magiriano

I've been asked several times in pvt messages about my engine block heater/cab heater timer set up so I finally took some pictures. Needless to say it's a little late and they're not as clear as if I would've taken them at the time of the installation.This is my cheap alternative to Webasto at a fraction of the cost.
However I live and work in the city where I have power outlets or a generator available so this might not be a solution to everyone.

Album is here:
http://s788.photobucket.com/user/mag...?sort=3&page=1

The engine block cord now runs inside the cab, together with an extension cord that runs from the bumper to the cab. The 2 outlet timer is then plugged into the extension cord. The block heater and the cab heater are plugged into the 2 outlet timer. Timer has a 7 day/ and 7 different daily settings.
Mon-Friday it turns on/off every 2 -3 hrs for 1/2hr to 1.5 hr as following:
12AM-12:30 AM, 2:30AM-3:30AM, 5:00AM-7:30AM, 11AM-12:30PM, 3:00PM-4:30PM,5:30PM-6:30PM, 8:30PM-9:30PM
These are the hours that work for me as I leave for work between 6-7 AM, I might go for lunch/materials or estimates at noon and if I don't leave work at 4PM before the rush hour I'd leave after 6 PM, and, sometimes if I work late I leave at 9-9:30
Sat and Sun it turns on at 7:30AM-9:00AM and a cpl different settings, however if I don't have to go anywhere I won't plug it in until the morning or switch it to ON instead of AUTO. On weekends I usually use the Mrs.'s VW anyway.
And if I don't have to go to work or be somewhere the next morning I just won't plug it in.
Timer can be set on AUTO, ON or Random. I never use random, it was probably meant for home owners that go on vacation, but I guess it could work if i leave the truck parked and go away for a few days.
The whole set up was under $100 and I used some old extension cords that i had kicking around, shrink tube, electrical tape and about 20 ft of the rippled 1/4" or 3/8 plastic tube that protects the wire from Auto Value. Also a few ft of 1/2" rippled plastic -DON'T KNOW IT'S NAME SO GO EASY ON ME PLEASE.
I run the cables thru the frame in a couple of places to protect it if I go off road, then it goes thru the fender(behind it), by the front passenger door inside the cab. I also had to make a brace out of an aluminum scrap to hold the cab heater as I didn't wanted to bolt it on plastic. Timer is velcroed with self adhesive 4" wide velcroe tape from Home Depot(I had some left over from a job but you could also use double sided tape

Let me know if you have any question, if you need an explanation to any of the pictures send me the link for each individual one that you want explained and I'll explain it to you.

For ex:

http://s788.photobucket.com/user/mag...tml?sort=3&o=7
In this picture, the bottom wire is the radio antena, the top are the speaker wires etc, and the middle is where my cords go inside the cab. The space between inner/outer fender has a foam that I believe it has a predrilled hole or maybe I drilled a hole in it, I don't remember as it's been 3 years since I've done this. Regardless, nothing to it

http://s788.photobucket.com/user/mag...tml?sort=3&o=9
This is the cord going from the front bumper

http://s788.photobucket.com/user/mag...ml?sort=3&o=10
You can't really see it too well, but on the hole on the right where it exits the frame, the second cord coming from the engine block heater is now attached to the cord that goes left to right from the bumper to the cab

http://s788.photobucket.com/user/mag...ml?sort=3&o=11
In this picture, both cords binded together and covered with 1/2" rippled plastic tube and electrical tape are now exiting the frame and going thru the fender(between inner/outer fender) where they'll exit at the door with the antena cable then enter the cab as I described in the first picture


Also, the plastic cover where the timer is now attached needs to come off so you can reach the wires coming into the cab and to hide the extension cord plug/excess wires. The cord running into the cab from the bumper has a female outlet and the timer plug goes into it, and they're all packed up in the factory hole in the pillar behind the plastic cover. As I said it's been 3 years.
If you intend to keep the truck or take off the heater/return it to original set up when sold you don't have to be as **** with the wires but I like things looking as close to factory installation as possible. In case I need to bring it back to original state there will be no signs of aftermarket work except for two tiny out of sight holes under the dash board where I installed the aluminum homemade brace for the heater(made it out of a piece of scrap I had lying around).
Should've taken pics when I installed everything but I hate cameras and taking pictures.


If anyone wants to take a better look and knows their way around a camera for better pictures, I live in Riverbend/Quarry Park in Calgary send me a PM for the address and my number.