block heater

I have a timer that works great. bought at lowes for $12.00 3 years ago.got the exact same one last week as I may need another at big lots for $4.00 I think block heaters cost more than stated. I watch my elec meter & had my kid plug in my truck & it does go round a bit faster. One thing to consider is a oil pan heater in the future.

 

if you could put in a recirculating coolant heater i think they are the best--normal blosk heaters on some applications leave one or 2 cylinders colder--and with the recirc type you have nice hot air in cab right away as well
but i do imagine they cost more to run---just run a cord to the house next door

 

Can you set that timer for once every other year when you need it down there?

 

Hey ya know, one day a few weeks ago it was 18 degrees in the morning. I started my truck & it ook the oil psi gauge a few seconds to even move at all & then it climbed very slow upwards. I think if you use the oil pan heater instead of any type of water heater, you will save the huge wear on cold starts. the oil is so thick at that temp, it has to be hard to make it to all the parts needing it. plus since heat rises, the oil heater would heat the block too eliminating the need for a water heater.

 

Have both block and oil pan heater here. Use oil pan heater in addition to block heater when it gets very cold. Makes me feel good about startup when oil pan is warm also.

 

Oh, agreed, just giving you a hard time. Mine heats the oil cooler (I think) so that would heat the water a little too, but it has cycle around to the oil pump. I try not to think about it too hard.

 

A circulating block heater is a great thing to warm the block, you want to plumb it from the front of the block to the back of the block. you want it to heat the motor not the Cab.
Core plug heaters are nearly standard and do the job very well.
Oil pan heaters are great when it is getting colder, it gets the oil circulating a lot quicker. It also allows the motor to crank a lot faster.
The batteries are also something that should be looked at, putting blankets on them works great especially when really cold.
You can put all or some of the heaters in place and the colder it gets the more you plug in.
The core plug and oil pan should be first then the battery blankets, then the circulating heater

 

if you plumb the recirc heater in right --it will heat everythinjg--rad/block/cab/oil--i cant remember what kind we used--but they were very big units--about the size of a thermos bottle--that was all we used and they were great---but they were never cycled on and off--but a 3 hour interval should be enough

 

keep in mind if you plan to run the block heater off an inverter, your power requirements change.
Not allowing for loss due to resistance and the inverter itself, a 1500w heater will draw 125amps of 12v per hour.

 

battery wont take that draw for long...