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Originally Posted by Daox
I think you have this backwards. Water holds 1 cal/gram°C. Oil hold from .4 to .5 cal/gram°C depending on the oil. That means if we have both fluids of equal volume that are heated at the same rate, the oil would heat up roughly twice as fast.
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Indeed I was possibly confusing with boiling point.
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Personally, I would try to find a 12V pad heater if solar is the only way you're going to power it. It just makes the system way more simple, and less components to break in the future. I know we like to think all electronics should last forever, but they don't sadly.
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The conundrum is that the inverter could be used to run the odd mains powered tool or charger. I feel that the probably higher quality mains heater is likely the more robust solution, but also the more expensive.
I think I'll try the cheap 12v heater first - the 80*C thermostat is a major draw card. I can't imagine that temperature ever harming the oil.
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Originally Posted by oil pan 4
The stick on ones kind of suck.
You can not connect a stand alone inverter directly to solar panels. The panel ocv is too high for the inverter, then under load it will likely undervolt fault.
I have several posts on heating oil. None involve stick on heaters.
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I have solar controllers of course. The inverter would be running off that, or failing that off the battery via a relay connected to the controller load.
Bare in mind factory warranty - stick on is about my only option for the moment. I accept it's not the most effective option, an immersion heater will have to wait.