How long do you run a block heater?

[al m]

Anouther in the omg,it's so cold theme. what is the optimal amount of time to have the tractor plugged in with these extreme cold temps before attempting to start?

 

[85Hokie]

Anouther in the omg,it's so cold theme. what is the optimal amount of time to have the tractor plugged in with these extreme cold temps before attempting to start?

I cannot speak from experience - never had one, but everything I have read says about 2 hours seems to get the job done.

 

[JerryMT]

Anouther in the omg,it's so cold theme. what is the optimal amount of time to have the tractor plugged in with these extreme cold temps before attempting to start?

2 to 3 hrs.

 

[Dave_eng]

I have done some studies using recording thermocouples. After 2-3 hours the heat loss from the warmer block is matching the heat input from the block heater. In short you are running it longer only to spend money or for convenience but it is of no benefit to the tractor as it does not get any warmer.

Dave

 

[rjcorazza]

When I installed a block heater in my truck years ago I tracked the obd2 coolant temps, and the sweet spot was 3 hours. No doubt watts vs. engine size play a factor, but I have used 3 hours for my tractors also.


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[jajiu]

I have had the same question and with other posts on this site as well as others, 2 - 3 hrs. seem to be the suggested time. When I first got the heater installed the dealer said just plug it in a couple hrs before using it. The problem is my barn is quite a distance from the house. I'm not going to trudge down to the barn in a snow storm or before I have my coffee in the morning to plug it in. My neighbor did plowing with his bobcat at a condo community and said just leave it plugged in all the time, it won't hurt anything. That didn't sit well with me. Then the answer, a remote controlled outlet. The one I bought works about 100' from the house which is in range for my barn. Now I get up and hit the remote and I have a small light in the window of the barn that is in line with the heater and when it comes on I know the heater is on. Easy convient and warm tractor.

 

[TRA]

I have had the same question and with other posts on this site as well as others, 2 - 3 hrs. seem to be the suggested time. When I first got the heater installed the dealer said just plug it in a couple hrs before using it. The problem is my barn is quite a distance from the house. I'm not going to trudge down to the barn in a snow storm or before I have my coffee in the morning to plug it in. My neighbor did plowing with his bobcat at a condo community and said just leave it plugged in all the time, it won't hurt anything. That didn't sit well with me. Then the answer, a remote controlled outlet. The one I bought works about 100' from the house which is in range for my barn. Now I get up and hit the remote and I have a small light in the window of the barn that is in line with the heater and when it comes on I know the heater is on. Easy convient and warm tractor.

Cool solution.

Would an outlet timer also work for that? Assuming you have a regular schedule.

 

[FTG-05]

Cool solution.

Would an outlet timer also work for that? Assuming you have a regular schedule.

It did for me for the heater in my F-350. Of course, after moving, I have no idea where the timer is now. You have to make sure to have a timer rated for the full 15 amps. HD should have it.

 

[mendonsy]

Cool solution.

Would an outlet timer also work for that? Assuming you have a regular schedule.

A timer would work, but it doesn't really do what you want to do. The timer would cycle on at a regular interval, whether it is needed or not. Unfortunately the weather is not that predictable.
My BX will warm up enough to start comfortably within about 30 minutes on the block heater. It's not completely warmed up, but enough to start OK. I usually let it idle for another 15 minutes before using it to get the oil and HST warmed up.

 

[al m]

A timer would work, but it doesn't really do what you want to do. The timer would cycle on at a regular interval, whether it is needed or not. Unfortunately the weather is not that predictable.
My BX will warm up enough to start comfortably within about 30 minutes on the block heater. It's not completely warmed up, but enough to start OK. I usually let it idle for another 15 minutes before using it to get the oil and HST warmed up.

I like the idea of wrming up the hst as well,although I do wonder if my older style engine will start after just a half hour.

 

[mdhughes]

I don't have a block heater on my L3901DT yet, but when I drove my Ram with a Cummins everyday, I wrote a script to turn on an X10 outlet that the block heater was plugged into on at different times based on the outside temperature. I have multiple temperature sensors, one of them is the outside temperature. When I got home each night when I knew the temperature might get below 40F I would plug the block heater into the X10 outlet. The script runs everyday even if the truck wasn't plugged in, that way I wouldn't forget to start it each night. I would leave the house at 6:30, so here is what the script did:

At 4:00 if it is 10F or lower turn on outlet
At 4:30 if it is 20F or lower turn on outlet
At 5:00 if it is 30F or lower turn on outlet
At 5:30 if it is 40F or lower turn on outlet
At 7:00 turn outlet off:

I plan on having an X10 controlled outlet in the shed where the tractor is and on days that I plan on using it and it is cold outside I will turn it on based on the temperature.

You can do the same thing with an X10 outlet and a remote control like jajiu is doing. I just happen to be a little bit of a geek.

 

[Ike]

My 3301DT would not start yesterday and I plugged the block heater in for an hour. It was enough to start the trac. The temp was 2 ayt the time but it was below 0 every night for the past 4 or 5 days

 

[JerryMT]

It did for me for the heater in my F-350. Of course, after moving, I have no idea where the timer is now. You have to make sure to have a timer rated for the full 15 amps. HD should have it.

Most of these block heater use 3-5 amps @ 120V so a 10 amp capability is more than adequate.

 

[JerryMT]

A timer would work, but it doesn't really do what you want to do. The timer would cycle on at a regular interval, whether it is needed or not. Unfortunately the weather is not that predictable.
My BX will warm up enough to start comfortably within about 30 minutes on the block heater. It's not completely warmed up, but enough to start OK. I usually let it idle for another 15 minutes before using it to get the oil and HST warmed up.

You really only need to have a cycling timer if you always want the tractor to start at a moments notice. A lot of dairy farmers and hog farmers need this because they have pto generators as back up power so they need the tractors so equipped to start right away in the event of a power failure.

Most of the rest of us only need a regular timer to do something that is regularly scheduled. The rest of the world turns their heater on a few hours before they want to do something.

 

[JerryMT]

I have done some studies using recording thermocouples. After 2-3 hours the heat loss from the warmer block is matching the heat input from the block heater. In short you are running it longer only to spend money or for convenience but it is of no benefit to the tractor as it does not get any warmer.

Dave

Thank you That's a good piece of information.

 

[William1]

Interesting info.

Not being experienced in this, I'd always assumed a block heater, you'd simply plug it in when it was cold then come spring, unplug until next winter. I'd never considered max heat soak and power usage. My dad used to plug his in and forget it for the winter. Kind of funny in that he was also the guy that would swap out 75 watt bulbs for 60's as 'electricity does not grow on trees'. He should of had a timer or better still, a remote or simply walked up the day before a storm and plugged it in. His tractor might sit for months without being run. He only used it for snow blowing and a few times a year for log work (FEL to haul limbs to a dump spot) in the last ten years. Too old to mow and the lawn service used their own machines.
My poor tractor has to brave the cold. No power in the three walled fabric Quonset hut I keep it in.

Question - do any of the block heaters have a thermostat? Seems something might make sense to fully automate the process.

 

[bearskinner]

I installed a freeze plug block heater on my BX, and after maybe 20 minutes it is very warm to the touch all over the engine block. Granted it***8217;s a tiny engine. I store it in an Unheated building, but it is out of the wind chill

 

[Mike9]

Usually an hour if it's cold - 1.5 - 2 if it hasn't been started in a while.

 

[FTG-05]

Most of these block heater use 3-5 amps @ 120V so a 10 amp capability is more than adequate.

My only block heater is on my Ford PSD and it's either 1000 or 1500 watts IRC.

 

[jmf78]

I have mine plugged into a "smart" outlet. That way, if i know i need to plow and am at work or whatever, I just turn it on through my phone an our or so before i need to crank her up.

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