Does anyone know what the amp rating is of the fusible link that powers the heater grids. All mine says on it is 10ga and it is black.

I am eventually going to change out all of the fusible links with breakers, as I have found a really nice breaker mount bracket. I will post pics as soon as it arrives and I have my first one completed.

 

 

Thanks David.
Although I am at a loss as to how a red 'X' is going to help me.

 

are you seeing the image?

 

No.

 

That's weird, I'm seeing it on two different computers.

Here's the image address ~ http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u...reheatersA.jpg

To answer your question, the grid heater assembly draws 220AMPS @ 12VDC.

 

Thanks again.
I figured out why I cannot see the image ... I'm at work (don't tell anyone ) and our network has determined photobucket is prohibited content.

 

ooooh, I thought it was 80 Amps each... looks like I'll be replacing my 2 maxi fuses I put in there with at least 100's for the first time I use it. Thanks David.

I found a site somewhere that listed the following:

White (22g) = 30a
Orange (20g)=40a
Grey (18g) = 50a
Black (10g) = 80a
Green (6g?) = 2x80a (I used a 150 ANL fuse, for the altenator feed)

 

I had my grid heaters unhooked on my 89' W350 in Brunswick Maine and it always fired up, even at -10*f. It was a little rough and smokey for about 20 minutes, but it always fired right up. I'd like to see a powerjoke do that! LOL

 

Yup, when rewiring my dually I saw that both of them were unhooked and wrapped in tape that made them look like they went into the wiring harness. Never had starting issues with that truck.

However, if some glow plugs were gone in my old IDI, or dad's powerstroke, it will NOT start unless crank the living heck out of it for 30+seconds.


BTW, hello from the Bar Harbor/Ellsworth region!

 

Mr. Partsdude,

According to the diagram the fuse links are only 12-gauge.



So I went and checked the ones on my truck and they are also both 12-gauge to the battery.



And then I wanted to check and see just how much current they were actually drawing off the starting battery so I disconnected the hot side of the solenoid coil to which I connected a short jumper wire that I can apply battery power and activate them individually.



Using an induction ammeter placed over the 6-gauge wire directly at the Grid Heater and activating the solenoid for that particular grid, it jumped right at 100-amperes, this ammeter was verified by my 400-Amp ammeter.

About the Grid Heater, 220-amps X 12 Volts = 2640 watts

What I am not sure about.
Is this heater rated at 2640-watts total, both elements of singly, since they have separate controls?

Do these heaters activate simultaneously? I have heard they can alternate singly off and on, if so at 100-amperes the heater would only put out 1200 watts.

It appears to me the current of the element is being limited by the weakest link in this case the Fuse Link which will get very warm after several seconds of operation.



Then I moved the ammeter to the fuse link at the battery and got the same 100-amperes.

This is a good reason that you want to check and make sure you have a good ground wire from your engine block directly back to the battery, with both grids cycling you need to be able to supply a path for at least 200-amperes of current back to your battery, if your ground cable is loose or anyway compromised anything conductive connected between the engine and the frame will now be the path which can include,throttle cables, transmission slip joints, U-joints.



Now the question of how big of a breaker to use, I would probably leave the Fuse Link on this circuit because they are designed to take intermittent overloads and still survive, it is like a Slo Blow Fuse but if a direct short occurs it would burn out and open the circuit before the rest of the heavier 6-gauge wire burned.

If you used a 100-amp fuse, in time you could look at the element inside and see that it has overheated and sagged even though it hasn't blown out.

So what kind of breaker holder did you find? I have my thermal breakers mounted on a mounting tray that I found at Napa, you can see it against the inner fender.





So now I have taken a simple question and made it more complicated.

Jim

 

I used a 200-amp "T" fuse to protect my 160-amp alternator and the 2-gauge welding cable.
Jim

 

Have you checked to see if you are pegging the amp meter on the low scale? You might run by an AutoZone type store and get them to put a clamp on ammeter and then test it.

 

I think Jim knows what he's doin

 

The first modification I make to every truck we get is to simply dis-connect the two wires at the battery that feed the heaters.

I have never missed them, regardless of what ice-encrusted place I may be passing through.