2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission How long is to long for a block heater?

[BarlowCummins]

I just have a simple question about our block heaters. I boss is getting a divorce from his wife and now lives in an apartment and his truck sits outside all night and here in Idaho our lows have been around 25 degrees outside. So he has been plugging his truck in around 11 pm to 6am, and we were wondering how long is too long to be plugged in for? Thanks for your replies!

 

[ROADWARRIOR]

I don't think that is going to hurt anything other than shorten the heater's life and raise the electric bill. Two to Three hours at that temp. are sufficient. Tell him to get a timer from a hardware store.



Dan

 

[BarlowCummins]

Thanks roadwarrior i did'nt even think of a timer, that sounds great.

 

[ROADWARRIOR]

Your welcome,



When I said shorten the heater's life, I mean like you will use up it's life in a shorter time period. It isn't going to burn up or anything. Some people leave their diesels plugged in all the time. It just wears the heater out faster is all.



Dan

 

[NPloysa]

My opinion

This is my opinion, so take it for whatever it is, but I do not plug mine in (I live at 8000' in Colorado) unless its about 20* for an overnight low. The other day I did not plug it in and it was 3* at dawn, had to cycle heater 4 times before it came to life.



I have been at my g/f's apartment almost every weekend and do not plug it in. It's 6000' in Colorado Springs and probably not below 15 or 20*.



All I am saying is he could get away without it but its a matter or preference.



Nick

 

[InThinAir]

Another Member in Conifer! That is great! I'm up on Conifer Mountain. This thin air makes the turbo work hard!



Do you have quages? My ETH seems to take forever to cool down after a run up from town.



Sorry to derail your thread! But, to give you my exerience, "when" I plug in, I plug in at 10 PM and unplug at 5 AM. Been doing that for years. I usually plug in below freezing or when I remember. My truck has started on 4 heater cycles on the stock battteries down to 25 below. Not advisable, but truck was at the airport.



Also my recomendation for anyone that cannot reliably plug in is to switch to a synthetic lube like a 10w or 5w - 40. This will help in cold starts and decrease any cold start pressure build times.



---Doug

 

[Mike Ellis]

I live in the warm flatlands, our average low this time of year is in the upper 30s to low 40s, I have had no trouble starting my truck cold (no plug in) down into the teens on trips.



However, even when it is in the 30s or 40s, you can tell a difference in the engine during cold start. Starting around Halloween I plug my truck in every night when I get home, and unplug it before I leave in the morning. No problems so far.

 

[QRTRHRS]

The heater element is not that expensive and with the oil filter out of the way (at least on the second gens) not difficult to change out. Personnally, I like getting heat as soon as possible in the am so I readily plug mine in. I know I would save some money if I used a timer but that's just one more thing to deal with.

 

[David_VT]

With good batteries you should be able to start a cold truck at very cold temps. Just be nice and let the cold beast warm up a bit before jumping on the go pedal.



The trick I found is to run the wait to start cycle several times when you are getting down into the negative numbers.



I've started at -40F with no problem (but must have top notch batteries). The engine sounds like hell and I swear you can hear the cylinders coming on line one by one..... I do use amsoil and that might help at low temps.



The biggest problem I've seen is the darn power steering pump cold weather growl that will eventually destry the pump. I'm on my third PS pump now...



Now I have an espar furnace for when I am away from the plug in. I do plug the truck in these days as I have first response duty with fire and medical. This calls for no warm up time, something I would never do with truly cold steel.



Stay Warm!!!!

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

When I get home at night I plug her in when she is Idleing down and leave it plugged in till the morning. It allmost seems as if it holds the heat deeper into the cooling system being it all ready is at temp when plugging in. Granted I don't have to as the lows are in the mid 20's but I have to turn off my road into allready whippin' traffic.

 

[DLausche]

I usually don't plug mine in unless it drops below +5* or so. Never have had to cycle the grid heaters - always has started after the first time. I usually let it high idle for a few minutes at least though before I go. Plugging it in certainly helps the heat come faster though and that is nice. IMHO, I don't see a need to have it plugged in for more than 3 hours or so before startup. All night long uses a lot of electricity. 5W40 synthetic oil will help a lot when starting cold too. That's my 2c worth.



-Deon

 

[BarlowCummins]

Thanks for all the replies guys, it sounds like he'll get a timer because its real nice to be all warmed up. Also the other nice thing is that he is plugged into a socket from the clubhouse of the apartment complex so electricity is on them!

 

[tmccormick]

Just my 2 cents, but my current truck and also my 96' I owned for 5 years and have been getting pluged in at 11:00PM and unpluged at 1:00PM the next day... every day. And that is when the temps start to dip below 35* here in the Denver area.



Also there has been many a weekend that they were pluged in for several days straight and have never had the element burn out, knock on wood



So I believe the heating element has a pretty long life span. At least mine have so far

 

[midwestdually]

i know we are getting of the question a bit but personally... everyone on here talks about egt's and all that... saving and preserving the life of this and that in regards to components of the motor and such...



dont you think that you might be doing your engine a FAVOR by plugging it in regardless of whether it starts at 5* below zero or not?? to me it is common sense and i ALWAYS plug my truck in... just easier on the truck.



guess some of you gasser converts havent switched over from turning the key over and taking off like a bat out of hell like i see most car owners do

 

[LeeNH]

Well, I have had a diesel pickup since 1989, so I don't consider myself a 'gasser convert'. What do ya do when you are 30 miles from the nearest 110v outlet and its -10 degrees? Happens to me quite often. Answer: Just start it, let it idle for 10 minutes and go... no big deal. I don't care if its diesel or gas, you should always let them warm up so the oil gets to a reasonable viscosity level, and the tolerances get to where they should be.

I don't know about the grid heater cycleling you guys talk about, all the Cummins I have had start with one turn of the key, if the batteries are good.

 

[WadePatton]

I think I'll put the generator in the back for running the block heater when away from the grid.



NAH, doesn't get THAT cold around here. But I DO need to use the gen set for something.



I plug in most anytime it's going to put frost on the windows. But sometimes it's hard to figger out which truck to plug in.

 

[Bigsaint]

Well, since we are all adding our $0. 02, here's mine. I plug in at home using a timer. Anything below 10F outside, I plug in all night. Above that temp. , I plug in for anywhere from 2-4 hours, depending on the temp. If it's a typical day, that I leave in the morning and return to know I'm going to use the truck again within the next few hours, I just plug it in until my next departure. I agree with TMTT, the truck's coolant stays much warmer if you plug in while it's warm, rather than letting it cool and then attempt to warm it with the block heater. That's a lot of coolant to heat when cold IMHO. I have the temp. sender for my SPA gauge in the block so I know what the coolant temp. is ( at that source) when I key on.



Scott W.

 

[Rman]

For what it's worth I've yet to plug my truck in yet this year... I haven't even pulled the plug our of it's little cuby hole. It was 9* F when i left my house this morning. Truck started and ran fine.

 

[RAPID RICK]

I might as well waste my $. 02



60% of engine wear occurs on cold starts. My Frieghtliners got plugged in anything below 45*. 500,000 miles on oem rod bearings. Sold at 780,000 miles with oem main bearings & never had the heads off. My Dodge gets plugged in anything below 45* [if availible] I wonder if I'll get 500,000 miles out of it?



Rick

 

[David_VT]

Rick,

Cummins Engine probably yes

Dodge Chassis maybe not...