The extra battery would not be hooked up to the truck's main batteries to eliminate the risk of running the main batteries flat. I can charge the extra battery overnight at home and plug the block heater into a regular electrical outlet. The reason I thought of this is that I have to park the truck in the open while at work and there is no place to plug the block heater into. There wold be a timer so it operates only around knocking-off time.

What do you think? Workable? Or should I just bite the bullet and get one of those Webasto diesel-fuelled cooolant heaters? The Webasos are really spendy.

 

Well, if you assume 1000 watts for the block heater, even if the inverter were 100% efficient (it won't be), you would be drawing 83 amps continuously from the battery. So no, I am sorry, it wouldn't work.

 

Are you worried about the truck not starting or do you just want to keep it warm?

 

kel beat me to it. it draws 8.3 amps from 120v source. even if you would spend the money on the inverter needed $$$$, you would need A LOT of battery behind it.

 

at 83 amps an 8-D battery wouldn't be enough to warm it

 

Get one of those little solar panels with the alligator clips and hook it up to the battery. Might help keep it charged, although im not sure if it would be enough.

 

Plug the inverter into your 12v dc receptacle and plug in your block heater. Now turn on the key and watch your battery gauge in the dash. You will probably be able to see it move. And that is with two batteries.

 

Just how much energy could there possibly be in one lead-acid battery?

Not enough to keep a Powerstroke heated in a cold snap! Nope!

Pop

 

is your truck that hard to start without being plugged in? If it has trouble......you might think about changing to 5w-40 synthetic oil, it will start a LOT easier, also.....check your glow plugs to make sure they are all working, that would be another reason for hard starting. I rarely plug my truck in, and it has been getting down to zero fairly often this year.....

 

For the amount you'd spend on a decent 1000W inverter and a battery, buy a 1000W generator. That would work.

Austin

 

Yep. spend the money on good batteries, GPs, and synthetic oil.

 

Don't do that -- a 1000W output inverter will draw WAYYY too much current for that receptacle. It's only good for 20A IIRC, and a 1000W *OUTPUT* inverter will draw many times that. I have a 600W inverter that is fused at 60A. I run it straight off the battery through 10 AWG wires, which really isn't enough (should be 6 or 8), but I don't put a full load on it. I have an amplifier that draws 90A wired with 4 AWG cables.

 

Leonard, if you are worried about it starting, go out there at lunch and fire it up for 10 min on -0 days. The truck should start pretty easy if it has only been sitting for 4 hrs in -0 temps. If your starting system is good I wouldn't worry about pluggung in at temps above 0.

 

A 2' x 4' solar panel only puts out about 72 - 80 watts when oriented at 90 degrees to the sunlight and will run about $450...I know, both my homes have solar electric systems, in addition to the public utility system. Those little solar panels are only good for a trickle charge, at best.

 

Thanks guys. I can always count on you to keep my dumb ideas in check.

The truck actually starts readily after only one GP cycle. I just want to keep the engine warm is all.