Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Block Heater Usage

[Rebel_Horseman]

It's recently decided to get frikkin cold down here and a few times I've wished I would have plugged in the night before. Can I plug the truck in the night before and leave it until I leave for work in the mornings? I think I'd rather install a timer if that is more efficient and better for the engine systems. How long before I leave should it kick on? Is there a special type of timer that I need or can I go to the local hardware store and pick one up?



Thanks,



Brian [><]

 

[Shovelhead]

Look for a heavy-duty timer, and 3 hours before leaving is what most folks seem to use.

 

[Texas Diesel]

Wifey leaves at 5:30, block heater set to come on at 3:00 = happy wifey. Found a 1700 W timer at homedepot for $20.



Now if I could just figure out how to turn on her block heater :-laf, would save a lot of work

 

[bmoeller]

Originally posted by Shovelhead

Look for a heavy-duty timer, and 3 hours before leaving is what most folks seem to use.

 

[fkovalski]

What kind of current does the block heater draw? I just picked up a "heavy duty" timer at the Depot for $11. It is rated for 1700 watts at 15 amps. Will the curent pulled through the timer be more than this? I do not belive it will hurt it as most household breakers are rated at 15 or 20 amps. Feedback? opinions? Thank you. -frank.

 

[WadePatton]

timers?

Do they make a timer that will also unplug the truck? I need one of those!



Anyhoo, I plug mine in all night. It ain't going to hurt anything truck wise, just burn a little more coal down at the generation plant.



ALSO, while the heater helps with the cold start. I just bought a pedal-holder-downer thing from Geno's. That sucker is great. High Idle any time any truck. Just hooks between steering wheel and accelerator and fine tunes with knob. Highly recommended unless you're North of here and need high idle 6 months out of the year.



Frank, I read that info on here somewhere last year. I think around 600 watts, and 20-30 cents per night. I'm probably further off on the $ part than the current part. I personally find the not-so-cold start and quicker defrosting worth $1 per night and $5 some nights. Garage someday!

 

[fkovalski]

Wade- I hear ya' on leaving the plug in all night. Used to do that when sparky was included in my monthy dues. Now it's on my bill and Xcel energy is raising the rates some 73% I know that I am OK on my wattage ratings, but it's been quite some time since I've used Ohm's Law and the Power Law to be able to do the conversions. Taking the lazy man's route and posing the question here I do think that I am OK on the current. As far as an auto matic unplugging device- I have left it in more times than I care to mention. I use a bunch of zip ties (the inventor of which should be knighted) and fasten the extension cord securlt to a fence post and plug inside the grill such that if I ever forget again then the plug itself will be the weakest link and i would then replace the individual plugs if I ever brain fart enough times to warrant it. -frank.

 

[illflem]

Originally posted by fkovalski

I use a bunch of zip ties (the inventor of which should be knighted) and fasten the extension cord securlt to a fence post and plug inside the grill such that if I ever forget again then the plug itself will be the weakest link and i would then replace the individual plugs if I ever brain fart enough times to warrant it.

Same method here except I can count on one hand how many times I've unplugged by hand, I just back up. Same cords for eight winters now.

 

[tbrudder]

How about an Auto Eject plug from Kussmaul?



See these in lots of fire apparatus. The cheapest ($140) one should be enough for the grid heater, and I imagine the receptacle would fit behind the bumper somewhere. You'd have to cut the plug off the block heater cord and splice the wire into the new plug box.



Pretty neat operation--it's wired to the starter solenoid, so that when you energize the starter, the Auto Eject kicks the cord out, and the cover snaps closed.



I thought about one of these, but living in Tampa Bay, I don't think I'll get much use from the block heater...



--Ty

 

[WadePatton]

Originally posted by tbrudder

How about an Auto Eject plug from Kussmaul?

--Ty

Great gift idea for the BOMBer who has it all.

 

[Shovelhead]

I leave mine plugged in while fast-idle warming up.



I put a piece of velcro strap on the steering wheel at night before plugging in.

I take it off in the morning right after unplugging.

I haven't had to drag the extension cord back down the driveway since using this method.

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

I leave it plugged in from the seccond I get home with a hot engine to the morning when I leave. It seems to maintain much better with the engine allready hot.

 

[Texas Diesel]

I drape the power cord over the driver side mirror, even wifey hasnt messed it up

 

[BWillard]

Originally posted by ToolManTimTaylor

I leave it plugged in from the seccond I get home with a hot engine to the morning when I leave. It seems to maintain much better with the engine allready hot.

Same here! As soon as I get home I plug mine in and unplug it (most of the time ) when I leave in the morning. Sometimes if I don't run my truck all weekend, it's still plugged in until Monday morning

 

[JohnE]

Originally posted by Tejas Deezul

I drape the power cord over the driver side mirror, even wifey hasnt messed it up

I do that to the wife's mommy van. I figured out she drove off a couple times without disconnecting.



The Ram NEVER gets plugged in. Set the Espar timer at night and nice warm truck in the morning.

 

[Ncostello]

Our fire trucks have auto eject. Works fine so far. We got tired of replacing cords and broken receptacles. I even saw one of our guys pull a charger off the ceiling and drag it down the road. Seemed like no matter how we draped the cord over the mirror or door handle... firefighters in a hurry would simply duck under it to get in the cab as if the cords were really not there.



I cant talk though. I was mopping floors once and forgot I had the big poly bucket with wheels under the truck when the bell rang. It rode along fine under the rear axle until the little wheels could no longer handle 60 mph and fell off. The rest of the bucket fragmented into multiple pieces which were later recovered over a two block stretch.



Our air lines are also auto eject. Nice products. However, its funny that everyone now wants to unplug it manually before starting the truck. I dont get it...

 

[CstlEng]

I am also a firefighter and a BIG fan of auto ejects. But, like everything else electric, they don't like salt. So if you go for it, get the one that has the sealed up back side for the extra $20, and seal all the penetrations with silicone caulk... especially if you are going to go through high water more than once. Copious amounts of WD40 into the auto eject after such excursions seems to substantially add to their life span.



Another way to go until Santa gets the hint for the auto eject is to back into your spot all the time (like the volunteer firefighters in your town do). Run a cord carefully along the frame from the front to the back of the truck. Zip tie the cord tight to the trailer hitch at the back, and connect to the block heater up front. Lube the prongs of the plug with dielectric silicone grease, and plug into the cord that plugs into the house after first running under a cinder block about 5 feet behind the truck. If you mess up and forget to pull the plug when in a hurry out the door, the plug pops right out, no harm done. Defiantly not as cool as seeing the plug pop out and swing out of the way when you hit the starter button, but it is fool proof and does work. And it does look cooler that dragging a cord down the street from the front bumper until the front right tire eats it for breakfast and leaves a dead orange snake on top of your neighbors paper .



Mine is plugged in all the time if it will drop below 30 as I never know if that night will be the night that we have to make an unexpected run to the station. It does seem to make the heat come out at least a minute or so faster.

 

[RobertBolinger]

If you don't want to spend the $140+ for the auto eject you could opt for a warning light on the dash. Radio Shack has some neon lights that mount on a round hole, that can be directly connected to 120VAC for about $3. Neon lights last a pretty long time, so it won't hurt for it to be on all the time. You could even add a 12V relay that cuts power to the light when the truck is off (hooked through normally open contacts). This could all be done for less than $20. Beepers, bells, and or whistles could also be substituted or added to the light circuit (assuming the use of the relay so it's not on all the time). If the beeper is 120V just tap it in, if it's 12v use a relay with a 120V coil to switch it.



You would have to splice into the wire going to the heater with a weathertight box (surface mount, about $3-4 at Lowes or Home Depot), and most likely mount a weathertight male motor base plug to it. That would allow a standard drop cord to be used. I would get the drop cord with the pilot light built into it. They make compression fittings that will seal around a standard size round cord for routing into the weathertite box to the block heater and indicator light.



Keep in mind what was said earlier in this thread by CstlEng about salt when locating and sealing all connections. Also route any 120v carefully so it won't get the insulation rubbed off, and cause it to become an arc welder the next time you plug in.



Of course this will only work if there is still power on the drop cord-if you use a timer that's off, or a GFI has tripped, no light.



Link to male motor base plug (found with Google search, know nothing about vendor)

http://www.mobile-mart.com/motor_base_plug.htm



Other thread about block heaters

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=87239&highlight=block+heater



Link to Radio Shack panel mount lamps:

http://www.radioshack.com/category.asp?catalog_name=CTLG&category_name=CTLG_011_004_005_000&Page=1

 

[elamb]

I've got mine on timer to come on 3 hours before leaving for work. Got the timer at the local Radio Shack for $7. We use the same amount of hours and timer on all of our tractors in the winter.



Eric

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Originally posted by JohnE





The Ram NEVER gets plugged in. Set the Espar timer at night and nice warm truck in the morning.

God between you and wheaties CUT IT OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





Youre makin me jealous