a 10amp timer will do, 120v x 10amp = 1200watts. but you all know how we like to overkill everything 15-20 amp +++. and you should get one that has a ground. plus life is easier with one thats digital cause it can be easier to program for most folks.
How long do you leave your block heater plugged in?
- Thread starter ghunt
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No they are just a element.
I don't have a block heater (original is 110V and we have 230V, so it doesn't work here), but i have a heater that is installed between coolant hose. I use to keep it for 1-2 hours and truck started well even in -25 (celsius).
Although i have almost intalled a new heater when i do the electrics. It's a eberpärcher 5 KW diesel heater. So hopefully during the coming winter times i don't have to plug any cords to my truck
.
Although i have almost intalled a new heater when i do the electrics. It's a eberpärcher 5 KW diesel heater. So hopefully during the coming winter times i don't have to plug any cords to my truck
.MIDNIGHT RIDER
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A LOT OF STUFF TO DISCUSS HERE
As already stated, block-heaters are same as electric water-heater elements, so no thermostat; they heat up to however many watts they are and cook at that output so long as power is available.
Here is a touchy one :
Gear Reduction Starters-----Actually, genuine gear-reduction starters spin SLOWER than standard starters, hence the name, thus with the same batteries, a gear-reduction starter will spin the engine EASIER, not faster, but it might spin the engine faster than weak batteries could spin it with a plain old starter.
There are starters that step up the gearing and DO spin the engine faster, BUT they require some serious battery-power, as they draw amps accordingly.
I have been using the same old weather-proof mechanical timer that I got at the local hardware years ago for about ten bucks; it is three-prong.
I have it set to come ON about two hours before the wife leaves for work.
When she starts her truck, she moves the cord over to my truck; since she always leaves a couple hours before I do, this works fine.
I have the timer set to go OFF about noon, long after we are gone, but no current is being used and that way I don't have to mess with the settings on those days when we may not leave so early.
Like someone already stated, on below-freezing days/nights, we should plug in the heater to prevent un-necessary abuse to the engine.
It is detrimental to the engine, everytime it is started when icey cold, quickening the failure of seals and such.
I hear people brag about never using the heater; the same people probably leave their horses out in the cold rain also; during cold weather, if the means is available, your engine will be better off being plugged in for a couple hours.
The best engine-heater I ever had was a 1500-watt (or was it 2500??) canister heater that I plumbed in a line off the radiator drain-port and "Y"ed the out-put line into the return-heater-hose.
Many simply splice these type heaters into a heater-hose, but they do not function properly when plumbed thus.
When plumbed such that the cold fluid enters the heater from down low at the bottom of the radiator, it heats this fluid and convection causes the hot fluid to cycle up and into the engine at the return heater-hose inlet, thus cold fluid is constantly being heated and cycled through the system.
After a couple hours of this, my mechanical temperature gauge would be above 100.
As already stated, block-heaters are same as electric water-heater elements, so no thermostat; they heat up to however many watts they are and cook at that output so long as power is available.
Here is a touchy one :
Gear Reduction Starters-----Actually, genuine gear-reduction starters spin SLOWER than standard starters, hence the name, thus with the same batteries, a gear-reduction starter will spin the engine EASIER, not faster, but it might spin the engine faster than weak batteries could spin it with a plain old starter.
There are starters that step up the gearing and DO spin the engine faster, BUT they require some serious battery-power, as they draw amps accordingly.
I have been using the same old weather-proof mechanical timer that I got at the local hardware years ago for about ten bucks; it is three-prong.
I have it set to come ON about two hours before the wife leaves for work.
When she starts her truck, she moves the cord over to my truck; since she always leaves a couple hours before I do, this works fine.
I have the timer set to go OFF about noon, long after we are gone, but no current is being used and that way I don't have to mess with the settings on those days when we may not leave so early.
Like someone already stated, on below-freezing days/nights, we should plug in the heater to prevent un-necessary abuse to the engine.
It is detrimental to the engine, everytime it is started when icey cold, quickening the failure of seals and such.
I hear people brag about never using the heater; the same people probably leave their horses out in the cold rain also; during cold weather, if the means is available, your engine will be better off being plugged in for a couple hours.
The best engine-heater I ever had was a 1500-watt (or was it 2500??) canister heater that I plumbed in a line off the radiator drain-port and "Y"ed the out-put line into the return-heater-hose.
Many simply splice these type heaters into a heater-hose, but they do not function properly when plumbed thus.
When plumbed such that the cold fluid enters the heater from down low at the bottom of the radiator, it heats this fluid and convection causes the hot fluid to cycle up and into the engine at the return heater-hose inlet, thus cold fluid is constantly being heated and cycled through the system.
After a couple hours of this, my mechanical temperature gauge would be above 100.
troutwest66
Ricer-Roni The IDI Treat
If it dips below 40* F I typically plug in. Easier on starter, batteries and motor. I just got five years out of a pair of batteries so I'm thinking I'm doing something right.
troutwest66
Ricer-Roni The IDI Treat
If it gets really cold I may leave it plugged in all night. I'm usually gone pretty early so don't worry much about it.
I leave mine plugged in all the time when it is below about 35.
1. It just starts easier
2. I like having heat when I first start out... depending on how cold it gets, now that I have done the EGR Delete, if its below about 15, it takes FOREVER to build heat. With the EGR, it put so much heat in the coolant, I would reach normal operating temp quickly, just like in the summer. After the delete, last winter when it was 10 on the way home from work, I had it plugged in since I have access to an outlet there, I drive 30 miles home. Most of that is at least 55 MPH some up to 70+. I have stopped at the gas station at the end of my trip by my house and leave it idle when I go in. A couple of minutes later when I come back out, it has kicked itself up to high idle because the engine is not up to temp.
3. My electric bill is fairly high, and I don't see a change in my bill wither I leave it plugged in for 2 hours, or 24/7. We have a busy household, so it being warm and ready at a moments notice is worth it to me.
I have not tried the block heater in the Jetta yet, as the PO apparently damaged the plug, and instead of getting a replacement repair plug, they cut about 6 inches off of another cord, and twisted and black taped it back together. The knot of black tape is fairly big around, so there may be some kind of connectors in there, don't know. It is all getting cut off and a proper repair plug is going to be installed.
A tip on the plug. The cord on my truck was damaged and I had to replace the plug on the block heater cord. At the time, I needed it working, so I just bought a replacement plug and installed it. Last year, I came home from work, plugged the truck into the drop cord and came in the house. The next morning it was in the single digits and it was before I switched to synthetic oil, I turned the key to "run" and the wait to start light stayed on..... and on..... and on.... and on. My first thought was Au-oh.... this truck isn't going to start. Light went out, and I got a nice slow whirr whirr and it started to slow down. The molasses in the crankcase just was not going to move..... So I opened the garage door, and looked at the other end of the drop cord. It was lying on the floor, next to the outlet. When one of my sons took out the garbage the night before, he stepped on the cord and unplugged it. So the truck was plugged into the cord.... but the cord was not plugged into the wall. I wanted to make sure this didn't happen again this year, so I was going to buy a couple (since I have 2 diesels this year) of the nice drop cords with the "pilot light" in the outlet so you know it has power. After shopping for a cord and finding out how much those cords were, I went over to the electrical parts area and looked for options. What I found was this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-...ug-Clear-R50-515PV-LIT/205165460?N=5yc1vZc336
It is a high quality replacement plug with a pilot light in it. I replaced the plug on the truck with this new plug and have been very happy with it so far. It has a nice green light that comes on when its plugged in. This way I know there is power all the way to the front bumper of the truck, and it doesn't matter what cord it is plugged into because I bring the pilot light with me instead of relying on the cord. The car will be getting this same plug this weekend, so I have this feature on both vehicles, and to clean up the hacked up mess from the PO... It is worth the time and money, especially if you need to, or already have a replacement plug on the cord.
1. It just starts easier
2. I like having heat when I first start out... depending on how cold it gets, now that I have done the EGR Delete, if its below about 15, it takes FOREVER to build heat. With the EGR, it put so much heat in the coolant, I would reach normal operating temp quickly, just like in the summer. After the delete, last winter when it was 10 on the way home from work, I had it plugged in since I have access to an outlet there, I drive 30 miles home. Most of that is at least 55 MPH some up to 70+. I have stopped at the gas station at the end of my trip by my house and leave it idle when I go in. A couple of minutes later when I come back out, it has kicked itself up to high idle because the engine is not up to temp.
3. My electric bill is fairly high, and I don't see a change in my bill wither I leave it plugged in for 2 hours, or 24/7. We have a busy household, so it being warm and ready at a moments notice is worth it to me.
I have not tried the block heater in the Jetta yet, as the PO apparently damaged the plug, and instead of getting a replacement repair plug, they cut about 6 inches off of another cord, and twisted and black taped it back together. The knot of black tape is fairly big around, so there may be some kind of connectors in there, don't know. It is all getting cut off and a proper repair plug is going to be installed.
A tip on the plug. The cord on my truck was damaged and I had to replace the plug on the block heater cord. At the time, I needed it working, so I just bought a replacement plug and installed it. Last year, I came home from work, plugged the truck into the drop cord and came in the house. The next morning it was in the single digits and it was before I switched to synthetic oil, I turned the key to "run" and the wait to start light stayed on..... and on..... and on.... and on. My first thought was Au-oh.... this truck isn't going to start. Light went out, and I got a nice slow whirr whirr and it started to slow down. The molasses in the crankcase just was not going to move..... So I opened the garage door, and looked at the other end of the drop cord. It was lying on the floor, next to the outlet. When one of my sons took out the garbage the night before, he stepped on the cord and unplugged it. So the truck was plugged into the cord.... but the cord was not plugged into the wall. I wanted to make sure this didn't happen again this year, so I was going to buy a couple (since I have 2 diesels this year) of the nice drop cords with the "pilot light" in the outlet so you know it has power. After shopping for a cord and finding out how much those cords were, I went over to the electrical parts area and looked for options. What I found was this:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-...ug-Clear-R50-515PV-LIT/205165460?N=5yc1vZc336
It is a high quality replacement plug with a pilot light in it. I replaced the plug on the truck with this new plug and have been very happy with it so far. It has a nice green light that comes on when its plugged in. This way I know there is power all the way to the front bumper of the truck, and it doesn't matter what cord it is plugged into because I bring the pilot light with me instead of relying on the cord. The car will be getting this same plug this weekend, so I have this feature on both vehicles, and to clean up the hacked up mess from the PO... It is worth the time and money, especially if you need to, or already have a replacement plug on the cord.
iv never tried my block heater.
troutwest66
Ricer-Roni The IDI Treat
Try it. Makes morning starts and drives much nicer.
quick question about replacing the block heater.
I have a brand new one, my old one works but I got the engien out soo..migth as well replace it.
Any kind of sealant needed or jsu unbolt the old one, bolt new one in and bobs your uncle?
I have a brand new one, my old one works but I got the engien out soo..migth as well replace it.
Any kind of sealant needed or jsu unbolt the old one, bolt new one in and bobs your uncle?
Kevin 007
Full-floater
I have an early 6.9 block with the block heater issue. I removed the heater and installed a frost plug; which is the only spot that a regular plug can be used on these engines. I then went and installed a lower rad hose style heater. Doesn't work quite as good as a block heater but still does the job. So regardless of what heater im using; I put it on a timer for 3-4 hours before I start it. Happy engine and happy warmer driver!
ToughOldFord
The Cold Glow-Plug
Me either. I've had 4 IDI trucks since the 90's, to this day have no idea if any of the block heaters work(ed).
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