My truck rests in a warm (ish) comfy garage now, but I used to have to park outside and I plugged in every night.
A tip I figured out once on accident, is you want to set your HVAC controls all the way hot (middle dial) and the right control all the way to defrost. Then, when the coolant in the motor warms up from the block heater, the warm water actually heats the air in the vents that can now come out the defrosters and your window won't freeze over. Well at least most of it won't.

I don't know if those of you that use a timer and only have it on for a few hours in the morning will see much, it might take all night of being plugged in.
Give it a try and see. Worked well for me.

 

Great idea thanx.

 

Interesting, will have to give it a try and see what happens..

 

It works! I have mine on a timer, but I set it to come on 3 hours before I leave. It keeps a light to moderate frost off. If there is a heavy frost/ frozen precip, it doesent take long for the defroster to remove it once you start the truck.

 

I'll have to keep that in mind.
I dont plug mine in until late december/early january...

 

now that is genius.

 

What is this "frost" you speak of? Do they have that in Texas? LOL Good tip Jim. I shouldn't jinx myself, it's been getting cool here this week.

 

AWWWW...what is it...55-60?????My thermostat on my window is showing 11 right now....high of 26 tomorrow...thank god I have heat in my blind.

 

I agree. When I do need to plug in, I set the timer for three hours of "on" time. That way, when I head out to start the truck and go to work, the timer has shut down by the time I unplug the heater.

There's only been a few times when this amount of heating has not worked, but there's usually a traffic alert due to weather. That's what I call a "Sick Day". When weather causes traffic alerts, my 45-minute commute becomes a four-hour commute because someone invariably thinks "mud and snow" tires means he can still drive 70+ and be okay.

With the highway construction going on now, I am NOT looking forward to this year's winter-driving season.

 

Yes, this works very well.

Even when not plugged in, the heat from the previous day's drive helps. I came home around 11:00 one night, and when I went out at 6:30 the next morning, the window wasn't frosted up, but DW's van's was.

 

That is a sweet tip I will try. My truck does not start as easy now as when I bought it. The glow plugs sort of work,but I need to look into it a bit deeper. I'll tell ya,winter came on like a bat outta hell this year. Getting all the lake affect snow off the great lakes always makes for fun driving! We had over 10 feet total last year! WOOHOO

 

is that what that plug is for hangin outta my truck?? lol