Grid heater bypass question.

[dripley]

Some OE electrical parts were made by SMP. Cruise control switches for one.

[Leaky88]

Thanks ALL.
Appreciate everyone’s input.  

[Mopar1973Man]

Still to this day I do the control of the grid heater manually. April I will disconnect the main power feed to the grid heaters. Then in October I will hook up the the power lead again. My truck will start as low as +20°F above without grid heaters. I stumbles a little but starts fairly easy. At +32°F starts like a summer morning. I don't even consider block heater till below 0°F.

[015point9]

1 hour ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Still to this day I do the control of the grid heater manually. April I will disconnect the main power feed to the grid heaters. Then in October I will hook up the the power lead again. My truck will start as low as +20°F above without grid heaters. I stumbles a little but starts fairly easy. At +32°F starts like a summer morning. I don't even consider block heater till below 0°F.

 

Question... disconnecting grid heaters like you do doesn't set off any codes?

[Mopar1973Man]

37 minutes ago, 015point9 said:

 

Question... disconnecting grid heaters like you do doesn't set off any codes?

 

Yes and no...

 

Yes if you disconnect the little leads on the solenoids. That will trip both the P0380 and P0382. 

 

No. if you disconnect the battery power at the drivers side battery and pull the main power leads. This will not set any codes and allows for normal operation but there is no power to the solenoids. ECM is still hooked up and triggering the solenoids but just no power to the grid heater.

 

This is what the solenoid is suppose to do as well. You can switch on and off the power to the main leads. As another member posted up that the solenoid burned. With my method there is no contacts to burn or have to toggle the solenoid on and off. 

 

For me April is the spring start and typically the weather is above +32°F outside there is no need for grid heater all spring, summer, fall. Then in October the weather get cold and I hook them back up and run them again till April. This saves the contacts in the solenoids on the fender not having to preheat and post heat every start. PRE-HEAT is most done with the IAT. The post heat is done by BATTERY TEMP sensor. So like I could be fully warmed up, MPG fooler ON (143°F IAT) and still end up with post heat because the battery temp could be below 60°F which will cause post heat regardless of ECT temperature and IAT temperature. 

[dripley]

Mine have beeb disconnected for the past 5 years or so. If it gets really cold I pug in on a timer set to come on 30 to 40 minutes before l leave for work. Heat comes on quick too.

[LorenS]

I guess I'm the unicorn in this bunch. I figure electricity used to preheat is not only a little electricity saved cranking, bit also allows my engine to start burning clean faster - better for my oil, better for my fuel consumption.

 

I also plug it in below about 40F, for about 3 hours. Same reasons, plus defroster works almost immediately. Costs me about 18 cents in Kansas City.

[Mopar1973Man]

Being my random travels it makes no sense to plug in. Some days I don't leave home other days I might leave at 8am, 9am, 10am etc. Not to mention im on limited power here being daylight hours are short.

 

If im heading south im warmed up in 5 miles with heat. Go north it will just about take 10 miles. 

 

If I want super fast warm up set 3 CYL mode flip on the exhaust brake. EGTs sore to 900 to 1000. I can go from -20F to fully warmed in under 10 minutes.

[dripley]

1 hour ago, LorenS said:

I guess I'm the unicorn in this bunch. I figure electricity used to preheat is not only a little electricity saved cranking, bit also allows my engine to start burning clean faster - better for my oil, better for my fuel consumption.

 

I also plug it in below about 40F, for about 3 hours. Same reasons, plus defroster works almost immediately. Costs me about 18 cents in Kansas City.

When l was working Tennessee a couple winters back the overnight temps were near 20 regularly. Had mine plugged in on a timer for 45 minutes before l left. The block temp was around 70* in that time span. Defroster worked right away and the heater was warm within 5 miles. This with the grids disconnected. You ought to try that and see how that works. Save some wear and tear on the block heater. I do like using the block heater as compared to the grid heaters. Just my  worth.

1 hour ago, Mopar1973Man said:

Being my random travels it makes no sense to plug in. Some days I don't leave home other days I might leave at 8am, 9am, 10am etc. Not to mention im on limited power here being daylight hours are short.

 

If im heading south im warmed up in 5 miles with heat. Go north it will just about take 10 miles. 

 

If I want super fast warm up set 3 CYL mode flip on the exhaust brake. EGTs sore to 900 to 1000. I can go from -20F to fully warmed in under 10 minutes.

Cant disagree with that. My am leave times are pretty constant. Makes it easier for the plug in method.

Edited November 26, 2020 by dripley

[LorenS]

Yes, no limited power here. Coal burns great regardless of the sun shining or wind blowing!

 

On the weekends I plug in the truck then step into the garage when I wake up and flip the switch. I don't idle my truck to warm it up.

[dripley]

Some frosty mornings l will run mine for 3 to 5 minutes and others not. I have often wondered how many hours of idling my truck has on it. When its my office in winter and summer it sits and idles several hours a day. Its not unusual for me to see 400 to 450 miles on a tank full of fuel during hot and cold weather.