Cold weather and Mep003

[NEIOWA]

Anyone have any advice on cold weather ops of MEP-003 (practical vs TM).

Our FD unit starts and runs very well. But is in an unheated "carport". Last night -10F Will be colder in Jan/Feb in NE Iowa. Need to be able to be sure will start and run at sub zero temp if power should go out.

What block/fuel/etc heaters has anyone used which you found useful. Magnetic oilpan heater on the pan or on fuel tank? Freeze plug heaters an option? I don't like dipstick heaters but might be an option.

Need to get some fuel treatment/DF1 in tank.

 

[doghead]

Fuel conditioner is a must, for storage and cold weather starting.

The Mep-003a is air cooled(no freeze plugs)

Mine starts well in cold weather, I do Slave it to a running truck, and use the pre heater generously.

If you did not use the pre heater, you could start it with ether(DO NOT use ether if your pre heaters have been energised recently).

I keep mine covered with a large tarp, until I need it.

 

[gasman]

We used to build a wooden box lined with insulation (foil faced) and a heat lamp. Kept unit warm and ready.

 

[doghead]

We used to build a wooden box lined with insulation (foil faced) and a heat lamp. Kept unit warm and ready.

Good idea.

We do that around here, for wells and water pumps. It's amazing what a 100 watt bulb can do!

 

[Speddmon]

for temps that cold, I would think a heating pad for the batteries would be a must have item...All the fuel stabilizer and oil pan heaters in the world ain't gonna help you a bit if the batteries are frozen.

I keep a magnetic oil pan heater on my tractor for the wintertime...it's only a 12 volt system, so it doesn't have the cranking power that the 24volt systems do...I need the heater for that application. I would think a magnetic oil pan heater would make it a little easier to crank and help with the oil pressure (preserve the pump some too) in the dead of winter

 

[Carl_in_NH]

Make certain all glow plugs are functioning. My set came from GL with two bad ones. They cost less than $20 each, and make it easier to start when cold.

You can check you GPs with an Ohm-meter; pull the connecting wire off the spade connector, and measure each disconnected plug to engine ground. Should be about 5 Ohms or so.

 

[NEIOWA]

Fuel conditioner is a must, for storage and cold weather starting.

The Mep-003a is air cooled(no freeze plugs)

Duh. I feel stupid. Of course Air Cooled = not freeze plugs. Battery blanket might be an idea but if charged 6TL should be ok for any temps in Iowa.

 

[NEIOWA]

...I keep a magnetic oil pan heater on my tractor for the wintertime...it's only a 12 volt system, so it doesn't have the cranking power that the 24volt systems do...I need the heater for that application. I would think a magnetic oil pan heater would make it a little easier to crank and help with the oil pressure (preserve the pump some too) in the dead of winter

Learning point - Aluminum oil pan. Mag heater doesn't work. So put it on the fuel tank. Warm DF2 is a good thing even with treatment.

Finding local battery blanket is source is surprisingly hard.

 

[Carl_in_NH]

They also make a stick-on tape-type heater elements that can be attached to the oil pan. Take a look in the local farm supply store. The farm supply store also might be able to provide some insight into finding a local battery blanket. There's always mail order / Internet, too.

 

[Scarecrow1]

This is why this is such a great site , look at the replies to this question, and all are useful tips . Gasmans tip made me remember the nights as a child when we had to go out every night and make sure the light was on in the pumphouse so it didnt freeze and bust .. And Gasmans right it never froze as long as the bulb burned ..............

 

[Kwai]

This is why this is such a great site , look at the replies to this question, and all are useful tips . Gasmans tip made me remember the nights as a child when we had to go out every night and make sure the light was on in the pumphouse so it didnt freeze and bust .. And Gasmans right it never froze as long as the bulb burned ..............

And for the youngsters out there, the bulb in question is an old-fashioned incandescent bulb. Compact flourescent bulbs won't work since they don't make much heat. LED bulbs are even worse.

 

[NEIOWA]

They also make a stick-on tape-type heater elements that can be attached to the oil pan. Take a look in the local farm supply store. The farm supply store also might be able to provide some insight into finding a local battery blanket. There's always mail order / Internet, too.

KATS has such I found this morning in a few sizes (most 4"x5" in various wattages). Need to measure the MEP003 pan.

 

[NEIOWA]

And for the youngsters out there, the bulb in question is an old-fashioned incandescent bulb. Compact flourescent bulbs won't work since they don't make much heat. LED bulbs are even worse.

CO2 lover. Our "leaders" in DC have banned those REAL lightbulbs. Apparently that flourescents won't even START in cold weather was not of interest.

 

[scooter01922]

Forgot all about that new ban thingie. Use a pair of 75 watt bulbs to keep the chickens warm in the winter. I will keep the waterer thawed and the henhouse livable down to 15 or so, below that plug the second bulb in.

 

[glcaines]

I keep two 60-watt bulbs in my well house to keep it from freezing in the winter. Before the incandescents disappear, I plan to buy several cases of incandescent bulbs for future use.

The coldest I have started my MEP-003A GenSet was 17 degrees. It seemed to start just as easy as if it was warm weather, but I did get a lot of white smoke the first 30 seconds or so of running.

 

[doghead]

On a side note about the conversion to LED lights or Fluorescents. Our traffic lights have been converted to LED lights. In the winter, they get blowing snow stuck on the colored lights. It does not melt off! This has become a regional problem that I think they never considered! Also the nice blinking Amber beacon lights that are LED lit, don't melt the snow off as you plow, like good old incandescent bulbs do. Some people need to think before acting. Were headed backwards...

 

[Carl_in_NH]

It's called the 'Law of Unintended Consequence", Doghead - and we get it almost every time a politician or bureaucrat acts. Common sense need not apply.

 

[Monty]

Here at work we have to tarp up our aftercoolers (for our air compressors they are up on the roof after they off for the weekend) ,hook up a torpedo heater in one end and let it heat up.

Just make sure you leave an air gap around the business end of the heater, don't ask me how we found out how well cheap tarps can burn.

Chad