chuck3

It most likely would burn out the heater faster, I personally would not do it. ???

PapaSmurf

I use a timer that I bought at LOWES. I have it turn on 2 hours before I need to start the truck. It does not get all that cold down here but the heater will start defrosting the windshield before the engine even starts.<br><br>Another thing I do and you can laugh if you want but I put a folder over the steering wheel telling me to unplug the heater. it works for me.<br>See Ya<br>Chris

dodgeram

I'm in a similare situation, I have a ride to work in a company truck and my truck sits for days on end, I usually use it once a week around town......<br><br>I leave my vehicles plugged in all the time all winter and I've never had a problem......<br><br>I don't have much chioce since I work shift work and I'm never sure when I'll need the truck, and it's probably not gonna start if it's not plugged in.<br><br>if it does start, at -30 it's sure not good for it, I'd rather buy a new block heater every 3 or 4 years than pay for the damage those extreme cold starts cause ......<br><br><br><br>

chuck3

[quote author=dodgeram link=board=5;threadid=6918;start=0#65424 date=1037070610]<br>I'm in a similare situation, I have a ride to work in a company truck and my truck sits for days on end, I usually use it once a week around town......<br><br>I leave my vehicles plugged in all the time all winter and I've never had a problem......<br><br>I don't have much chioce since I work shift work and I'm never sure when I'll need the truck, and it's probably not gonna start if it's not plugged in.<br><br>if it does start, at -30 it's sure not good for it, I'd rather buy a new block heater every 3 or 4 years than pay for the damage those extreme cold starts cause ......<br><br><br><br><br>[/quote]<br><br><br><br> I think I would have to agree with you on that.

dodgeram

a block heater does not cycle, it's just a simple heating coil hooked to a power wire ........<br><br>it's not powerful enough to boil your antifreeze cause there's soo much of it and so much steel to absorb that heat, plus if it's windy at all the heat is taken away pretty quickly .....

mic646

Someone needs to make a device that we can plug our block heaters into and when it gets below a set temp it will turn on automatically. ???

phox_mulder

[quote author=mic646 link=board=5;threadid=6918;start=0#65447 date=1037073365]<br>Someone needs to make a device that we can plug our block heaters into and when it gets below a set temp it will turn on automatically. ???<br>[/quote]<br><br>Might be able to rig up a digital Furnace thermostat with a relay to turn it on at a certain temp.<br>Some of the newer digital ones even have a cycle time you can preset.<br><br>phox

Commatoze

[quote author=mic646 link=board=5;threadid=6918;start=0#65447 date=1037073365]
Someone needs to make a device that we can plug our block heaters into and when it gets below a set temp it will turn on automatically. ???
[/quote]

I think I saw a post this morning from an Alaska member saying there is a device that will do this. I don't believe he gave any details though.

It's been said before, but just so you aren't shocked when you see the electric bill, leaving it plugged in for 10 hours a night will set most of us back around one dollar.

DarrellB

I park my truck inside a pole barn when I'm home but I plug it in with a timer that cycles on every 2 hours, it then stays on for 2 hours and goes back off, and comes on again in 2 hours. This seems to work best for me since I never know when I'll be leaving during the day. 8)<br><br>Darrell

CaptainDD

They make an energy save plug. The unit has a tem senser in it that attaches to the outlet hose to the heater core . If the hose is 20 degrees or colder the unit will turn the block heater and then turn it off when the hose get to 40 degrees. This unit is made in Canada by Temro's part number 290009. I purchased one for my wife at local NAPA cost $16. It take about ten minutes to hook up. If you do not want to put on vehicle just plug in between block heater and extension cord and then if it drops to 20 degrees it will stay on. I plug in about 16 hours a day each day from Oct to April. It save me about $40 per month per vehicle

SmokinShaker

How cold should I let it get before plugging mine in?