Block Heaters

[Cathy]

I have a l3800dt can I leave my block heater plugged in all day so it is ready to go when I get home or should it be set on a timer?

 

[NS kubota]

I have a l3800dt can I leave my block heater plugged in all day so it is ready to go when I get home or should it be set on a timer?

You can leave the block heater plugged in all day but will add to your hydro bill. We used to leave the block heater in on one of our fire trucks plugged in all the time and it cost us about $3 a day about 10 years ago so about $90-$100 month. we geared up a timer so it only ran a few hours a day say 1 hour on and 3 off but was also in a heated garage. The only reason we plugged the heater in was to reduce the smoke from the exhaust. So you should be able to try a timer set for about 2-3 hours before you plan to use the tractor, our new Kubota l3901 does not have a heater just glow plugs. You will just have to play with the timer to see what works best when the temperature is milder you should be able to get away with less time heating and maybe more in the lower temps. I hope this helps
Jamie

 

[Cathy]

Thanks, we would only plug it in on days when we know we will need it that night after work. I need a new timer and wanted to make sure it was not an issue.

 

[mdhughes]

For my Dodge Ram with a Cummins engine I have a script that I run on the computer that check the outside temperature four times in the morning. I have a X10 outlet that I plug the block heater into.

At 4:00 and less than 10
At 4:30 and less than 20
At 5:00 and less than 30
At 5:30 and less than 40
At 9:00 turn the outlet off

I leave the house around 6:00 and it seems to help. I'm a little geeky and had all the stuff to do this, I would think just a mechanical timer would work just as well. Just make sure that it is rated for the amps that the block heater pulls.

 

[85Hokie]

Thanks, we would only plug it in on days when we know we will need it that night after work. I need a new timer and wanted to make sure it was not an issue.

Cathy,

Make sure you invest in a "good" timer, one that can handle the min 15 amps. I find the old fashion ones work very well, the kind you had to pull the little teeth up and down, also I have a few of the newer digital timers, sometimes a little more tricky to get it programmed but works very well too. Finding one that has a ground plug on it usually means spending a little more and getting a little better timer too.

 

[Tooljunkie]

i remember people using a cord with a thermostat type switch, only came on when temp was low enough. My heater is 750 watts. Keeps seat warm too. Helps when its in a cozy little insulated garage that is just below freezing. Was -30 outside and -5 celcius inside. Was easy starting.

 

[gssixgun]

Been there done this

Buy this one it really does work at over 100' the other two I bought were useless I had to walk halfway to the barn ...

http://www.amazon.com/HW2190-Heavy-Duty-Remote-Control/dp/B000BQRHMM


I have that out in the pole barn and the Block heater plugged into it I also have two of those Mag heaters from the old tractor attached under the Hydraulic reservoir but that is your choice.. But it sure warms it all up much faster

Inbetween the heaters and the outlet I have a $1 nightlight from Walmart..

I wake up and hit the on button the nightlight confirms that the circuit is live and I am still in my PJ's and Robe

Start coffee, watch some TV and then have a cup, while the overalls are tumbling in the dryer to warm them up too..

Put on overalls trudge through the snow to start the Tractor, trudge back and have another cup of coffee while tractor is running up.

Fill thermos, trudge back out unplug power cords and go clear snow...

Come home and plug everything back in,,, works great

See the light above the bed of the truck you can just make it out, that tells me everything is warming up on the Kubota

I tried leaving it on, that cost a ton each month
I tried Therocubes, that doesn't really work that well because it is by Temp, and unfortunately a clear night with no snow is often colder then a cloudy snowy night
I thought of a timer but again a waste of money and no real solution for me since I can't "time" the snow

So a remote switch it was

Hope that helps

 

[D2Cat]

Looks like a good layer of frosting on your building. We got 25 MPH winds, but no moisture!

 

[gssixgun]

Finally got around to doing a Vid of how everything is easily hooked up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__UFau0yKyU

 

[sheepfarmer]

Great video! I like the idea especially because my tractor is in the haybarn with horses, and I am always worried about having anything running when I am not around, and it is just far enough from the house to make it a PITA to go plug something in. Also like the idea of putting the coveralls in the dryer first....

 

[PHPaul]

Couple of questions:

1. What is the total wattage that switch is handling? Most of the ones I see are rated for <1000 watts. I'd expect one (much less three...) heater would pretty well overwhelm a 1KW switch.

2. I haven't measured it, but I'd estimate my barn is nearly 200 feet from the house. Do you know how far your remote is good for?

Thanks.