On Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:23:36 -0500, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:


That would be great on the mower. I occasionally use the 4WD truck and
the
tractor with front end loader during the winter but a freezing engine
seems to take a good charge to get running. I like the idea of sealed
automatic marine chargers myself but they seem to be on the expensive
side. That is probably the main reason I'm considering an enclosure for
chargers and running cords for the charging. I'm hoping extended leads
will work OK with low current maintenance charging.

My SOP on winter machine that are a bit old:
Hook up engine block heater wait 30 minutes
Hook up large charger, set to 40 amp.
Put in starting ether.
Hit glow plug heater.
Starts right up even at -40.

Now, i did have an old car that wouldn't start at -50 with this treatment.
So, I lifted car with floor jack and stuck the 500,000 BTU knipco under. 20
minutes later i was on my way.

Karl


Guy I used to work with in the late sixties had a 60 Corvair that
lived in a corn-crib for the winter - and he drove it to work every
morning. HIS sop was get out of bed, turn on the coffee, go out and
pull the steel fence stake wrapped in burlap and chichen wire out of
the barrel of used oil and deisel fuel, shoot a bit of ether at it,
light it and stick it under the back of the Corvair.
Go in, drink the coffee, eat brakfast, come out and start the Corvair
to go to work.

The back end of that beast was a mess of black oily soot, but he never
missed a day of work.

Never burned the darn thing either. Never could figure THAT one out.