Hey guys,

So now that winter is coming again here is PA, I wanted to work on a project to help regulate when my heaters on being used. This time of year, the nights get down into the low 30 and during the day, the high 50. I have a battery blanket on each blanket and a battery tender. Plus the factory block heater.


So this is what I built:

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This junction box will sit by the driver side battery. I cut all the plugs off of the heaters/tender, and directly wired them to this box. There is a thermostat in the JB that will turn on the heaters below the preset (40°).

Here are some picture of the box installed. I also included a pic of the Marinco upgrade I made last year.

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If you look at the top left on the junction box, I put a small cord grip here to run a small cord into the cab of the truck. I will mount a small radioshack LED 120VAC to the pillar of my truck. This will directly monitor the 120VAC power coming into the junction box. When I have the truck plugged in, the led will light up red. SOOO.....On those mornings I am running late, this will warn me that i forgot to unplug the truck. (It only happened once !!!!)

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This is version #1 of the Control Box. I already know of some improvements that need made. All of the electronic parts inside the junction box are made of industrial quality. The only thing that isn't. The black radioshack box. So I'm hopping it holds up to the heat of the radiator and intercooler. If not, I will be revamping in. But for now, it will do.

If anyone is interested in one, i can build them for you. I can also give you all the heaters, battery tenders, and marinco part numbers as well.

If someone wants me to piece the entire thing together as a package and build it for them so it just needs installed. Shoot me a PM.

Anything you guys want, just let me know!!!

 

The battery tender I get but I am not sure why you want to keep the batteries and engine warm if you are not planning on driving it.

If say you knew you needed your truck when you got home and it had been sitting a few weeks in sub zero weather something like this Web Power Switch! - 15 Day Free Trial! - Ships Overnight - From $109! would work nicely and have it all warmed up when you got home.

Nice job on the junction box, very sanitary.