Hi Guys I apologize Up front, I am foggy. I have been pushing the clock too much. It's 3am been up for couple hrs juggling shop space to thraw/warm up mini ex for job this am. As usual customer gave me lots of notice called me 2:30 pm Wednesday, "how u doing? You good start tomorrow? " It's time and material plus inside work in a factory in January so my answer is of course I am ready to start....(If I can get mini to start safely?) We r in a unusual cold snap here southern Ontario, negative 20c plus wind chill. I know this is a warm day for some of you, but engine oil is a little thick at these temps....do they make block heaters for mini ex, ie so u could plug in like we do with trucks? I have a Bobcat E32 2012 Thxs
Your best bet for a quick effective heater would be a magnetic oil pan heater or a glue on pad heater. If you warm the oil in the pan the heat rises and warms the whole engine. If you have a steel oil pan use the magnetic one if its aluminum get a stick on pad heater. While youre at it you may want to put one on the hydraulic tank too.
You can get a block heater for just about any engine if you look hard enough. Sometimes it's a little easier to put a "circulating" tank heater, or lower radiator hose heater in, especially if you can't get a high wattage block heater. If you want to be able to plug it in and start in an hour then 400 watts is a little wimpy, or if it's bitter cold and windy outside. It sounds like you've got it inside and heating so it will start, otherwise in the short term torpedo heaters, propane torch etc. work great, as does taking the battery inside overnight (warm battery alone is usually enough for gas engines, not diesel).
Along with the above if don't want remove batterys.Use a trickle charger,also change oil to a lower weight oil.Good luck
...heated battery blanket overnight, it takes a while to warm up a battery.
Ya those stick on oil pan heaters are awsome. Best money every spent. I tend to steer away from the magnetic ones, I had one catch fire one time and almost burnt my shop down. So I haven't used one since.
Why is a magnetic heater any more of a risk than a stick on?
Im just saying what happened to me. I think its the way it was on the machine but the platic melted and started to smoke and smolder. At least those stick on ones are ment to be mounted in various positiob were tjose magnetic ones arent imo.
I have used the magnetic heaters too they do require a good connection for heat transfer , if there is anything like oil,dirt build up the magnetic heater will run hot. Mine are rather low wattage ( 100-150 watt) never been too impressed with them in cold weather.
get a 200-300 watt kat's magnetic heater for the oil pan, and the proper block heater for the antifreeze. when you come in from a job at the end of the day, immediately plug in the block and oil heaters while the engine is still warm. this will help maintain the warmth inside the engine for the next morning start up. while traveling to work with your machine in tow, leave the engine running at high idle. this will allow the engine to warm up and oil to thin in the hydraulics. be sure to observe all safety interlocks and parking brakes while leaving the machine running on the trailer. thinner oil will help when cold. also a fresh interstate battery never hurt anybody.
Thxs for info guys. The problems I am having is mini ex work is intermittent ie week or two without running. yes they are inside jobs when it's negative 20C but machine has to drive it self in to the warmish buildings. So have be started from an ice cubes state...called dealer for blockheater ....only $40 but no info on wattage! I will look for supplier of stick on heaters...got machine start and warmed up yesterday. But hydraulic oil was pretty thick Tank is plastic so....??