Got one. Don't know when or how to use it. Has the plug on the end and everything.

Truck is my second vehicle. Only drive it once in a while.

Please give me the low down. Thanks!

 

A little more info may help. Is it the truck in your avatar? Gas or diesel?

 

Sorry. It's a 5.4. Tried looking some stuff up online but info is mostly how to replace them, not how and when to use them.

Thanks for any help!

 

They're popular up North where it gets very cold in the winter. It will help keep your engine block (and oil) warm. I think some (or all, not sure) also have a battery blanket. The end result is an engine that warms up quicker and doesn't have to push cold (thick) oil through the system upon start-up. It doesn't charge the battery or heat the cab. They can be particularly helpful with diesels, especially older engines, when things get cold.

To use it, just plug it into an extension cord and that's it. Mine makes faint hum that I can only hear if it is very quiet outside. I use it whenever the overnight temps drop below freezing…but just because I have the option. I don't think it is really necessary on gas engines until it get really cold out.

One recommendation - Put some kind of reminder in the cab that you plugged it in. I hang a glove on my tranny shifter. That way I can't forget about it when I leave for work and do some serious damage.

Hopefully some of our Northern brothers and sisters will reply with more info. They'll know more about the benefits, drawbacks (if there are any) and when to use it.

 

Thanks for the information! I live in Milwaukee, so we definately get some cold weather.

My question is, do I just leave it plugged in all winter? Or plug it in every night, and then unplug every day?

Like I said, I do not drive the truck every day, so if it is beneficial for me to keep the block warm should I leave it plugged in all the time? Or just days when I know I'm going to drive it?

Thanks guys.

 

On a gasser the only reason I plug them in is because I don't like being cold and I want heat faster.

Don't bother leaving it plugged in a ll the time. Typically about 3 hours will warm everything up.

 

No need to leave it plugged in all the time. I only plug in if it's going to be well below zero. It just makes starting a little easier and it warms up a little faster when it's really cold. It's not really a necessity on the gassers like it is on a diesel. If you have a good battery, it should start right up even at -20 or colder without being plugged in.

 

Awesome! Good to know guys. Thanks for the help. Looks like I don't really need to plug her in for how much I use her. But I guess if I know I am going to drive her and it's gonna be real real cold, I might throw a plug in it.

Thanks again!

 

The block heater element is just like the one used in a household electric water heater and uses a lot of electricy. For that reason you don't want to leave it on for a long time, like for days.