Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) block heater and electricty bill

[azcummins]

Does anyone know how much the block heater runs up your electricty bill? My roommates think it is running ours up a lot, but I don't know how much the block heater pulls to calculate how much it runs up the bill.

 

[DEZLPWR]

I believe....

it is 700 watts! :--)



Do you have it on a timer? If not, you probably are jacking up the e-bill... .

 

[Midnite]

I think it pulls either 700 or 750 watts, so if you leave it plugged in overnight it'll drive up your electric bill in short order.



Mike





Dang, DEZLPWR beat me to it!

 

[Pit Bull]

You only need it plugged in for 2 hours. Get a timer.

 

[The patriot]

When I use mine, it's in for 12 hours.

My nearest estimation is a little less than a dollar a night.

This is my un scientific guesstimation .

Eric

 

[buddys06]

Originally posted by The patriot

When I use mine, it's in for 12 hours.

My nearest estimation is a little less than a dollar a night.

This is my un scientific guesstimation .

Eric

 

[Deezul1]

I use a plain old light timer that costs about $6. 00 and have it set to go on about 2 hours before I need the truck.

 

[dpetre]

If your heater is rated at 700watt and you are charged ten cents per kilowatt hour and you leave your truck plugged in for 12 hours for 31 days in December you will pay an additional $26. 04.

a cheap outdoor time rated at 1000watts at home depo $9. 00

 

[CFAR]

Lectricity is ususally sold in kilowatt/hours



figure you have between 6 and 8 100w light bulbs going for what 12 hours at a time, = 7. 2 kw/hr to 9. 6 kw/hr. Look at your E-bill and see what they are charging you per kw/hr and multiply that number by 7. 2 on the low end (600w) and 9. 6 on the high end (800w)



Light timers will work just be careful some are not rated to 6-800 watts. I believe the users manual says heater needs to be on a minimum of one hour, would depend on outside temp.



the one I bought for my truck in AK was 800w.





pls feel free to correct any mistakes, its late.



Woody

 

[Adam]

What's 700 Watts anyway...

As my Alaskan friends can attest to, truly cold weather (NEVER occurs south of the Mason-Dixon, and very rarely below the 45th parallel) requires far more electrical gadgets. My winterizing included two battery heating pads (~250 watts/ea) and two silicone pads on either side of the oil sump (~200 watts/ea). My '99 with an Auto also had another pad on the transmission pan, for an additional 300 watts. When it's REALLY cold, plugging in takes a bit longer than 2 hours to work. There's been times I had to cycle the grid heater twice to get the truck to fire up, and this was with the vehicle plugged in overnight. What I guess I'm trying to say is... you paid 30K, 40K, or more for something that could last 15 years after it's paid off. Why quibble over an additional $20/month. I just look at any costs above that as the price I have to pay to drive the best truck on the planet in the best location on the planet and, IMO, it's really more than worth it!



-Adam



(Results not typical; your results may vary based upon dependency status, parental/child concerns, desire to subsist in an environment where you are NOT the top of the food chain, and the ability to deal with Mother Nature, who visits whenever she gets a chance, but usually at the most unusually inconvenient times :-laf )

 

[Pit Bull]

Adam all I can say is you guys that live up in Alaska are way tougher than I am. It's 7 degree here this morning and I am not going to leave the house until it gets above freezing.

 

[The patriot]

Originally posted by Bowron

I payed over $32K for this truck and it only has 90K miles on it now. AFAIK, I'm about 1/4-1/3 of the way through it's life, as far as me owning it.

I'm not worried about a buck a night.

I prefer hooking it up while it's still hot from coming home from work.

Believe it or not, it retains heat better when you start out with a hot truck.

It dont get all that cold here, but having been an owner opreator (18 wheeler) I think I'm qualified to comment on this subject.

Eric

 

[Batman]

Off topic



Bwooden, reading your sig, "Comp box on the back seat smiling at the clutch" Uh, you do know that just putting the box on your back seat does not constitute installing it, right? LOL, just havin fun.

 

[dpetre]

Pit Bull the weather in Fairbanks AK has been warmer here than where you live this year. We feel sorry for you guys that are getting hit with the ice storms and cold weather. Stay warm,drive careful, and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

 

[Jim Fulmer]

I have two things, one is a timer(this year) set for 4 hours of heat and Eric's grill covers, warms up much better now!



Jim

 

[JR2]

Just an FYI for the guys in Anchorage AK, the city got a grant and is giving away free timers for plugging in your car/truck. You have to go to some city office at 9th and Minnesota (by the park strip) to get one. I got mine



On a side note. . I am solving this enter plug in the truck thing by buying an ESPAR. . it gets installed on the 16th. Merry X-mass to me





JR2

 

[RobbyRam]

Ditto to the timer,been doing that for 3 years. One other thing I've done is re-route the plug to hang down below the front bumper just out of sight so that I didn't have to keep opening and closing the hood.

Bob

 

[dseabaugh]

I hear what you are sayin Pit Bull. I read the thread the other day about fuel jelling and thought to my self that I probably won't make any more trips up north this winter so good ole # 2 suits me fine. This Morning -1 at Cape Girardeau. Cycled heater once and it fired right up though. Toooooo cold for me. Florida here I come. Before the storm blew away our machine shed I had bottom half of all the recepticles (break off the tab between) wired to thermostats for electric baseboard heaters and timers so that the engine heaters would only come on when the temp was below 40 degrees and the timer for the time of day I would want to start them. Always got into a cosey cab and started warm Now Pickup hasn't been plugged in in 2 years. Just starts a little rougher running and have to wait for heat. Be sure to loop your extension cord over your mirror or doo handle so you don't forget to unplug it before you drive off.

 

[Pit Bull]

Originally posted by dseabaugh



Be sure to loop your extension cord over your mirror or doo handle so you don't forget to unplug it before you drive off.

Good point I'm getting that age

 

[tarussell]

The weather is fine down here in Florida fella's, come on down. Actually, it is getting down to around 30 degrees tonight; I had best go out and plug in my heater.



Ya'll have a great day ! Thomas



I went as far north as Michigan once, and FROOZE my !^%$#@#**^$%^$ off !!!!!!! I don't know how Ya'll do it .