Bilge Heater

[dallastige]

Does anyone know anything about bilge heaters? Are they a safe alternative to winterizing a boat if you want to use it all year round? Does anyone know where to get one cheap (the one's online are $375). Will a block heater work in place of this since they are cheaper?

Thanks

[zad0030]

Some people use 100w light bulbs

[mtnsmith]

My parents use a drop light with a 75w light bulb in maryland. Not extremely cold, but they have a couple cold weeks. There is always a risk to use a heater but it might be worth it to be able to hook up and go. I know you can drain most of the water out of the block in a short amount of time to partially winterize it. Probably combined with a medium wattage bulb that would be fine. I live in Florida though so you might want to wait for a couple true cold weather owners to chime in. We might have a couple hours of 30ish temps if it gets "real cold" here, so I don't winterize. I did just install a heater though

[scoot18]

I have been told by those in the boat biz regarding this very question, beware of what you use. In the rare event of something going terribly wrong with a bulb or drop light; if there happened to be damage or a possible thermal event ("fire") your insurance would not cover the loss.........

It would probably would be wise to use something that is intended for the purpose. If not, use a florescent type of drop light. And don't forget if you have a heater in the boat it would still need to be drained.

[R&T Babich]

My parents use a drop light with a 75w light bulb in maryland... We might have a couple hours of 30ish temps if it gets "real cold" here, so I don't winterize.

Same here in SoCal. I use 2 drop lights with 40W bulbs - one on either side of the engine. The lights are plugged into a ThermoCube TC-3. It looks like a 3-outlet adapter, but it's a 2 outlet thermostatic switch - On @ 35 deg, Off @ 45 deg. Also, use the power line to run the battery maintainer.

[dallastige]

Thanks for the great ideas.

Scoot18, so you are saying even if I have a heater I still need to drain the block? Isnt' that the purpose of having a heater so you don't have to?

Thanks

[talltigeguy]

I do use a light occasionally, but I use one with a cage around it like you would use for working on a car, that way I don't have any worries about the bulb touching anything and starting a fire that way.

The bulb thing is fine where I live, but I don't see a solid freeze for more than a week at a time, and that is not far below freezing. I would run the antifreeze through it if I were anywhere cold. Moki did it and says it was pretty slick.

[spharis]

Drop light for me. Never below 32 more than a few hours.

[whitlock87]

Does anyone know anything about bilge heaters? Are they a safe alternative to winterizing a boat if you want to use it all year round? Does anyone know where to get one cheap (the one's online are $375). Will a block heater work in place of this since they are cheaper?

Thanks

A block heater will work fine.
Where are you located?
a 100w bulb will cost you around $65 to run each year. (based on 4,464 hours of use, 6 month)
I can winteriz my boat for around $30, and it takes about 1 hour to do.

[mtnsmith]

Would a compact fluorescent put out enough heat? Those are much more efficient and probably a little less of a fire hazard.

[typerider]

Same here in SoCal. I use 2 drop lights with 40W bulbs - one on either side of the engine. The lights are plugged into a ThermoCube TC-3. It looks like a 3-outlet adapter, but it's a 2 outlet thermostatic switch - On @ 35 deg, Off @ 45 deg. Also, use the power line to run the battery maintainer.

so where do i get a hold of a ThermoCube TC-3? i like your setup and i think it would work great for the few times it gets cold here in texas. do you drain your block or leave the water in during the winter?

[Razzman]

You could use one of these on a timer or thermocube instead of a light bulb.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KATS-...spagenameZWDVW

[R&T Babich]

so where do i get a hold of a ThermoCube TC-3?

I can't rmember if this is the same guy, but I got if off ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Therm...spagenameZWD1V

[typerider]

thanks! i'll dig one up.

[scoot18]

Thanks for the great ideas.

Scoot18, so you are saying even if I have a heater I still need to drain the block? Isnt' that the purpose of having a heater so you don't have to?

Thanks

No, not drain the engine block, drain the heater loop if your boat is equipped with a heater. One that you use for your self and your passengers comfort if you use the boat on cooler or cold days. The light you place in the engine bay won't be very effective up under the helm where the core for the heater would be, not to mention the supply and return hoses that run from the engine to the heater up front.