Fast warm up ideas: oil pan immersion heater

[Stubby79]

You're right, a triac would most likely fail short.

I think you're making it too complicated, though. Why not start with a 2000w/240v element. It will have 1/4 power at 120v. Now it's 500w. Throw a diode in, and it's only getting power half the time, so now it's 250w. If that's not low enough, then put two in series instead, and you have 125w.

If you're talking lower power like this, I'm not sure I see much need to bother with immersed elements. I'd slap some PTC heater elements on the outside, possibly insulate it, and call it done.

[oil pan 4]

Another reason for the oil immersion heater is about this time last year it was about 0°F. I cranked up my 7.4L and it was knocking really bad. Before I fired it up I had ran the 5,500w coolant heater for the normal amount of time, then continued to run it for about 5 minutes. Because I thought it might be air in the lifters. After it didn't go away I figured it could be a rod bearing.
A few days later when it was 40°F I went to fire it up to trouble shoot the knock and it was gone.
It was a collapsed lifter that was full of air.

Later when I tore the engine apart I found an air bleeding lifter oil galley plug had been clogged up with a chunk of oil sludge. So the air could only escape from the lifter oil galley when it was some what mild out.

So cold oil does you no favors.

[veloman]

Running a heating element at a lower voltage is how I'd run it at lower than rated power. I once ran a 25v solar panel directly to a toaster oven element. It was giving off heat, maybe 110 degrees.

[oil pan 4]

That's the plan. 36 to 48 volts.

[oil pan 4]

I got it done, the heating element will be up a little higher in the oil then what I would consider ideal.

[oil pan 4]

I did some more searching around, I think the ideal start temperature is around 135°F.
Below that temperature there is virtually no oil oxidation.
The first time I start this engine I want it to fire it with the oil and coolant near operating temperature so that the oil goes through oil filter and any dirt or metal get trapped in the filter.

[BamZipPow]

Any thought on a bypass filter setup? I run an older Frantz set up on my truck.

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by Daox

How do you run your heating element at partial power?

Simplest way , run it at 1/2 voltage . Use a 240 VC element and run it at 120 VAC . It will deliver only 1/2 the wattage , so choose the wattage accordingly .

God bless
Wyr

[WyrTwister]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

Another reason for the oil immersion heater is about this time last year it was about 0°F. I cranked up my 7.4L and it was knocking really bad. Before I fired it up I had ran the 5,500w coolant heater for the normal amount of time, then continued to run it for about 5 minutes. Because I thought it might be air in the lifters. After it didn't go away I figured it could be a rod bearing.
A few days later when it was 40°F I went to fire it up to trouble shoot the knock and it was gone.
It was a collapsed lifter that was full of air.

Later when I tore the engine apart I found an air bleeding lifter oil galley plug had been clogged up with a chunk of oil sludge. So the air could only escape from the lifter oil galley when it was some what mild out.

So cold oil does you no favors.

Cold oil , does not pump , flow or lubricate properly . And it does not have to be all that cold .

From what I read , the majority of engine wear happens the the engine first starts and then until the oil warms up enough to function correctly .

God bless
Wyr

[oil pan 4]

Cutting the voltage cuts the amp draw in half, which then reduces the watts to 1/4 of original.
I just need a short 1,000 to 1,200w 240v element so I could get close to that target 250w out of the element with 120v power.