engine heater
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 850
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From: Fredericksburg, TX
Many members have their trucks plugged in to a timer, and set it 3 hrs before they need to leave. Keeps the elc. bill down, some, and leaves plenty of time for the grid heaters to do their job.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 843
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From: Kansas City, MO
Originally posted by dodgediesel4x4
Many members have their trucks plugged in to a timer, and set it 3 hrs before they need to leave. Keeps the elc. bill down, some, and leaves plenty of time for the grid heaters to do their job.
Many members have their trucks plugged in to a timer, and set it 3 hrs before they need to leave. Keeps the elc. bill down, some, and leaves plenty of time for the grid heaters to do their job.
Administrator
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,569
Likes: 40
From: League City, TX
For those of you worried about the electric bill :
BTW our heaters are 750 watts by using Ohm's law.
Here's another tip that is out of the ordinary. Plug your block heater in at the end of the day when you are done with the truck. Here is the thinking behind it. Its easier to keep something warm that is already warm, that to take something cold and make it warm. Just an idea.
Originally posted by brohloff
Easy to calculate the cost to run the heater.
Look on your elec bill and find the cost per kilowatt hour.
Our last bill was 6.6 cents/kilowatt (1000 watts) hour.
Lets assume the heater is a 1000 watt heater. (I've heard some say 750, some say 1000, some say 1500 watt - So 1000 is a good average number).
A 1000 watt heater, run for 1 hr would cost 6.6 cents. Therefore leaving it plugged in all night (say 9pm to 7 am) is 10 hrs is 6.6 x 10 = 66 cents added to your electric bill!
Buy a timer, do 4 hrs, cost = 26 cents, save 40 cents off the 66 cents and pay for an $8 timer in 20 nights............Peanuts compared to a $35K Truck !!!
PS: If truth be told the few cents spent heating the truck engine is probably more than made up in fuel saved warming a cold diesel engine (Cold engines eat far more fuel than a warm engine - not to calc in the quicker confort factor).
Bottom line - Running a heater is FREE (No kidding)!
Brohloff/retired engineer(can't you tell?)
Easy to calculate the cost to run the heater.
Look on your elec bill and find the cost per kilowatt hour.
Our last bill was 6.6 cents/kilowatt (1000 watts) hour.
Lets assume the heater is a 1000 watt heater. (I've heard some say 750, some say 1000, some say 1500 watt - So 1000 is a good average number).
A 1000 watt heater, run for 1 hr would cost 6.6 cents. Therefore leaving it plugged in all night (say 9pm to 7 am) is 10 hrs is 6.6 x 10 = 66 cents added to your electric bill!
Buy a timer, do 4 hrs, cost = 26 cents, save 40 cents off the 66 cents and pay for an $8 timer in 20 nights............Peanuts compared to a $35K Truck !!!
PS: If truth be told the few cents spent heating the truck engine is probably more than made up in fuel saved warming a cold diesel engine (Cold engines eat far more fuel than a warm engine - not to calc in the quicker confort factor).
Bottom line - Running a heater is FREE (No kidding)!
Brohloff/retired engineer(can't you tell?)
Here's another tip that is out of the ordinary. Plug your block heater in at the end of the day when you are done with the truck. Here is the thinking behind it. Its easier to keep something warm that is already warm, that to take something cold and make it warm. Just an idea.
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 14,672
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From: Montana
Originally posted by jrs_dodge_diesel
Here's another tip that is out of the ordinary. Plug your block heater in at the end of the day when you are done with the truck. Here is the thinking behind it. Its easier to keep something warm that is already warm, that to take something cold and make it warm. Just an idea.
Here's another tip that is out of the ordinary. Plug your block heater in at the end of the day when you are done with the truck. Here is the thinking behind it. Its easier to keep something warm that is already warm, that to take something cold and make it warm. Just an idea.
Administrator
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,569
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From: League City, TX
Originally posted by infidel
You're right it is easier but it makes no difference in power use since our block heaters don't have a thermostat, when plugged in they are always on using the same amount of juice.
You're right it is easier but it makes no difference in power use since our block heaters don't have a thermostat, when plugged in they are always on using the same amount of juice.
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Registered User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Camden, Ar.
Hey guys I'm confused. Is there both a block heater and a grid heater in our trucks? I thought, probably wrong, that there was only grid heaters. What would happen if you left your truck plugged in and fired up the engine? Would something overload and short out?
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6,522
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From: Sandy, Utah
No.
Grid heaters get their DC power from the battery,
block heater gets it's AC power from a 110v receptacle on your house or garage.
In fact, Cummins recommends leaving the block heat plugged in for a short while when starting in extreme cold.
phox
Grid heaters get their DC power from the battery,
block heater gets it's AC power from a 110v receptacle on your house or garage.
In fact, Cummins recommends leaving the block heat plugged in for a short while when starting in extreme cold.
phox
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3,988
Likes: 7
From: Nebraska
Originally posted by phox_mulder
In fact, Cummins recommends leaving the block heat plugged in for a short while when starting in extreme cold.
In fact, Cummins recommends leaving the block heat plugged in for a short while when starting in extreme cold.
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 8,234
Likes: 1
From: Texas/Oklahoma Border
Geico266 - That's sounds even better than being in an attached, semi warm, garage! I have to open the garage door to start my truck.
"T" - Two different functions. Grid Heaters heat cold air going into the engine when it's first started (replacing need for glow plugs)....Block heater pre- heats the coolant in the block!
RJ
"T" - Two different functions. Grid Heaters heat cold air going into the engine when it's first started (replacing need for glow plugs)....Block heater pre- heats the coolant in the block!
RJ
Glad you got me straight. 
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