Does anyone know of a combined timer and thermostat that runs on 110 V line voltage just for use on block heaters? Using the timer by itself will cost about $10 bucks a month here in NJ and not all days are cold enough (25-32 F) to need it. Can someone confirm that three hours is enough time for heating prior to starting.

Friar
NJ Shore area

 

I'd like to know how many watts/amps the heater pulls to know how big an extension cord on it.
BE

 

I've still not FOUND the plug for mine !!!
Not that I've needed it, but the invoice says I have one !

 

Standing in front your truck, looking at it, the left tow hook, look just beside it stuffed behind the bumper. The cord on it is really too short and its tie wrapped to another wire. It has a small black cover on it also.

BE

 

Thanks !
Found it !
Great little sealed cover they have on it- Mine was full of water !
but at least it should keep the mud off !

I found it zip tied to a wireloom coming straight down right behind the grill on the inside of the passenger side tow hook !

Good thing I don't NEED it, it looks like it's hard to get to in that location... especially since I put the westin bull bar with the piaa 520's in front of it !

Thanks again - always good to find new pieces on your truck after 11K miles :-)

Now as far as a timer, etc...
How about at home depot or lowes - do they still have the electric hot water heater timers - ugly, but cheap and functional !

Should handle the high juice demands and has a timer on it to start and shut it off.... I've got an OLD hand me down that works fine...

 

bedwards & jdadams:

I measured the current on mine at 7 1/2 amps using a wrap current meter. That's about 825 watts or 2.5 Kilowatts for three hours each day. At $.12 per Kilo Watt, well you can do the math. Yes Home Depot sells a heavy duty Landscape timer that is sortof weather proof, but I was looking for something with an integrated thermostat so that if it didn't need to come on, then it wouldn't. Maybe I'll market one myself, sell the company and retire to a place where I don't need block heaters.

Friar

 

There you GO !!!

I already am there - come on down to the DFW area !

But, I'll bet you wrhere thinking something a LITTLE more tropical.... like Hawaii !!!

 

Still no answer on how long to leave it on, I know it depends on ambient temperature and if you drove it before you plugged it in and, and,…

 

Tim, According to the manual, the block heater should be on for about three hours for temps at 110-115 degrees F.

 

Have you guys been able to reroute this short plug to make it easier to get to. Man, mine is short and buried behind the tow hook. I'd hate to fumble for it in the cold.

 

The block heater actually uses 1000 watts per my old 7.3 psd manual, don't know if anything changed on the new 6.0. I have a timer in the garage (bought at Lowes) and run the extension out to the truck, but will only use it when the temp gets around zero. When I have used it you ought to see how my meter spins, so I use it sparingly.
Really though what's the point if when you drive it to work and it sits in the parking lot all day, then what do you do? I never had any trouble starting my 7.3 as low as 15 deg below here in the snow belt of Ohio. Hope this answers your questions.

 

My sentiments exactly - IF I had a daily need for one !

It did seem like you could 'unziptie' the pigtail from the wire loom and pull it out the grill area - but long term maybe it could be semi permanantly mounted so it's easier to plug into when you don't want to lay on your back in the snow and ice , pull your gloves off, and fight a COLD cord

Brrr, shivering thinking about that picture !

**********************

How about a owner made short pigtail from the original end to a convenient opening... it could be zip tied to a frame member by that opening during the winter and removed (or hidden) during the summer ?

the building supply stores sell just the parts to make up a short pigtail... (which I'd make two of so WHEN the first one gets trashed, you have another in the glove box...)

 

GOOD IDEA! I know where to get one too.

BE

 

OK, stop the presses - just found this and this is TOO cool !
Kudos to this guy for pics and all !

block heater

 

Sweet! That is the same color as my truck.

I grew up in Nebraska and still go back there occassionally for Christmas. Haven't been back there yet with this truck.

It was standard on this vehicle, but I always order all of my cars and trucks with a block heater because I know that I do go back to NE in the winter every now and then.

Growing up the electricity costs weren't so bad there and my dad used to just plug the cars in most cold nights before he went to bed. Sometimes if he forgot, he'd plug the car in first thing when he got up (-18 degrees in your bathrobe is NOT fun). After an hour or two the cars would crack much easier.

Our main interest as kids was of course the fact that the heater came on much faster!

All of this is why I now live in San Diego by the way :-)

There are thermistatically controlled AC switches that are used to turn on de-ice heaters for satellite communications antennas. We use them on some fairly small antennas so while commercial units, they are probably still not too highly priced. It still might take a year or two to pay back the cost. I'll try to find model and price info and post.

Daryl