HAHAHAHA!! Prepared for 18" and get 4"?

 

I would use a generator that is at least 2x the output that you need so you don't run the risk of burning it out. You will probably get better fuel efficiency since the engine won't be bogged down as much. You might also want to consider a large fuel tank for it so you don't have to freeze your buns off every few hours to fill it up.

Since we are all diesel freaks here, should I mention a small diesel generator? That would be cool. You could even splice in a valve on the 2nd fuel tank in your truck and run a line to the generator. Beats the crap out of lugging around diesel, etc.

So, now that it is day two, how did it go?

 

I believe the block heaters are rated at 1500 watts so you will need a generator of at least 2k watts to run it. Before I would run a generator for the block heater tho I would just let the truck idle. It would burn less fuel than the generator and be quieter. LOL.

 

That's what I was thinking too, that the rating is 1500. I ran a tank type on a tractor on the side of the road when it gelled up with our 6000 K generator. I had a space heater running under a tarp to clear the fuel, and the block heater, and a battery charger all going at the same time.

 

There's different wattage ratings offered, that's why I said he would have to know his and work out the formula provided.
In cold weather a diesel idling does not make enough heat. You would have to work it to keep any heat in the oil, just idling you'll have wet stacking resulting in incomplete combustion, washed down cylinders ring scoring and contaminated oil to name a few.

 

Still have power, but everything has a nice layer of ice on it.......I hear round 2 will be even worse with 35 mile winds.

 

Makes no difference to me, been in teh snow game long enough to have dealt with it before. Start plowing when there's enough snow to plow, do what you can while it's snowing, and then clean it all up after it's done.

I'll likely end up running the loader this round, I better pack the earmuffs, it's an old Detroit powered machine! I suspect that there will be a couple nights of removals after this too, so will be some long hours the next week or so!

 

Wonderful.... at least i didn't have to work today...

 

Why doesn't it buld enough heat at idle?
When I'm out snow-blowing all my accounts during a storm, the truck starts and doesn't shut off until the clean-up is over. Usually around 6-8 hours. That's not all idle time though. It goes like this...
Cold start, let the oil pressure build, boot down to set high idle.
Clean 80% of the snow off the windshield, blast the defroster..
About 5-8 minutes later (depending on temperature), high idle kicks off and that's my cue to hit the road.
It usually fogs up a bit on me until about 5 minutes of driving when the temperature needle moves on the gauge.
Then all the windows clear off and the temp needle stays about 1/2 way through the stock temperature gauge.
Hit the first driveway, let the truck idle for the 45 minutes - 1 hour while I snowblower. Usually the temperature needle will go all the way to the A or L in NORMAL on the gauge and stay there for the rest of the storm. And the heater is throgin HOT air too. I usually go through 4 sets of gloves and put the wet pair on the dashboard while snow blowing each driveway and they dry off about 80% during that hour of idle time.

Is it because the truck gets driven between each driveway that it will heat up?
My neighbor owned a 6.9 wrecker back in the day and he said he would just go out a couple times each night and start it up and let it run for a half hour or so and let the windshield defrost so when the emergency calls came in, he was off and running!
I do worry about the extra fuel washing down the cylinder walls when it's idling for an hour or so, but after that idle time is always followed by a hard driving session for about 5-10 minutes between driveways.

That's my experience with idling and heat... I would say just start the truck a couple times, and let it run a while if you need to.

 

I've never had a problem with my IDI holding heat at idle even with the temps in the teens or below. It not uncommon for me to drive it to the job and let it run all day when the temps are really cold. Everyone uses it for a warm up vehicle. It's always in the operating range and blowing hot air out the vents. I have had diesels over the years that wouldn't tho. I usually just rig em where I can throttle em up to about 1500 rpms and let em run. That keeps em hot enough. Ironically, a couple weeks ago I took my bosses brand new F250 superduty 6.7 to Texas for a few days. One day it was 23 degrees with 25 mph winds. I left it running for a warm up vehicle and it wouldn't keep it hot enough to get any warm air out the vents. I ended up getting off the dozer and standing between the blade and radiator and letting the engine fan blow hot air on me till I was warm as toast. LOL.

 

The IDI's have a oil jet diverting oil up onto the bottom of the piston and cylinder, so, fuel washing down the cylinder isn't as big as an issue as it is in some diesel engines. Didn't say it was good for it to idle with incomplete combustion, just not as bad as some others.
Your oil will dilute somewhat faster with the raw diesel, but, since diesel itself has oil qualities, again, not a huge issue. Best to get it to operating temperature, then let it idle. Or, better yet, block off a portion of your radiator so it maintains a higher temperature. These radiators are so big, they over cool the engine.

 

That must be why some guys up north attach grille bras to the front if their trucks.

 

They call them winter fronts, you can cover the rad, or unzip it to let more air flow in.

 

I have seen block heaters for the IDI rated anywhere from 500 watts up to 1500 watts.

So what you have in there if you did not install it, could be almost anything.

Since you don't know, I would say you should have at least 2500 watts, 3000 would be better.

Much easier on both the generator and the block heater.
That would keep the load on the generator between 60 or 50 percent of full load if you happened to have a 1500 watt heater.

 

Running -13C here today, and I was checking fluids while still daylight, and the truck had been plugged in a while. Top of the rad was pleasantly warm to the touch, and the morning flurries had melted off the hood.

I don't know what wattage is in mine, but it starts really easy when it's plugged in! LOL