nothing should happen for an hour or 2 at 30 degrees.

Winter Sux · **Posted:** Thu Jan 09, 2014 5:10 pm

298VISTA200, how did you make out? All good I hope.

ric · **Posted:** Thu Jan 09, 2014 10:11 pm

80s the rest of the week, should be fine here

Jafo4U · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:33 am **Posts:** 1026

LouC wrote:

You gotta drain it, I don't think the bilge heater will give off enough radiant heat too offset that kind of bitter cold. What motors do you have? V8s will have one drain on each side of the block, in front if the starter on one side and in the same place on the other. Each manifold has a drain on it . There is a big hose that goes from the Thermo housing to the water pump, you have to disconnect this at the lower end because it holds a lot of water. I would also disconnect the raw water intake hose at the Thermo housing (it connects to the transom mount and bring water in from the drive), point it down in the bilge and pour some no tox antifreeze in to push out any remaining water. Usually there is a p/s cooler in like with this hose, you don't want that to freeze they are pricey. Drain that water tank. Now you can see what we do each fall. Also why my next engine will be full closed cooling. Next boat will be an outboard.
I would never own another raw water cooled I/O, they are a pain in some ways.

+1 I am done with this I/O setup, not the right setup for salt water.

www.iFourWinns.com

Will Bilge Heater do the Job in 6 Degree Temps?

Who is online