Block heater suggestions
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 168
Likes: 4
Block heater suggestions
I plugged my heater in last night and snap, reset breaker, snap. Looking for recommendations on a replacement. Just wondering if there is something better or just stock.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Most outlets, these days esp. in a garage are GFCI by code and don't always play well with block heaters. Also maybe check ohms directly across the pins of the heater and see if it's in the ballpark.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Well, "it depends" natch, on their watt rating but they are simple resistance units. A controlled short, basically. So when they truly short to ground, the resistance will drop to almost nothing. The spec should be in the documentation.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 17,827
Likes: 3,110
From: Jersey Shore
The block heater pulls about 8 amps, but I always used a 20a circuit, timer, and sized extension. Check the wire at the plug just to be safe, that's where they often fail, overheat, and short.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 3,607
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I installed a new OEM unit a few years ago out of prevention and of course it stopped working that winter.
Never got around to messing with it but this post jarred my memory.
Never got around to messing with it but this post jarred my memory.
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Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 168
Likes: 4
The plug was newly replaced when I bought the truck, so it's three or so years old. Worked every time last winter same outlet and cord, so I'm pretty sure it's shorted, it's original. I'll just get oem one, not that expensive. Truck didn't seem to mind the 18 degrees that much, started fine, just a little grumpy for a minute. That triax oil is working out so far.
Thread Starter
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 168
Likes: 4
The plug was newly replaced when I bought the truck, so it's three or so years old. Worked every time last winter same outlet and cord, so I'm pretty sure it's shorted, it's original. I'll just get oem one, not that expensive. Truck didn't seem to mind the 18 degrees that much, started fine, just a little grumpy for a minute. That triax oil is working out so far.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 27,307
Likes: 549
From: Spanaway
Take a DMM (Digital Multi Meter) and set it to MΩ. Do not touch the truck with you hands or body.
Place one probe on one of the flat blades of the cord and the other on the ground plug Then retest
by using the truck ground to see if you get anything that way. In all cases you should see infinity for
the resistance if not that is why your GFCI is tripping. Last thing to test is the two blades.
Here you should see a range from about 7 to 9. Easy math to find wattage is Ω times voltage.
So if you have 7Ω and 120 VAC you would have 840 Watts and that would give you about 7 Amps.
I even checked my math.
https://www.thecalculatorsite.com/co...watts-amps.php
Place one probe on one of the flat blades of the cord and the other on the ground plug Then retest
by using the truck ground to see if you get anything that way. In all cases you should see infinity for
the resistance if not that is why your GFCI is tripping. Last thing to test is the two blades.
Here you should see a range from about 7 to 9. Easy math to find wattage is Ω times voltage.
So if you have 7Ω and 120 VAC you would have 840 Watts and that would give you about 7 Amps.
I even checked my math.
https://www.thecalculatorsite.com/co...watts-amps.php
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