Heater

[David Callon]

I am having a problem with my Janitrol heater. It works for 3 minutes then shuts off, I turn it off then wait 5 minutes and turn it back on and it works for another 3 minutes. At altitude it can get real cold and 3 minutes every other 5 minutes is too cold. I have cleaned the spark plug and just replaced the vibratory. I am out of ideas any suggestions?

[Eastern]

I had my heater overhauled by Aircraft Heating, Inc. in Redding, CA last year. Very pleased, works great and very nice people to deal with.

I'll bet they'll even help troubleshoot with you over the phone.

George

[steen]

Good chance you are riding on the emergency overtemp safety switch.
Don't operate it again until it is checked out thoroughly.
Steen

[N3322G]

Harold Haskins in AL has overhauled ours twice in 20 years, happy both times.

[Brian Scalise]

I am in enterprise Al and just purchased my 1966 PA30B. The janitrol heater worked in flight for 15 mins then i turned it off. Could never get it back on. When i landed I got in front nose gear and the emergency breaker was popped. I reset it byut stilll cant get heater to wrk on ground or in flight.

This is my first janitrol heater so I am not familiar with operation. I urned the fuel knob turned heat lever, and turned fan to heat. The fan blower and heat blower are working i feel air coming out of exhaust. It just seems lkike it is not igniting.

Any suggestions or advice. If anyone is familiar please respond or email me at brianpscalise@gmail.com or call me at 843-902-3600

Thanks

[N3322G]

Brian,

Congratulations on a sweet Twin model. If you haven'' already, you'll want to take the CPPP course. http://www.comancheflyer.com/NS/cff_files/cf_ppp.htm

There's a pretty good section in the service manual under the tech tab on this website. When you do get it going again, be sure to coll down the heater with the fan before shutting it off.

[Jay]

I thin I have a copy of Maurice Taylor's heater troubleshooting guide, I'll post that when I get back to my computer (I'm on an iPad right now). My personal bias is to get the heater overhauled when it acts up. The last thing I want is a problem with that campfire in the nose of my plane.

Jay

[SLIMDREDGER]

I have found the shop at Redding, CA noted above to be very helpful. They have parts, too. Al Powers ICS 2978

[Jay]

OK, here are the heater tips I promised.

As a side note, looking at my records my heater was overhauled at the same shop in Redding that others have recommended, and it's has been trouble free and flawless for the past 500 hours. When it's minus 20 C at altitude it will keep the cockpit toasty warm.

There are other options, including an STC'd heater from C&D (http://www.aircraftheater.com) that is an improvement on the Janitrol design. There are no recurring AD's on the C&D heaters, but I note on their website that they do have a Service Bulletin requiring inspection on their heaters for Piper PA-31 Chieftains, so they are not immune.

Again, my advice would be to have your heater overhauled by a good shop. A failure of the combustion chamber can lead to really bad things.

Good luck,

Jay