Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

[Matt S]

I have seen people suggest a 40w light bulb in the engine bay to keep the chill off. I'm also familiar with automotive products such as engine pan blankets that keep the oil/block slightly warm, as well as dip stick warmers, freeze plug warmers (if you're fwc this might be an option) etc. Then there's the "marine certified" bilge heaters for a few hundred but they try to keep it around 45 degrees and are high wattage.

In addition to the usual winterization for a raw water cooled motor, has anyone tried anything else to keep an engine slightly above freezing? Are there any marine rated products that won't make me worry about my boat exploding? I can't see tossing a 40w light plub under the motor with all the fumes that come out every time I raise the lid after it's sitting.

The extra piece of mind would be nice at least, when it's 20 out in the dead of winter.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

My gosh -- if the cooling system is drained of fluids, you have nothing to worry about at 30 below zero, much less 20 above. We up here in the tundra survive each winter at such temps without resorting to such tactics. The only time one would consider heaters is if you routinely use the boat year round, except for those few days when temps might dip below freezing and you don't want to winterize the boat. Then leave the drive down and heat the bilge.

 

[oops!]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

i agree with the above post!
if winterized PROPERLY you have nothung to worry about!
however,
last year time did not permit me to winterize my boat till late in the fall.
i threw a small ceramic heater in the bilge. worked like a charm!
it was toasty warm in there.
i wasnt worried about wattage or fumes.
if you really need the peice of mind. a small light bulb gives off a lot of heat. just wrap a blanket around the engine compartment. that will keep it warm.

cheers!
oops

 

[180shabah]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

Agree with the just drain it crowd. Air don't freeze, and if you get a wild hair in the middle of January to hit the water, you just go. Nothing to empty, fill, hook up, etc. When you get home, five minutes and it is drained again. As mentioned above, just make sure that you leave the dive in the full down position(which you should always do anyway) so that it does not collect rain water.

 

[Kimper]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

Yeah, I sorta have the same question. I live in Texas and it is seldom below 32 for more than a week. A buddy told me to throw a light bulb in the engine compartment if the forecast predicts cold. But those gas fumes in there seem like a recipe for trouble. Manual says to drain fresh water, pull block plug, and then pull hose off of the fresh water cooling pump. The plug looks simple enough but that hose on the pump looks intimidating to a non-mechanic like me.
I have a Volvo 5.0 I/O. Where exactly in the bilge would you put one of those heaters? Under the engine? Any links or advice on where to find/buy a bilge heater? Any other ideas? Think just pulling the engine block plug and leaving the outdrive down would be enough for the mild texas temps?

Thanks!

 

[salty87]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

i can't speak for outdrives but it takes more than chilly to freeze water in an engine block. hulls, interiors, and covers are pretty decent insulation. i've left a glass of water in my boat overnight (with boat cover on) with temps in the 20's and there was no ice in the morning. blankets help, whatever to keep the cold away from the block, i stuffed an old cover i had laying around under my engine box one winter for a cold spell. you could also run the engine to warm it up. but, i'm in texas too and these are only overnight suggestions. if temps don't get above freezing the next afternoon, you need better plans

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

I always used a standard heating pad to keep the motor from freezing. They are sealed in plastic and about 40 watts. I duct taped a piece of wire to the pad and slid it under the pan of my 4.3LX. I then wrapped the wire around the manifold or something else that was secure. When you get home from fishing, scrub the boat down and the last thing you do is plug in the heating pad and close up the motor box.

Now remember the lower unit and some of the motor in an I/O is below the water line, and thus protected from freezing. I like to think that the heating pad kept the manifolds warm and kept the oil warm for startup.

 

[Matt S]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

All great suggestions and I agree. Around here we'll have snow and/or ice for a few days to a week a couple times a year. At least once it'll snow and then get clear with temps dropping down to the teens at night and 20's during the day for a few. I've thought (or read) that just draining the water doesn't get it all out though, and she is getting winterized at a shop.

I'm just thinking that 40w an hour is cheap insurance if it were safe in there but I don't know of anything I can trust. Now with a blanket, an oil pan heater and antifreeze there won't be any worry at all.

Can you tell this is our first winter?

 

[rndn]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

I winterized my Baja by draining the water from the engine block, raw water hose, exhaust manifolds. Once drained and buttoned up I stored it in an unheated garage for 10 cold upstate New York winters. Never had a problem. If all of the water is drained according to the manual, then there is nothing to freeze.

 

[njlarry]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

I used 40w bulbs for years on my hard to really drain jet drive. Use two under the engine but plug only one in then change plugs once the first burns out. On my I/O it is easier to drain and add AF. Most of the watts in a lamp go out as heat so a 40 or 60 watt bulb gives the same heat as an expensive "marine" heater.

 

[Dakota47]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

Ayuh ,,...... air dont freeze, just drain it.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

In my one-man shop I often get overwhelmed with boats to winterize, I have a LOT of drop lights that I use to ensure none freeze before I can get them all done.

NOTE: These boats are inside my building and I use the rubber coated 'armored' bulbs, you can p!$$ directly on them and not blow it!

I do worry about a power failure and get them all winterized ASAP.

 

[Matt S]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

Thanks for the info everyone. It makes me feel better. I know air doesn't freeze. However something froze on a friends 4.6L (4.3? I forget..the 6) last winter. I helped him understand the manual (he's mechanically declined) and we not only drained the water, but removed the block and mainfold plugs and used a paperclip to get all the junk out and free up the hole, and removed all the hoses per the manual.

Then he called me back to his house in the spring. Block was cracked, and one of the 2 manifolds was cracked. Maybe we did it wrong? But that experience was enough to go the extra mile with my own boat. Luckily insurance covered him without any hassles.

The place where I bought my boat says draining doesn't get all the water out. Every year they get a few boats that have the plugs and hoses removed, so they do the spring cleaning and discover the block is still cracked when they got it running. after oil changes and tune-ups. If it weren't for my experience above I'd think that all they wanted was my money.

Also, the Volvo manual for my boat specifically states draining is not enough to prevent freezing. Could be the lawyers etc talking but still..I've got antifreeze in there done by a shop so I will not worry!

Many thanks again.

 

[wvit1001]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

All those heaters and light bulbs work great until the power goes out in a storm. Then you will have wished you winterized the boat correctly.

I've never done anything more than drain the water and have never had a problem.

 

[Dakota47]

Re: Light bulbs, oil and bilge heaters?

Yep, IF you get all the water out.