disconnecting grid heater?

[Deezel4x4]

well I have traced my jumping voltmeter and flickering lights to the grid heaters. I disconnected them and it has stopped totally and it seems the truck runs better... search me but it does. I don't know if maybe it was stayin on the whole time all the time. Any way am I gonna screw something up if I leave them disconnected?I live in Florida and I really don't seem to need to use them

 

[illflem]

No problem as long as they don't short out on anything and you remember that they are disconnected if you ever head north.

 

[LarryB]

Deezel4x4



They are primarily for smoke reduction when cold starting and to ease starting below about 20F. My grid heaters are hooked up to a push button because I don't use the Engine Control Module. I can see no difference between using them or not. Here it seldom gets below 20 degrees so I finally just quit using them at all. No problem for me.

 

[Bigramguy]

I wired mine to a switch to shut off the factory solenoids. It is wired so when the switch is off,they don't work at all,and with the switch on the work as they did originally,with the computer controlling them. Don't have to worry about causing problems if I happen to leave the switch on too long.

 

[shendren]

i travel florida to indiana alot and i can tell you the only thing that makes starting easier up here in the cold is the use of the block heater. starts like it was in florida.

 

[JJW_ND]

I had the same problem with my 96. Replace the solinoids (relays) on the fendor that the heavy wire from the grid heaters go to. Not to expensive and fixed the problem.



I agree with the rest that they are needed until about 10 above. I think they just waste batterys above 30.



jjw

ND

 

[bvanetten]

When I did the conversion I didn't put the grid heater back on. Don't know why, guess I didn't want to mess with the wires at the time. Told myself I would put it on when it got cold. Well it just doesn't get cold enough in Phoenix. It starts fine down to 20 degrees The only time I have had a problem starting was a couple of months ago in Flagstaff AZ. It was 4 degrees out! I had to crank it for about 10 seconds but it started! It was real cranky for awhile. I thought I was going to have to use ether. (Those of you with working grid heaters DON'T EVEN THINK OF USING ETHER)... can you say BOOOM!

 

[fest3er]

Originally posted by Deezel4x4

well I have traced my jumping voltmeter and flickering lights to the grid heaters. I disconnected them and it has stopped totally and it seems the truck runs better... search me but it does. I don't know if maybe it was stayin on the whole time all the time. Any way am I gonna screw something up if I leave them disconnected?I live in Florida and I really don't seem to need to use them

Yup. At least one relay is close to failing. I replaced my OEM relays with Stancor units (see http://home.adelphia.net/~npmrphy/relay.pdf for details). So far, so good.



Yes, if it doesn't get very cold where you are, you can disconnect the heaters without any problems. The best way would be to remove the B+ feeding the relays from the battery connector; mine is attached via a lug to the connector bolt. If that option is out, remove the heavy leads feeding the heaters from the relays. Leave other connections intact. This will minimize shorts and dangling wires and the number of things you need to remember to reconnect in five years.



Fest3er