It's that time of year again. Going to need the block heater soon. I want to buy a timer for mine, but I would like to get a heavy duty one, not a wimpy little christmas light timer. Does anyone know what the current draw on the block heater is?

Thanks,
~Rob

 

750 watts ................ about 6.5 amps

 

$10 at Home Depot or Lowe's will get you a 15 amp 3 prong timer. It's working well for me.

 

Thanks for the help ya'll. Man, I hoped when I moved from PA to Texas, I wouldn't have to worry about a block heater.

~Rob

 

texas ..................why would you need a block heater???

 

That's what I thought too . It doesn't get "Canada cold (colder than a witches you know what in a brass bra doing pushups in the snow)" down here, but it does get cold enough to use the block heater.

~Rob

 

best price I found was at wally world. 1000 watt for $6.99. 3 prong, even had a "rain cover". Good luck, Kevin

 

Besides a $10 timer I run a $15 line voltage thermostat in series. Have it set so the heater only comes on below 40°. Saves even more on the power bill

 

OK- here's a stupid question, but isn't the block heater run off a thermostat as set up from the factory? I'm a volunter fireman- so there's no telling what time of the night I might have to run out- I don't think a timer would work- for me.

Anyway- I just find this a curious thought- hooking up an external timer/ thermostat- have you guys had problems with the electric bill?

 

The block heater has no thermostat, if it's plugged in it's on all the time.
The heater uses 0.7 kWh, multiply it times your power rate to see how much it costs.
US average is 10¢ per kWh which comes out to 7¢ per hour or $1.68 per day or $50.40 per month assuming plugged in 24/7.

 

Nope. Just raised to be thrifty.

 

Aha! Here's my question, I've been waiting to ask this...

I've thought about taking a couple of trolling motor batteries, since they don't get used during the winter, and hooking them up to a power inverter and then plugging in a timer for the block heater. This would only be used for really cold days, we had a few last winter where she was quite a bit below zero and the truck didn't "enjoy" starting. I figure I can set it to come on about an hour or so before I get outside after school. What do you guys think? I will add that the grids are functioning properly and I do plug it in overnight...

 

Matt - Assuming 100% efficiency from the inverter (impossible) you will pull about 60 amps from the batteries. Real-world this will mean at least 75 amps. With a bank of batteries this can be done, but how are you gonna recharge them every day? BTW, keep in mind that dead batteries freeze. I think you should just keep doing what you're doing, it'll start if the batteries are good and your fuel isn't gelled.

 

How much does a replacement block heater cost? What's the useful life of one in a truck?

 

what i did last winter cause my 99 powerchoke would not start in really cold weather without it being plugged in was i took a coleman jump starter and plugged a power inverter into the 12 volt outlet of the jumper, then i plugged the truck in. had to do it at work because i can't plug the truck in at work. heck this year though my first winter with a cummins, i am not going to plug it in because the guy who owned it before me had it in Alaska and never ever plugged it in there once. the plug is still in its factory wrapper.