Janitrol Heater Verdict

Richard · #1 03-03-04, 03:27 AM

I've never used one. I've got one. Newly rebuilt and ready to go, but frankly the idea of "Hey, let's ignite some fuel and get warm" doesn't appeal to me. Am I just a baby about it?

Jerry De Santis · #2 03-03-04, 06:42 AM

Richard, I initially had a lot of problems with mine and I am not a fan of those heater. However, after getting the necessary work done to it and AD taken care of, I have not had a problem with it. Yes! Like you, I don't like firing it up...something to do with gut feeling, but that's all it is with me ...gut feeling. I have not had any problem. In fact. I have not heard of any fires as a result of the heaters and just about every twin has them except the Non-P skymasters. Maybe some other readers can shed light on this issue.
Jerry

kevin · #3 03-03-04, 09:51 AM

Mine worked flawlessly, except for AD inspections which were a pain, for nearly five years.

Kevin

Richard · #4 03-03-04, 11:14 AM

Great to hear. Mine is a non P model. Apparently they only put the heat muff version on the T model for a very limited number. I wonder why they got away from that. Maybe not enought heat. or taking too much heat away from the system, effecting turbo performance?

Speaking of heaters. Alot of the german engined box trucks were,are oil, air cooled. They used ducting to take the air off the oil cooler for warming the cabin. I wonder if they've ever done it on aircraft?

Paul Sharp · #5 03-03-04, 07:25 PM

Mine wasn't working in my '67 T337B when I bought it. But I had a shop in Iowa (on the way home to the intermountain west), and it has worked well ever since. Requires maintenance from time to time, regular AD checks (hopefully there is an hour meter on yours or they have to do it every annual instead of every 200 hours or whatever the limit is). But it works well and I have no fear of using it. And out here with winter weather, and at altitudes on colder spring and fall days, we really need it.

So, my T model does have the heater and in fact I didn't think any Turbos had any other kind. (P's are turbos too, of course.)

I think there are a lot of old time feelings out there about "lighting a fire" and all that stuff. But I think there is little danger, especially if well-maintained. It has shut-offs, overheat protection, etc.

Richard · #6 03-03-04, 08:27 PM

Nope. There was a heat muff on some. Here's the picture of it.

Kim Geyer · #7 03-09-04, 06:11 PM

That is the exhaust system for the T337H.
We have 3 of them
Kim