Hello Backcountry Pilots,

Saw this cool gadget on the Maule Pilot web-site. It looks like it's almost worth the $$$. Winter is alway a battle with equipment.

http://www.reiffpreheat.com/GSM-SWITCH.htm

James
Clear Creek, Idaho

I have one, and it works well. However, it's not wired for as much current as it claims to be, 1800 watts. I have the Reiff standard system plus oil cooler heater, so the total draw should be 50 watts for each band, 100 watts for the oil pan sump, and 25 watts for the oil cooler, which adds up to 325 watts. I have an 800 watt interior heater mounted under the passenger seat, so the total is 1125 watts. Theoretically, my system's current draw is only 2/3 of the rated wattage of the cell switch.

But after using it for awhile, on a trip to the hangar last winter, when I opened the doors, I could smell a faint electrical overheat smell. I opened the cell switch box and found the insulation on several of the wires was burned and the receptacle itself was melted, and in my view it was because the wires were all pretty small, I'd guess about 22 gauge. So I replaced all of the 110v wiring in the box with 18 gauge wires and replaced the receptacle, and it's worked fine since.

It runs on the T-mobile system or the ATT system. I have mine on T-mobile. I don't recall what the sim card cost--pretty cheap, like maybe $30 or so, and then I pay $10 every 3 months for their fewest number of texts, and I always have plenty of texts left over when I renew. Caution: You must go to a T-mobile company store, as their franchise stores don't carry the separate sim cards and can't set you up properly.

It wasn't easy to program--I had to get some help from the manufacturer's support line in Malaysia. But that was very helpful, and since then, it's worked reliably. I have it set to trigger on with a text, and then it sends me a text to tell me that it has turned on.

Although I don't have to pay for my electricity at my hangar (it's wrapped into the rent), I like the switch, because there are times when I won't fly for a couple weeks, and leaving everything plugged in for that time was unreasonable. There have been other times when we've had a nice warm spell so I hadn't had the system plugged in, but suddenly the temp dropped, and I'd have to drive 45 minutes to plug it in and then not fly for at least another 4 or 5 hours. So this cell switch eliminates that.

Cary

There is a unit for around 25 bucks that works well for me. Other people got the kit where you buy a $20 board with a 10A relay and a photocell, and then get a cheap used phone to trigger it. It apparently works fine too.

Super-Maule wrote:Hello Backcountry Pilots,

Saw this cool gadget on the Maule Pilot web-site. It looks like it's almost worth the $$$. Winter is alway a battle with equipment.

http://www.reiffpreheat.com/GSM-SWITCH.htm

James
Clear Creek, Idaho

Best customer review:

Customer Review wrote:Sent: January 20, 2014
To: [email protected]
Subject:

Hi, I just want to say thanks for your help with the preheater remote control.

I ordered it, you shipped it.
I ordered a T mobile card, they shipped it.
I stuck the T mobile card in the unit, stuck the antenna on it, put it in the hangar and plugged it in.

Now, maybe some people think that simple things like this should work without a hitch-- but I am an aircraft owner. I know better. NOTHING GOES SMOOTH. NEVER. NOTHING. NADA. If it has anything to do with an aircraft, my expectations are pretty low.

So, when I called this remote unit on the phone and I saw it turn on/off, I was so surprised I damn near had a heart attack. Even thinking about this now just about brings a tear of joy to my eye.

Thanks.
Bill

Cary wrote:
It wasn't easy to program--I had to get some help from the manufacturer's support line in Malaysia. But that was very helpful, and since then, it's worked reliably. I have it set to trigger on with a text, and then it sends me a text to tell me that it has turned on.

I should mention that mine arrived mis-programmed from the manufacturer. My contact with the manufacturer in Malaysia re-programmed it remotely, much like computer support people take control of your computer and fix it over the Internet, only he did it via the T-Mobile phone connection. Mind-boggling, to say the least, but whatever, it worked.

Cary

These are very handy. I rolled my own following these directions:http://www.rvplane.com/?categoryid=10000&dayid=1005

Put a EZ Heat pad from aircraft spruce on the engine, it has an internal T-stat that prevents overheating.

Couple of things on these, set up your T-mobile account to not receive voice messages and avoid the spammers. Also the switch mentioned above that activates via a photocell is also subject to spam calls, so your switch will be turning on/off every time the phone lights up, so I would not recommend those.

To activate your SIM card you are supposed to be able to receive a text message, to do this you can insert the SIM card in an unlocked phone and get the message. I bought a used unlocked phone on eBay for this purpose, just a cheapo phone, cost me $20.

If you do a search on Vans Air Force, there is a company that makes the whole shebang for about $300. Well worth it. If I'm going to fly I send a text message up to 18 hours in advance. If the weather turns bad I just send it another message to turn off. No more wasted trips and when I get to the airport to fly my oil temp is in the mid 70's....start right up.

There isn't any doubt that it's useful to be able to preheat remotely. I don't need to leave my Reiff system on for more than about 4 hours in near zero temps in the hangar with the cowl cover on, though. The hangar is as cold as a witch's you-know-what, as it's uninsulated and unheated, but it stops the wind. The cowl cover is by Kennon, and it's thick. It makes a huge difference in both how fast the engine heats up and in how warm it gets. I also have prop and spinner covers, and I think that makes a difference, too. The prop actually gets warm all the way to the tips. I haven't measured the oil temp, because my standard Cessna oil temp gauge has only minimal markings, but it's off the peg, and the engine starts like a Spring day.



Cary

Cary, looks like you had the preheater working on the hangar roller doors, too

Thanks. cubscout

cubscout wrote:Cary, looks like you had the preheater working on the hangar roller doors, too

Thanks. cubscout

I wish! I had to yank them open with a tow strap and my car. Hate those doors in the winter!

Cary

Here's a relatively low cost alternative if you don't mind relying just on the temperature, it's fully programmable.

http://www.amazon.com/Elitech-All-Purpo ... thermocube

Hafast wrote:Here's a relatively low cost alternative if you don't mind relying just on the temperature, it's fully programmable.

http://www.amazon.com/Elitech-All-Purpo ... thermocube

Another cheap alternative is a thermostat wall switch for 115v heater strips, mounted on a box and spliced into a cord. I made one, it works great, but in the winter, it basically left the preheaters on all the time.

Cary

I need one that'll pull the starter cord on my generator...