[RV6_flyer]

Got a few questions for those in a cold climate that have hangars without electricity and NO generator. (Assume that you are NOT allowed to have a generator for this discussion.)

1. How do you do your pre-heat on cold winter days with no electricity?
2. How do you do a compression check without an air compressor?
3. How do you charge you battery without electricity or generator?
4. What kind of lights do you have for doing prefights in the dark?
5. How do you put air in your tires without a compressor?

 

[Greg Arehart]

1. Preheat with a propane heater.
2. Bring a tank from home
3. Take it home for the evening or get some solar panels
4. Do your preflight the day before so you don't have to work in the dark
5. Bicycle pump or CO2 cylinders or the tank from #2

Of course, I do none of these because I do have electricity, but they are what I would consider (except maybe the preflight - get a good flashlight) if I were in the situation.

Greg

 

[F1R]

Bicycle pump with inline gauge for #5.

Drive a Tacoma with a built in inverter for the first 4.

PV Solar panels and old aircraft battery(s) work well with an inverter. This would run a 100W oil pan heater. So will the Tacoma.

If you have lots of ventilation:
Camp cook stove/propane with long rising duct to underside of cowl. Takes about 20 minutes and you will want to babysit this one very closely. Best done outside as you will have CO or you can use a VW gasoline heater if you have 12V.

Good Luck

 

[n5lp]

Where yuh movin' Gary? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[mosquito]

Auto w/Inverter?

If you can get a vehicle close enough to the hangar, I'd think an inverter would cover all of your needs except preheat. Doesn't even _have_ to be a Tacoma... although they are nice.

-jon

 

[aerhed]

I'm building another 10 in a hangar with only 240 watts of solar panels, some batteries and a 2500 watt inverter. Biggest 12V compressor I could find (2 gal tank/125 psi). 75 watt twisties in ceiling reflectors, clear hangar door. Propane heat until the sun gets in through the door.

 

[AlexPeterson]

Are there hangars without electricity where it also gets cold? I suppose there are, but I'd guess not many unless it is a tiny airport.

 

[ColoCardinal]

Hangars without electricity

Are there hangars without electricity where it also gets cold? I suppose there are, but I'd guess not many unless it is a tiny airport.

A large percentage (probably the majority) of the G A Hangars at Centennial Airport (KAPA) do not have electricity. It's one of the largest GA airports in the country and being in the suburbs of Denver it DOES get cold here!

 

[David Z]

I'm building another 10 in a hangar with only 240 watts of solar panels, some batteries and a 2500 watt inverter. Biggest 12V compressor I could find (2 gal tank/125 psi). 75 watt twisties in ceiling reflectors, clear hangar door. Propane heat until the sun gets in through the door.

I must be spoiled with my whole shop running off one 15A circuit.

 

[skybolt31]

A nitrogen tank can provide air for a lot of riveting.

 

[rocketbob]

My neighbor, back 50+ years ago, would drain the oil out of his cub into big tea kettle and put it on the stove for a hour or two then dump it back in.

 

[RV8Squaz]

I was in a hangar without power for three years. When I needed power I had to run 300' of extension cord to the house next door. I couldn't let the compressor run while I was using my halogen lights. It made working on the airplane very difficult and this was in a nice climate. I would avoid a hangar without power or make it a point to get power to the hangar. The hangar I was in wasn't mine, otherwise it would have had a dozen outlets including 220 and enough lighting to perform surgery!

Jerry

 

[bret]

If you have room, on my build site I have a link, I built a solar powered geo green house, built a hot water collector, daily self draining to prevent overnight freezing, PVC solar panel to power a marine bilge pump, it circulates 55 gallons of water and heats it up to over 110 degrees daily for nightly thermal heat soak. You can get creative with hot water!

 

[aerhed]

Nice one Bret. Also, if you have a south facing wall or roof slope the heat exchange boxes using air for a medium work great. They cost over $2K, but you can build one for like $30. A plexi covered box, painted black inside, stuffed with black 2 inch pvc. Add computer fan and get buckets of free heat, maintenance free (almost).

 

[riobison]

Go or no go

I have had a hanger in Alberta for 20 yrs with no power. Small solar panel works great to keep the battery topped off and we do get cold here to -40 and colder. I don't have to pull the battery in the winter as the solar panel keeps it topped off and protected from freezing. As well I don't fly during those 4 or 5 months of severe cold.

Portable air tank for $50.00, fill it up at the garage, leave it in the hanger and will last for months.

Do your pre-flight in the day light if you plan on going at night or a good flash light and the lights from your vehicle.

At temperatures to 32 deg F using a multi vis oil like Aero Shell and you will have full oil pressure immediately. To help out I do like to give it a good prime and then pull the prop through by hand for 3 or 4 pulls and seems to take a load off the battery. My 0360 always fires on the 1st or 2nd compression stroke.

I do the same for temperatures down to -10 cel or 14 deg F with the exact same success. I do agree that to have a pre heat would be better but it's not always possible and the oils today do give us far better protection for cold starts than in the past. I always let the engine ground run for 10 to 15 mins prior to taking off.

Anything colder at my age, I dont go.

Even in Canada with today's oils, ignition systems and high utilities there are a lot of us who don't even plug our vehicles in any more. Even with my Cummins in my Ram it has over 200,000 miles on it and still is running strong and I never plug it in unless it gets down to 0 F as it does really rattle a lot more at those extreme cold temp.

Tim