Block heater cord

[BrianX128]

So I went to plug in the truck for the night as I'm going to have to take it somewhere at 5 am and my block heater cord sparked and arced as I was trying to plug it in.

Anyone ever have that happen before, and if so was it just the cord or was it the actual heater element? Really hope it's just my cord, do not feel like dumping coolant after just having put in the good stuff two months ago.

I did just read online about trying to check the wires if they are pushed into the plastic end piece that clips on to the block heater and testing them and seeing if things just became loose and it's arcing because of that, but I also read that the factory cords fail a good bit. Guess I'll just start her cold and tinker with the cause of the arcing tomorrow night.

Thoughts still welcome. With all the colder it looks to be for the next couple of weeks if I have to order a new cord I really don't care about cold starting it, just crossing my fingers on not dumping coolant.

 

[tbrumm]

This exact thing happened to me last winter. I went to plug in the block heater and got sparks. In my case, the wires in the cord right next to the plug (outside end, not the plug into the block heater itself) shorted because of the constant flexing in the cord right behind the plug. That, and the fact that the cord is 22 years old! I simply cut off the old cord back to good wire and installed a new plug end. It has worked fine since. One of these days, I may buy a new factory cord if I find one cheap enough on eBay

 

[BrianX128]

How did you figure out it was at the front plug end instead of the end going into the heater? I could see testing the wire at the end that plugs into the heater and just cutting and stripping back the new wire there into the plastic plug but did you just cut six or so inches off the front end and try putting a new plug on that end?

 

[jwalterus]

I replaced mine this past fall
check continuity between the plug blades, if no continuity, crawl under, unplug, and check for continuity across terminals of the block heater itself
if there is continuity across the block heater, it's good, cut off an inch or 6 from the end hanging out the front of the truck and check continuity with the block heater again
I found a new full length (7') cord at carquest for $11, but mine had broken by the bock heater plug and wasn't easily reparable

 

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

A small spark isnt necessarily a problem... You are connecting an "Always On" 1000w draw to power. If the plug makes a slight contact while plugging it in, it will make a very faint spark. Both my diesels do it... the IDI has a new block heater and cord... my 4bt just has a new cord.

Test the plug and cord with a multimeter to be sure there isnt an issue.

 

[BrianX128]

Well to add further confusion I now think my truck might have been trying to communicate with me, as I thought for sure tomorrow was friday when I don't have to go to work and was staying at the girls house and not thursday when I in fact do have to go to work, which I didn't realize until going back and forth looking at posts on here.

So I leave her house an hour ago, rumble my way home, and just for kicks staring at the large extension cord I use here at my house figure what the hell lets plug it in here and see what happens. And the block heater works with no issue is what happened. Didn't arc except for the small little spark as I plug the contacts together in the cords. Which is totally different from the rubber burning hell spawn that was going on when trying to plug the thing in at her house earlier. I tried moving the cord around every which way and bending it where I know I bend it when I tuck it in the grill to avoid rain and snow and it just keeps on faintly humming in there.

So, I think maybe the extension cord at her house is bad / just possibly too small of a gauge or had some snow / moisture in it possibly? Either that or the problem in my cord is really intermittent. I might just order a new cord from wherever I can find a cheap one online just to feel better about it. I'd like to think that if something shorts in it, it is going to throw a breaker in the house and not melt / catch something on fire. Hmm.

Eh at least I realized what day it was and the heater, for now at least appears to like my extension cord at home. Maybe this work week has me so sleep deprived none of this ever even happened and I fell asleep watching TV at her house. Who knows haha..

 

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

Lol...

Well to be on the safe side, O'Reillys has the right cord for $15 IIRC... And they keep them in stock. Just take yours with you to.match it up.

 

[tbrumm]

Lol...

Well to be on the safe side, O'Reillys has the right cord for $15 IIRC... And they keep them in stock. Just take yours with you to.match it up.

Is that a " Zero Start" cord? Gt a part number? Thanks!

 

[madpogue]

You need a different girlfriend, or she needs a different extension cord. The longer it is, the heavier it needs to be. If hers is 100 ft and only 14 ga, it may not be up to the task. Or the socket end of her cord may just be bad.

 

[AcIdBuRn02ZTS]

Is that a " Zero Start" cord? Gt a part number? Thanks!

The ZS part number is 3600010

O'Reillys price is higher then I remembered... Maybe it was 15 for the Cummins replacement.

Anyways, might be able to find it cheaper on eBay, rockauto, etc..

 

[HS108]

or just plug it in, then turn on the outlet... That's what I do

No spark from a plug with no power

 

[snicklas]

Another tip, for someone that needs to just replace the plug on the end of the cord. I needed to replace mine a couple years ago from someone trying to "help" when we left by just yanking on the drop cord to unplug the truck. This cut the cord right behind the plug, where it pulled against the bumper. I when to my local "Big Orange Box" home store an bought one of these:

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http://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-...Dead-Front-Plug-Clear-R50-515PV-LIT/205165460

I had an instance when I plugged the truck in, the drop cord inside had gotten unplugged. Needless to say, I drove the car to work the next day..... Now when I plug the truck in, no matter where I am, I know there is power to the block heater......