threadfin wrote:
This might be a dumb question, but if the ambient temps never drop below 70F, should I just disconnect the heater and be done with it? Or is there something I am missing?
Thanks,
Cam
No, you're right on the money. If over in Africa you're never going to see below 70 F, no reason whatsoever you'd need a fuel heater. Leave the bloody thing unplugged and be done with it.
Matter of fact, when I was checking on Racor and Stanadyne fuel filters, I called up one of the largest distributors of diesel equipment for this area up in Greensboro NC. While we were discussing the options I'd want to get on a filter assembly, he stopped in the middle of our discussion and asked me a question -
"Why do you need a fuel heater in North Carolina? From our experience, as long as you're treating your fuel for winter, a fuel heater is next to useless." I imagine that question would carry even more weight for locations farther south.
I know of at least one owner that did clean the contacts and apply dielectric grease, did his best to ensure a good electrical connection, and often checked the wires and connection to make sure they weren't getting hot (a sign of a poor connection). He ended up with not one, but two melted fuel heaters - the heater in his replacement fuel filter assembly melting down as well. This leads me to believe there are other factors besides the electrical connection involved.
And from the description of some of the instances of fuel heater meltdowns, the PTC self-shutdown apparently did not work, whether due to a manufacturing defect or other reason.
Having had my spare stock fuel filter assembly apart a few times and looking over that hockey puck, I'm more and more of the opinion it's just a poor design. Besides the problematic electrical connection for the heater, the only openings for fuel flow are a single 3/8" diameter port above and below the fuel temp sensor, to where it looks as though the heater, off to the other side, is sitting in a "dead zone" with little fuel flow around it. This also looks to be ready-made for trapping a sizeable air pocket around the heater with little way of getting rid of it while running, other than hand-priming and venting when shut down, if running without a lift pump.
IMO, for those that need/want to keep the stock filter assembly, the best option is to rig up a fuel heater separate from the filter assembly. Stanadyne makes a side load fuel heater, a pencil type threaded to screw into the side ports on their filter assemblies, available in 1/4" and 3/8" NPT, 12V 100 watts, complete with it's own thermostat and wiring harness, for around $45. With the appropriate size brass pipe fittings and hose connectors for your local hardware store, you could construct it's own separate housing which could be plumbed into the fuel line ahead of the filter. You would need to remove the stock electrical connector from the fuel heater harness to wire it in, but could install quick disconnect connectors such that it could be removed and the stock connector reinstalled and the stock heater reconnected for trips to the dealer if desired.
That's about the only way I can see that you could completely eliminate any chance of HPMD (Hockey Puck Melt Down).