I sometimes go 2 or 3 weeks without driving the beast. I do like to keep it plugged in just in case the wife's truck won't start some cold morning though. Does it hurt anything to be plugged in constantly that long? I don't pay for electricity, so it is not hurting my wallet.

 

ok first off Whats the temp, COLD to you there???,,, cause here in places we leave them pluged in 24/7 if need be but then the temps here frequently drop down to -50 below zero... yes thats MINUS 50 degrees below, here right now its minus 20 below, also some times we dont leave them plugged in I have mine on a timer it comes on for 3hours before I leave, by then and the auto start its blowing warm in the cab when I take off, I do Idle it for about 15 min on High Idle it goes ther automatically.. also have a transmission oil pan heater and some other things keeps her all toasty, But then again I pay for the electricity.
so how long can you leave it pluged in, well here is an Idea to think about, Up on the north slope, they leave them pluged in from winters start till winters end, up ther its about 7 months.believe it or not those heater elements are tough.

 

When its -20 or -25 here like it was 2 weeks ago, (now only -7) I have the block heater plugged in to a timmer and it comes on 3 hours before I am to leave. 3 hours is enough time to heat it up good, WTS light doesn't come on even at -20. I have an oil pan heater that comes on with a different timmer set for 4 hours before. I only use the oil pan heater if it gets below zero. You have instant oil pressure and instant heat.

 

^^ Like he said but how cold are you looking at in AZ? Mine will start just fine to -30* without being plugged in. It may not like it but it will. Plugging in a truck for weeks on end "just in case" even if you aren't paying for the power is just wrong. Get a timer and run it for 2-3 hrs before each morning if you really feel the need.

 

to answer the actual question. they can be left plugged in indefinately.

all the standby diesel generators I work on day to day in Calgary in buildings downtown to hospitals have the gensets generally inside heated enclosures or actually inside a heated controlled room with a minimum 1 coolant heater. on all the time 24/7/365. they get run at best. 1 hour a month if the power doesn't go out.

 

Slightly different animal as stand-by generators are 'circulating' heaters (at least all the ones we spec are) but the point is the same, yes you can.

 

Thanks guys. No, we are not -50, but we do hit single digits regularly. Not all of AZ is balmy. And yes, when we were in Idaho, I regularly started the truck without being plugged in at these temps after it sat all day at work. My logic is why strain the batteries on a cold start when it could be plugged in and started warm?

 

My logic tells me who ever is paying the electricity will notice a large increase in usage and will eventually figure out your truck sits their plugged in all the time. Your rent may go up in the future, or who ever is paying for electricity will get sick of paying for it and turn off the outlets. And you will be sitting there wondering why.

 

I plug mine in every night all night after it starts to get below 30 degrees at night
and never had an issue
although it has sat 4 days at -40 without being plugged in at all and she fires up just fine
Now my old '85 chev 6.2 'burban was a different story,
it liked to cook off coolant when pluged in for extended periods but it also wouldnt start at below 30 degrees without the block heater all night and a sniff of ether in the morning

I still keep an eye on my coolant level in the cummins and remember nothing lasts forever

 

Not really different at all. they are "circulating" by nature, but there is no pump in them. they circulate by convection. it's still just an element in the coolant.

 

You would defiantly want those standby generators as warm as possible when sitting since they go to rated RPM/full load within 5sec of starting.


You're worried about plugging your truck in during single digit temps on the off chance you might have to drive it one morning? I say leave it unplugged and if you do need it just let it idle a few more minutes. Suck it up. If you truck won't start in single digit temps then it has a problem. I'd be more worried you'd forget to unplug it.

From my point of view ALL of AZ is balmy, even in single digit temps.

 

I run mine on a timer for four hour in the morning before I head out for a drive.

 

I'll only plug in if it is below 0. I would not leave one plugged in for hrs on end.. iT really isn't necessary.

 

Wouldn't pass my commissioningelement and pump required.

Cya

 

I don't commission gensets, maybe they do have pumps, sure dont look it it though. i have a 1000w external on my old truck with no pump in it.


the point I was trying to make is you can leave diesel engines plugged in, or on a webasto indefinately. it won't hurt it.