Block heater

[wil440]

98.5 24v. truck has a block heater but it is 110volt 3 pin. I have a transformer from 240v to 110volt  so no problem  on that side but on the American plug what is what ? I'd guess big pin is earth and other 2 are live and neutral ? Does it matter which is which as it does here (England) 

 

[Mopar1973Man]

Here you go...

 

[wil440]

Thank you  sir block heater here we go

[Mopar1973Man]

Block heater only needed below 0*F (-17*C). 

[Marcus2000monster]

17 hours ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Block heater only needed below 0*F (-17*C). 

Unless you like a warm truck when you climb in without extended idle time. 

[Stanley]

Always been curious what temp the 2nd gen block heater got up to or maintained....

[dripley]

I use mine when gets in the mid to low twenties. 30 minutes plugged in will get me to around 60*. That is a plenty for me. Heater will be blowing warm air after 5 to 10 minures of driving. My grids are disconnected and it is much quieter on start up. I have never left it plugged in for any extended period to see how high it will go, but I am thinking in the 80 to 90 degree range depending how cold and windy it may be.

[Sycostang67]

I leave mine plugged in overnight and depending on the outside temps, will be anywhere from 90-110 when I start it. 

[Mopar1973Man]

I don't bother with a block heater at all. Since 99.9% of the time I'm climbing out of the canyon heading south. The grade gets heat in the cab by about 2-3 miles easy. Most mornings I will let it idle for about 5 to 10 minutes before leaving too. 

[wil440]

I just like the idea of being able to hot start if I want and as the block has it fitted I may as well have the kit to plug it in, plus all engines are better hot start as most wear is caused cold especially diesels, 32 litre cat is the biggest I work on so know a bit about wear, Cat 769's with the 3408 rumble the precombustion chambers to bits when they are coughing and spluttering on cold starts, not quite the same technology as a 5.9 granted    be also nice to use a oil accumulator to get oil pressure before a start especially in cold weather, there used to be a kit IIRC for performance 440's and the like but I've forgotten who made it or sold it, might have been Mopar Perf or maybe Ray Barton

[Mopar1973Man]

Not to argue... But... if that is true you better keep a generator and cord in the bed of the truck anytime you go anywhere. Once you leave home what is going to warm it up when you away from power? Like myself I can stop at our morning breakfast stop in Weiser by the time we are done with breakfast on a single digit morning I can lose all the coolant temperature. I've seen this a bunch in minus weather. I gave up on the whole block heater thing and look for ways of generating heat when in the field. Hence the high idle kit. Too many time gone to fire calls and being in the middle of nowhere. Yes in Idaho there are still homes without power to this day.

 

Yeah, power I create most of my own.

Edited January 28, 2019 by Mopar1973Man

[wil440]

Valid point  

[01cummins4ever]

I tend to not spoil my truck with plugging it in all the time. one thing it can double your electric bill if not careful. and I like to know my truck will start when away from power on the sub zero mornings. But lately when below zero, it does get about 45 min.to an hour on the plug but that’s just cuz she is showing some age, Other than that it’s been nothing but grids 

[pepsi71ocean]

15 hours ago, Stanley said:

Always been curious what temp the 2nd gen block heater got up to or maintained....

 

Depending on temperature I've seen 90F at 0F out, and upwards of 110F in the 20F temperature.

[Marcus2000monster]

Like this morning it’s 8 degrees out and I just found out my block heater didn’t run at all so it will have only run about half an hour when I go start my truck. I’ll prob cycle the grids twice and she should fire right up. 

[Mopar1973Man]

This why I'm not in favor of the block heater idea because you might be able to have block heater when you are at home but when you get to where you are going it's going to sit out in the cold regardless. Then you end up firing up cold without the block heater. Like I made the comment above if its that required you better pack a generator and extension cord. When you get to the truck you better fire up the generator for 45 minutes to warm the block up before starting. I know no one will do this. But that is the point if a block heater is so required this is the only method you should use to start up. 

 

Like up here I see trucks sitting in distant parking lots for days if not weeks while the owner snowmobiles into a remote cabin and stays for winter vacation, Christmas, etc. No one has a generator in the bed of there trucks. Sometimes weather conditions can be as low as -20*F. 

 

Another great example. Logging company right in New Meadows, ID I roll through in the morning and watching the crew fire up. NONE of the trucks have block heaters and sitting there blowing white smoke as they warm up slowly. Again New Meadows I've seen temps as low as -40*F. 

 

Closest weather tower to me.

https://lb.511.idaho.gov/idlb/rwisstations/rwisstation.jsf?id=9&view=state&text=m&textOnly=false

Edited January 29, 2019 by Mopar1973Man

[dripley]

I use mine when I can and its cold, not because it starts any easier but that it is not as angry when it starts. I started mine once at -10* s, no plug in, did not wait on the grids to warm up, my mistake. She fired right off. I did not know an engine could make that much noise and not fall out of the truck. 

[IBMobile]

To block heat or not to block heat....It is better to heat some of the time than to start cold all of the time.

[Mopar1973Man]

Like myself my truck stay in a unheated shop above freezing typically. Now once on the roll it cold start when I roll again. Like I've got 4 hours to wait in Ontario, OR before heading home. Block heater would be nice but no power available. No need for block heater at home with garage temps around 35 to 40 F.

 

Add-on: It was only +3F in Midvale when I rolled through.

Edited January 29, 2019 by Mopar1973Man

[kzimmer]

It was -30°C (-22°F) this morning, plus a dirty wind chill on top of that to make it "feel" like -46°C. The cummins is still in pieces so I'm not driving it until spring, but the Jetta diesel started, painfully but it started. Smoked like a train, and knocked like crazy. If it wasn't plugged in with a coolant heater, there's no chance it would have ran.