Reiff Preheat Systems
Long Engine Life Starts With Reiff
Quick
Price Check | Contact
Us | FAQ 
"Why won't this @$#! thing
start... I should have installed a Reiff Preheat System!!"
CONTENTS
Why preheat your aircraft
engine?
Go here for Magazine
Articles about preheating
- Preheating can
save you big money by reducing
the damage caused by cold starts, by extending your engine's life and
reducing your expense at overhaul time. If you extend the life of
your $20-30,000 engine just 10% our system will have paid for itself several
times.
But of course, we're biased. So don't take our word for
it...look what some experts have to say:
Al Beech, Director of Engineering Service Programs,
Teledyne Continental Motors:
"Significant engine wear can occur at startup,
because the oil circulation system has not had a chance
to pump oil to the engine parts. The thicker the oil, the
longer this will take, resulting in less oil on running
surfaces during the startup sequence. Preheating during
extremely cold temperatures is one of those "ounces
of prevention" that can keep cold starts from
damaging your engine. Cold temperatures not only slow the
initial movement of the oil but the differential thermal
expansion of engine materials (aluminum and steel)
decreases engine clearances, creating the potential for
more accelerated wear during cold startups." <From American Bonanza Society Magazine, Nov.
1997>
Ben Visser, Staff Research
Engineer, Shell Oil:
"Preheating your engine makes a world of
difference. It heats the oil so the oil is thin enough to
flow through the engine and properly lubricate all of the
critical wear surfaces. Preheating also heats the metal
parts in the engine. That's important because aluminum
crankcases have a higher coefficient of thermal expansion
than iron crankshafts. This means as your engine cools
down, the clearance is reduced. And as a result, you may
not have sufficient oil film thickness for proper
hydrodynamic lubrication at very cold temperatures. In
other words, the wear rate is going up. If you're using
[an electric] heater, make sure it's a system that heats
the whole engine, not just the oil." <From Shell Oil advertisement>
- Lycoming and Continental Operator's Manuals
mandate
preheating at cold temperatures: "WARNING - Failure to properly
pre-heat a cold-soaked engine could result in oil
congealing within the engine, oil hoses and oil cooler
with subsequent loss of oil pressure, possible internal
damage to the engine and subsequent engine failure." (from
Continental IO-550 manual).
Operation contrary to
their instructions may also void the warranty.
- Often preheating is the only way to get a cold engine
started, because cold engines are stiff, cold fuel
doesn't vaporize well, and spark plugs frost.
- Easier starting saves your starter and battery.
- Reduces costly warm-up and run-up time, which wastes your
engine and fuel.
- Increased utility of your airplane during cold winter
months. You don't have to put your expensive airplane
into hibernation during the winter. An easy to use,
effective engine heater allows you to enjoy winter
flying.
Return To Contents
Why buy a Reiff Preheat System?
GET THE PREHEAT SYSTEM THAT RUNS ON ALL CYLINDERS
- Our multi-point systems heat ALL your
cylinders, and do not conflict with your CHT sensors. Other brands may leave a cylinder unheated if your engine
has a CHT probe installed. If you have an electronic engine monitor,
or think you may want to add one in the future, other preheater brands
will cost you hundreds of dollars extra to convert to heating elements or
CHT sensors that will not conflict with one another.
THE MODULAR ADVANTAGE
- Our innovative and unique modular design lets you tailor a preheat
system to meet your needs and budget. Want the best? Choose
one of our integrated
multipoint systems using both cylinder and oil heaters. Already have
an oil sump heater? Then just get the
cylinder heat system - it will work with any oil heater. Live in a
mild climate? Then perhaps our oil sump heater is all you
need. We let you do it YOUR way,
and we are the only preheater company that gives you a
choice. Others sell only oil heaters, or only multi-point
systems.
- Any system can be easily upgraded to a higher
system at any time.
NO FAULT WARRANTY
- 2 years of coverage, not 1 year as other
brands have.
- We do not require installation by an A&P
for warranty coverage to apply, as other brands do.
- We do not exclude warranty coverage for
installation mistakes, as other brands do.
QUALITY & RELIABILITY
- Built rugged to withstand the brutal
conditions in the engine compartment. Highest quality components are
used, such as Teflon insulated wiring.
- All units 100% inspected and tested before shipment.
- Our system will continue functioning even if one or more
of the heating elements should quit working. Individual
elements can be easily replaced at a reasonable cost.
EASY INSTALLATION
- "The Reiff HotBands required about six minutes each to install...
they’re easy to set up, so easy
in fact that both owners and cavemen could do it." Aviation
Consumer, March 2007, pg 21
- Non-intrusive installation - no engine parts
need to be removed, no engine or airframe modification required.
CONVENIENCE
- Just plug in with an extension cord - no set
up required like combustion heaters
- Our systems are installed on your aircraft,
like the engine block heater on a car, so they go with
you wherever you fly.
- No more waiting for an FBO preheat.
- No more being stranded at distant airports because the
FBO isn't open or doesn't have preheat.
- Can be used with a timer, thermostat, portable generator,
telephone or beeper activated switch, and auto or truck
cigarette lighter (with adapter).
SAFE
- Works by conduction, the safest form of heat - much safer
than gas flame heaters, space heaters, or light bulbs.
- External ground wire allows the engine and airframe to be
grounded to the electrical outlet for safety.
- UL and CSA approved components.
ECONOMICAL
- Costs about 3 cents per hour to operate.
- Pays for itself quickly since no more expensive FBO
preheats are needed, and your engine life is extended.
- An engine heater purchase should be considered an
INVESTMENT, not an expense. If preheating extends your
engine's life just 10%, the preheat system will have paid
for itself several times over.
PROVEN
- We have been producing electric preheaters since 1992. With over
19,000 systems in
service all over the world, we have a track record you
can have confidence in.
- Developed by a Master's degreed engineer who has over
25 years of experience as a cold weather pilot.
Return To Contents
Standard,
Turbo,
& Turbo XP Systems
Buy
It & Try It...Risk Free.
Buy it, install it, try it.
If you aren't satisfied for
any reason, return it within 30 days.
Save
up to $150 with a package discount
These are integrated multipoint systems using the HotBand Cylinder Heater System and
HotStrip Oil Sump Heater
All systems include what is shown,
plus the epoxy for bonding the oil sump heater.
|
Standard System Band
heaters clamp around the cylinders and a HotStrip element epoxies to the
oil sump. Oil
Cooler Heater Option |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Turbo & Turbo XP Systems
Same as the Standard System but
"Turbocharged" with extra power for faster & warmer preheats.
Turbo XP is our best system,
for Xtreme Performance
Thermostat limits the oil temp to
about 150oF
Oil
Cooler Heater Option
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Save
up to $150 with a package discount
|
SYSTEM
SUMMARY
|
|
|
Turbo
XP System |
Turbo
System |
Standard
System |
HotBand
XP
System |
HotBand
System |
HotStrip
System |
|
4 Cylinder
Engines
|
$585
|
$485
|
$385
|
$416
|
$316
|
$169
|
| 6
Cylinder Engines |
$725 |
$625 |
$525 |
$556 |
$456 |
$169 |
| Watts
per cylinder
Watts on oil
sump
|
100w
200w
|
50w
200w
|
50w
100w |
100w
None |
50w
None |
None
200w |
| Thermostat
on oil sump |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Cylinder
Temp * |
119 |
86 |
81 |
102 |
60 |
37 |
| Oil
Temp * |
128 |
110 |
88 |
78 |
46 |
80 |
| Add
Oil
Cooler Heater Option to
any system for $98 |
| Which
system should I get? |
* Temps are oF
rise above ambient after 12 hrs, on our Cherokee 235
with Lyc 0-540. Aircraft was in our unheated hanger, the air inlets were plugged
with foam rubber cowl plugs, the cowling was covered with a blanket
which laid over the top and hung about halfway down the sides, and the sump had
9 qts of oil. The temperatures were obtained by a calibrated digital thermometer
with a remote probe inserted between the top two fins on the center left
cylinder, and a second probe dropped down the oil filler tube with the tip
suspended at the 4.5 qt level.
|
HEATING TIME
Actual temps (not rise
above ambient). Test method and conditions as stated below.
|
|
|
Turbo XP System |
Standard System |
HotStrip System |
| ELAPSED HOURS |
CYLINDERS oF |
OIL oF |
CYLINDERS oF |
OIL oF |
CYLINDERS oF |
OIL oF |
| 0 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
22 |
| 1 |
41 |
66 |
35 |
52 |
26 |
66 |
| 2 |
60 |
84 |
46 |
63 |
33 |
80 |
| 3 |
77 |
100 |
57 |
73 |
37 |
87 |
| 5 |
105 |
123 |
74 |
87 |
46 |
96 |
| 12 |
147 |
156 |
103 |
110 |
60 |
104 |
Actual temps on our Cherokee 235
with Lyc 0-540. Aircraft was in our unheated hanger, the air inlets were plugged
with foam rubber cowl plugs, the cowling was covered with a blanket
which laid over the top and hung about halfway down the sides, and the sump had
9 qts of oil. The temperatures were obtained by a calibrated digital thermometer
with a remote probe inserted between the top two fins on the center left
cylinder, and a second probe dropped down the oil filler tube with the tip
suspended at the 4.5 qt level.
HotBand Cylinder Heater System
U.S. Patent 6,018,137, other Patents Pending
FAA-PMA Approved
FEATURES
- Innovative hose clamp style band heater is clamped
around the non-finned portion of each cylinder to
distribute the heat gently and evenly all around the cylinder.
This
is an advantage over probe type heaters that concentrate
the heat source at a single point in the cylinder head.
Lycoming's VP of Engineering says "It is preferable to
distribute the heat over a large area to reduce thermal stress".
- Does not interfere with the use of a
cylinder head temperature (CHT) gauge, electronic
engine analyzer, or Lasar system as the other brand does. Their cylinder
heater is a probe that screws into the holes in the
cylinder heads that are intended for CHT thermocouple
sensors. That means any cylinders with CHT probes
installed cannot be heated, unless you buy their optional rocker cover gasket type
heaters or heater/thermocouple elements at an additional cost of $135 -
$170 per
cylinder. The dual-purpose elements or the optional
sparkplug washer type thermocouples may also
affect the accuracy of your electronic engine analyzer and void the
warranty. At least one major manufacturer does not
approve the use of the dual purpose elements, saying "transient
voltage or failure may fry the engine monitor."
- May be used with any oil sump heater.
- HotStrip oil sump heater(s) may be added at any time
(plugs into connector on harness)
- Non-invasive - does not require removal or
replacement of any engine parts to install it.
- No chance of oil leaks, unlike a rocker gasket
heater or oil screen heater.
- Wire harness mounts on the top of the engine
where incoming air keeps it cool, rather than down below
in close proximity to the exhaust pipes and turbos as the
other brand does. This keeps the harness cooler for
longer life. Even though we build it to withstand high temps by using Teflon
insulated wiring and silicone coated fiberglass sleeving, keeping it cool
is the best protection against heat degradation. Top
mounting also simplifies installation and keeps it out of
the way when doing spark plug changes. With our system,
you won't need to replace any heating elements due to
breaking the wires off with your sparkplug wrench.
- Our wire harness is much simpler than the other brand's
harness. This means your time or labor cost to install it
should be less.
- Band heaters install easily. Because they are thin
(1/16"), they easily slide between the cylinder and
the baffling. It is not necessary to remove or modify any
cylinder baffles.
- Band heaters can be re-used at overhaul time. Screw-in
probe type elements often become seized in the CHT port
and have to be drilled out (brass fitting
in your aluminum cylinder head = galvanic corrosion).
- Provides faster, warmer preheats and more uniform
heating than an
oil heater alone, because it gets more heat to the
cylinders and upper crankcase than is possible using an
oil heater alone.
- Gives you the option of first trying an inexpensive oil
sump type engine heater, and adding cylinder heaters
later if more heat or faster preheating is needed.
Return To Contents
Makes silicone pads obsolete!!
HotStrip Oil Sump Heater
US Patent 6,232,577
FAA-PMA Approved
The HotStrip System includes two
100w elements, thermostat, power cord, epoxy.
The
steel HotStrip
element is 4" x 1.5" x 1/8" and only
2 ounces
FEATURES
- This is the best oil sump heater on the market. Due to the metal construction it is much more durable
and more tolerant
of high heat and installation errors than silicone pads
are, and it is lighter and less bulky than thick metal plate heaters.
- Thin and lightweight
like a silicone
pad, but made of steel for maximum durability.
- Installs
easily with high temp epoxy.
- Bonds to the bottom or side of the oil
sump and electrically heats the oil. Heat is then
transferred by conduction and convection to the rest of
the engine (an engine cover or blanket over the cowling
is recommended for best results).
- Better heat transfer than silicone pads -
steel conducts heat 300 times better than
silicone.
- Thermostat bonds to sump and limits oil temp to about 150o
F (Turbo Systems and HotStrip System). Mounting it remotely on the
sump rather than built-in to the heater means it measures the oil temp
more accurately, and allows easy replacement if needed.
- Unique modular design allows adding heaters if extra
heat is needed, and allows easy component replacement.
- Dual heating elements for redundancy - if one fails you don't
lose all your heat.
- Can be removed and rebonded at overhaul time
(silicone pad heaters usually
can't).
Why
did we develop the HotStrip, is there something wrong with silicone pads?
Can
this heater be left plugged in all the time?
Return To Contents
"And once you have
tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes skyward,
for
there you have been and there you long to return." Leonardo da Vinci
Last updated 3/31/08
