Is It Ok to Run The Kat's Heaters Oil or Transmission Pan Heating Pad Overnight?

Updated 01/14/2026 | Published 01/12/2026

Question:

Any concern with running this overnight? Or is the only concern possibly burning out the heating element? Wattage is low enough it shouldnt cost much. Any experience running it overnight?

asked by: Sam

Expert Reply:

Hello Sam,

Great question! Kat’s heater # KH24050 doesn’t list a max run time, and these heaters are commonly left plugged in overnight in cold weather. They only draw 50 watts, so the cost to run is very low.

The key thing to know is there’s no built-in thermostat or auto shutoff, if it’s plugged in, it’s heating. As long as it’s securely installed on a clean metal surface and kept away from plastic, wiring, or other heat-sensitive parts, overnight use is very common and generally not an issue.

If you want extra peace of mind, a timer is a popular option, but Kat’s doesn’t require one.

Out of curiosity, where are you located that it gets cold enough to need an oil pan heater?

expert reply by: Kate F

Sam

1/13/2026

Hello Kate, Thank you for the information and feedback. I am located in Colorado, but intend to use this on my ATV rather than my car. I use my ATV for ice fishing and plowing snow. I use it in both Colorado and Montana, so it can hit some extremes. For ice fishing the ATV generally has to sit outside overnight and for multiple nights and will sometimes struggle to start in the morning. Especially my newer ATV which is odd. The ATV doesn't have a true oil pan, so it'll be placed at the bottom of the engine (full metal contact point) and try to heat as much of the engine and oil as possible to make the starts easier and have less stress on the engine. I think being able to let it run all night would give me a much higher chance of warming the engine or keeping it warm rather than a half hour or hour in the morning since I'm not heating the oil pan directly. Hope that all makes sense. Let me know if you have any additional questions or suggestions. I appreciate the help!

Kate F.

1/13/2026

@Sam That makes perfect sense. In those conditions, letting it run overnight is actually ideal, especially since you’re heating engine mass rather than a true oil pan. At 50 watts, it’s gentle heat and won’t harm the oil or engine, just be sure it’s firmly mounted to clean metal and clear of anything heat-sensitive. Cleaning the area and making sure all debris is gone before sticking it is most important! Ice fishing is definitely on my bucket list. We are located in Missouri and I like to dabble at some local bass fishing tournaments at the Lake of the Ozarks and Mark Twain. A friend of mine just went up North with her family and did ice fishing for the week, so cool!

Sam

1/13/2026

@KateF that was my thinking as well. At 50W you can run it a long time without making a dent to the wallet. If your electricity is 30 cents per kilowatt hour then you could run it for 20 hours for 30 cents haha! I'll take it. I installed 1 already and cleaned the area thoroughly and used high temp rtv around the sides to make sure it stays in place. Conforming it to the curve of the engine was the more difficult part, but I want to make sure it doesn't come off. Just haven't had the chance to truly test it yet and didn't know if Kat's didn't recommend running it that long or something. I have no concern of it melting anything based on how I have it attached. I suppose I'll give it a go and see soon. :) Bass fishing lake of the Ozarks is on my bucket list as well, I'm sure that is awesome! If you're going ice fishing for the first time I would recommend somewhere north like montana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, etc. over colorado. They have better fishing regulations and you can generally catch a variety of larger fish like northerns, walleye, and even lake trout. You can find those here too but I've found it more fun in Montana comparatively. More lines, more opportunity, and it keeps you busy to distract from the cold.

Kate F.

1/13/2026

@Sam Thanks for the pointers on the ice fishing Sam! I was actually thinking about going up to Minnesota, I have a buddy up there that ice fishes quite a bit and I am sure he will teach me his ways. Next winter I will check that off my list. The Kat's heater will work great, and will prolong the life of your ATV =)

See All (6) Replies to Sam ∨

1/14/2026

The kat’s heater will work overnight. It shouldn’t cause any problems. I installed one on my ‘93 Oldsmobile & have had to use it on really cold days to help get the old girl started. I will say though - make sure there isn’t any oil residue on the oil pan & that the heater stay clean of oil after installation - 1. It will not stick if there’s oil residue. 2. If it gets oil on it; it will cause it to fail/stop working because these heaters get hot. Water/moisture from the air & weather will not affect its performance - only oil, that’s what I’ve experienced so far.