Hello from the center of "The Mystery" as it's now starting to be called here.
I walk the Skyway(tm) through the Hennepin County Government Building every
day.  We spent a billion on a train (Jesse's Folly) that the proponents admit
won't even carry 1% of the people in and out of downtown Minneapolis, used up a
lot more than 1% of the surface streets, and will cost just over 10 bucks per
person per trip mostly in taxes to run, and yet they won't settle the bus
strike for a few million, which at least collects 29% of cost per passenger
trip, and has flexible routing.  DUH!

Back to magnetic heaters.  I picked a new one up this year for the Jetta, and
it puts 200 watts into about 10 square inches.  It does not get terrifically
hot, but it will boil snow to steam for a few seconds once hot.  I'd guess less
than 300 degrees when on an oilpan.  That is not to imply it gets the oilpan to
300.  I could make better measurements if the interest is there.  I have a nice
little infrared thermometer I could use.

tom

On 23 Mar 2004 at 22:34, Tromper wrote:

> Waaay Back in the early stone-age, when I lived in the
> Glorious Peeples Republik of Minnesota (Land of 10000 Taxes)
> I had a big magnet with an electric heater built into it that
> you slapped on the bottom of your oil pan to make the oil viscous
> enough to pump in -40C (or -40F ;oD).
>
> I've been wondering if that handy little gadget might not be a
> usable item for the Diesel fuel tank in less then subtropical environments.
>
> Any thoughts??
>
> Tromper
> 82 Dieselfant II
> Warm Balmy Pugetropolis - They just think the weather's bad and the taxes
> high here.

------
Tom Ring K0TAR, ex-WA2PHW  EN34hx
85 Westphalia GL Albert
96 Jetta GL The Intimidator
taring@taring.org

"It is better to go into a turn slow, and come out fast, than to go into a turn
fast
and come out dead." Stirling Moss