[AT] Heater Review

[Tom]

Ralph Goff wrote:
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Francis Robinson <robinson at svs.net>
> To: Cheap-Shelters_ <cheap-shelters at yahoogroups.com>; FRL List
> <FrugalRuralLiving at yahoogroups.com>; Untitled-1
> <100AcreFarming at yahoogroups.com>; A.T.I.S. <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Sunday, December 26, 2004 9:51 AM
> Subject: [AT] Heater Review
> 
> > I recently bought one of those small LP heaters sold as "Mr. Heater"
> portable Buddy heater.
> > http://www.mrheater.com/productdetail.asp?id=678
> 
> I'm fortunate to have a good working heater in an airtight cab on my combine
> but I have really appreciated my kerosene forced air heater in the few years
> I have had it. You'd need a pretty long extension cord to use it in a
> combine but for the purposes I required it for I have made good use of it.
> Its the real thing to thaw out an old tractor (or new) engine block when
> its -30 or so outside. As long as you can plug in to electricity and get the
> heat blast directed on the engine it will bring the temp up to summertime
> levels and beyond.
> I recently used it to start the long dormant John Deere AR by directing the
> heat blast on the carburetor and intake manifold. Prior to that I used it to
> start the 730 Case on those cold fall days when even the manifold pre-heater
> was not enough. I'd just park the pickup truck near the tractor with the
> space heater in the box. I had a ten foot length of heavy pipe that just fit
> the outlet of the heater. This allowed me to direct heat on the tractor
> engine without even unloading the heater from the truck. (Its fairly heavy
> with a full tank of kerosene/heater fuel).
> Mine looks a lot like this  http://www.mrheater.com/productdetail.asp?id=691
> 
> Ralph in Sask.
> http://lgoff.sasktelwebsite.net/
> 
Speaking of long extension cords, did electric tractors ever
work in farming in the US? A Christmas gift, was a book written
to celebrate 100 years of tractors in NZ. In it, is mentioned
electric tractors, developed in the 30s by a local power company
down south.
The Kemp electric tractor used a 20 hp electric motor mounted 
on a Hart Parr. Power was supplied via truck mounted transformer
supplied from high tension lines. The tractor had a swivelling
pylon mounted on it and the cable was feed in & out on a drum.
The swivelling pylon ensuring that the cable lead directly to the
transformer no matter which direction the tractor went.
Some apperently did up to 8000 odd hours of work before diesl
powered tractors proved to be more convenient and cheaper to run.

Tom