Block Heater

[RSchwarzli]

Where "exacly" is the block heater?? Yeah, I know where the cord is, but where is the actual heater?? I gather it is not cast into the block, but... .



Thanks!



Robert

 

[B.G. Smith]

It's a calrod type similar to what you would find in an electric water heater and is screwed into the block just to the rear of oil filter. bg

 

[tugboatphil]

Robert, what he said. The heater element is a horseshoe shaped rod just on the other side of the plug in the block. I changed mine last fall. Got the new one at a truck shop. The old one will be pretty tight to get out, but it pulls straight out.

If you do my method, you'll mess around and break off the deal you can pull on. If you use Greenleaf's method, you'll tack weld a nut to the plug and pull it with a sliding hammer. :-laf

 

[RSchwarzli]

Oh! Its like that!! Sounds like fun!!



As for leaving it plugged in, about what is the maximum recomended plug in time?? Like can you leave it plugged in for 24,36 even 48 hours?? Yeah, I know not that long but approx??



Thanks!



Robert

 

[Greenleaf]

My school buses are plugged in whenever the engine isn't running. All day, all night, all weekend, etc. Don't seem to effect them.



What WILL kill it is a too small extension cord. Plug gets hot from resistance and melts the plug end.



The newer engines (Cummins B) thread in to the block right behind the oil filer/oil cooler. Our units are pressed into the core plug with a VERY tight fitting O ring that swells up tighter than a banjo string.



Use a Ohm meter to test the cord and/or the element. Look for 10 to 19 ohms for a good unit or there abouts.

 

[RSchwarzli]

Thanks! I will continue to plug it in all day while at work!



Robert

 

[sdstriper]

750 watts IIRC.

 

[icman95]

I was going to point out what sdstriper just did. It uses 750 watts per hour. That's a TON of juice when you add it all up and the end of the month and have to pay the bill. If it will work for you, plug it into a regular lamp timer that you might use in your house. Just make sure that it's a good one that can handle around 15 amps. Set the timer to turn on about 2 hours before you want to use the truck and you'll be golden. You won't be able to tell the difference, but you'll see it in your electric bill. I've been doing this since I first owned it and no problems.

 

[Greenleaf]

Be sure to set the timer to turn off after you unplug that heater. The amps will burn the timer contacts. if you unplug it then it turns off some time later, it will not burn the contact points.





By the way... ... ...

Didn't Jay Leonard take a picture of his truck at the Coventry CT covered bridge?

 

[RSchwarzli]

I appreciate that!



And goes to show you again, the TDR saves you money!:-laf



I believe I just got a free year of the TDR thanks to this post!!Oo.



Thanks again folks!



Robert

 

[Skydiver]

I use a heavy duty 15 amp timer. Comes on 2 hours before I go out side.

Speaking of engine heaters. Our emergency generator at work Cat 3412 has a 6000 watt 240 volt side mounted coolant heating unit. The lines to and from the engine appear to be regular hydraulic crimped fittted hose. Had one to start leaking 15 minutes after a power pole was clipped. Rusted bad. Plant down for 6 hours. Good thing the radiator had a low level shut down switch.



My point is, anytime you add heat to water it speeds up the chemical reaction as well. Corrosion happens much faster with warm coolant.

 

[icman95]

By the way... ... ...

Didn't Jay Leonard take a picture of his truck at the Coventry CT covered bridge?

Well, we do have two one lane bridges in town, but they're not covered. If I'm not mistaken, he lives on the other side (western side) of the state. There is a covered bridge out there crossing the Housatonic River. It's near the town of West Cornwall. If memory serves, he lives in or near Torrington which isn't too far from there. I guess there could be other covered bridges in the state, but I don't know them. Just tried this: go to google.com/maps and type in west cornwall, ct. Look at the satellite image and zoom in as far as possible on the bridge over the river on rt 128. That's the bridge I think he might have used.

 

[JLEONARD]

Didn't Jay Leonard take a picture of his truck at the Coventry CT covered bridge?

:-laf:-laf He remembered.



It was West Cornwall over the Housatonic River. Hey... to a Buckeye... . Cornwall, Cornhole, and Coventry are the same. :-laf:-laf



If I knew how to post that pic I would.

 

[Jgolden]

In addition to, or inplace of the built in heater I bought a magnetic heater from NAPA. For real cold need to start days, it will stick to the oil pan or fuel filter. With the built in coolant heater and the stick on oil heater my 5. 9 thinks it has moved to the south.

 

[Greenleaf]

I loaded that picture in my 'puter and it comes up as invalid file. I'll have to make some adjustments and reload like this guy... ... ... ...



This is Jay when he is angry.

 

[JLEONARD]

:-lafTuco:-laf

 

[Greenleaf]

Man... ... that took some thought and rearrangement of files.



I *think* this is the West Cornhole Covered Bridge.



Jay, what for block heater you use on the boat diesel, humm?

 

[RSchwarzli]

750 watts IIRC.

So, like what does that mean in electricity useage per hour?? How do I figgure that out??



I ask as there are a few trucks all lined in a row all plugged in. Just curious now how much juice we are using!!



Also, nice pic of the truck!!Oo. Just beautiful!:{







Robert

 

[B.G. Smith]

750 watts IIRC.

If you multiply amps times volts to get the wattage load and use 120 as the voltage, the 750 watt heater load will be just over 6 amps. We are charged for electricity by KWH (killowatt hours) and the rate depends on however the electric suppliers happen to feel on that particular day. A 1,000 watt load will be one KWH. I don't know what the rate is here but I imagine it is costing somewhere over a nickel per hour to plug in, not much for a couple of hours but continuous for 30 days would be in the $36. 00 to $50. 00 range.

 

[icman95]

Yeah, what he said. I never figured out the actual dollar amount, but now that he mentioned it, that's a boatload of money to be throwing away PER TRUCK. Actually, to put it in layman's terms, your average household lightbulb uses 60 watts per hour (thus it's called a 60 watt light bulb). It would take 12. 5 of these bulbs to equal the same consumption as one block heater. So, if you've ever scolded your kids or anyone else for leaving one bulb on in an unoccupied room, you can imagine how bad it is on your bill to leave the block heater going all day and night long needlessly. You said there are several trucks lined up in a row. That means you could be using the electrical equivalent of over 100 lightbulbs every hour. This is why I'm a big fan of the timer.