Grid heaters, take em or leave em?

[realsquash]

Umm, I think that the voltmeter isn't the best measure of whether or not the grid heaters are cycling. The alternator is controlled by the ECM, and I think that the alternator doesn't charge until the grid heaters are turned off. I don't know why they would do that except to save the alternator from wearNtear, but it's what I suspect.



And I've never seen a false "wait to start" indicator on my truck, either. If the wait to start is on the grid heaters are on, too. You can hear the relays click when the light goes out.



Andy

 

[jungledave]

I was under the impression that if you cold start your cummins without waiting for the grid heater then it will not cycle like normally. I know I read that in the owners manual on my 02. The 04 may be different. All I can say is this, how many times have you ever heard of a grid heater going bad compared to the numerous times the binder motors, Kansas slang for intertrashinal, I mean international, have to have glow plugs or glow plug relays or the wiring harness replaced. That grid heater will last almost forever. the factory batteries don't last that long to begin with or without the grid heater. The grid heater is the best thing out there and isn't worth the trouble to remove. I guess that there amy be a 1 horsepower gain if you remove the grid from the grid block and reinstall the block without the grid. Y-Not is right, heat is just as bad on batteries as the cycling of a grid heater. Just my opinion.

 

[chessie-system]

Originally posted by SLorenzen

thats the answer i was looking for.



chessie got 6. 5 yrs out of his batteries with the grid heaters unplugged.



is a 4 year battery lifespan the average were seeing as someone stated before? has any body gotten more than this on a 2nd gen?



Just pull the relays right? duh (as it was so eloquently put before)

Just pull the small wires off the relay coil (they just friction fit on the posts) and you are good to go.



I should have added that I got that time out of the batteries by adding distilled water to them every 4 months. I did replace them with 2 optima red tops. Also my 95' had power nothing and this also helps.



Jeff

 

[djbobo]

Just plug it in. Save your batteries & your engine.



My truck has glow plugs. Yup- In the glove box. Picked them up for a friend. How many of you ex-ford owners had spare glow plugs in your glove box?????? I know I did--I don't miss those days at all



dj