With our start of snow and cold weather here in Spokane Washington (finally ), I have been getting ready with my winter routine of preparing my truck like checking my batteries, coolant, window de-icer, tires, snow-brush etc. and will probably need to plug in next week as the low will be -10 degrees F. I have not plugged in yet and pay the price traveling to work as I drive only 10 miles, 5 of which I can still see my breath in the cab. My neighboor who is a Powerstroke owner plugs in when it freezes (> or = 35 degrees) but I am lazy as I have to get up an hour early and throw a cord out my 4th story bedroom window and go down stairs to plug in 2 hours before I leave at 6am (although I have considered tapping into the light post downstairs ) Of course I have to "roll-up" and bring the cord inside when I leave......I tried leaving it on my porch once but found that it froze overnight, stayed coiled up when I tried to throw it back down and landed on the top of the parking canopy.......I am sure the neighboors appreciated there wake up call 2h early from that sound rather than the CTD rattling their windows at 6am ........

Anyway, I usually wait until the temp. is around 0 degrees or less. Anybody do the same?

Thanks,

Tom

 

when its below 35ish is my deal....put a timer on it so it comes on about 3 hours b4 you need it

 

I plug in whenever its cold out.

 

I moved down here so I don't have to use it any more!!! It's been getting down in the low 20's at night and so far it starts on the first turn or two. When I lived in Mich I only plugged in below -10F. I sure don't miss that weather!!!

 

I plug in when it hits about -20*C so I guess that would be -5*F but I have been able to start it at as low as -30*F without it pluged in.

 

Like Holycack, I usually wait until the lower temps hit -18 C (0 F). Truck sits at a job site in -20/25 C not heated.

Have you considered a "rubber" extension cord? Great for cold weather, always flexible. I also put her on a timer for 4 hrs prior to start.

Recently re-flashed for the cold weather high idle/3 cyl drop. Love it.

Nieghbours are used to the blue cloud.

 

I usually dont plug mine in until its about -20*F. I would recomend getting a differant cord. You can get a cord thats ment for outdoor use and doesn't freeze up. A 50' cord is like 20 bucks.

 

When it hits the 'teens, I run mine 2 or 3 hours.

 

I plug mine in whenever it is below 40F just seems to start so much easier less strain on starter that I don't want to replace I know it isnt neccessary but it's what I do

 

Its not about starting for me.
A warm diesel is a happy diesel.
Cold starts are hard on these engines.

 

Ditto!
I believe Cummins recommends plugging in below 40* F. (heard that from someone here).

I use forecast of overnite freezing as guideline (timer set for 4 hrs before). Below that my engine starts fine but SOUNDS like it's internally hemorrhaging! Anything that sounds like that can't be very good.
May not be as bad as it sounds, but I feel better hearing it purr on cool mornings. (We have it tough down here, eh? Freezing overnite is cold for us!)
RJ

 

My over the road truck driver friends plug in under 40°F and their engines easily go over a million miles. Figure I'll do the same.

 

I plug in at about 40, too, mainly just based on the sound it makes when it starts if I don't plug it in. Much noisier. Plus my commute is short, about 4 miles, so I figure whatever heat it can have in it before it starts can only help.

 

I plug in under 30 about 3 hours before lighting off. And then I let it run 15 minutes before I take off. It will actually defrost some of the windshield during this 15 minutes.

 

I plug mine in after 40* F. I have my extension cord plugged into a timer to come on at 3 am and I leave for work at 7:30. It works out nice having that way. Saves a little on electricity too.


Justin-