The 120v block heater would need a dc to sc inverter of almost 2000 watts based on unit efficiency and would need 150+ amps of dc currently per hour. But yes…it can be done.

 

Can you leave the block heater plugged in all the time? Like, let's say I'm not going to drive the truck for a few days maybe but I want it to always be ready when I'm ready. Can I just plug the truck in and leave it alone? Or is that going to make the electric meter on my house spin like a frisbee needlessly?

Also, can I remote start the truck if the block heater is plugged in?

 

You can plug it in and leave it but that is going to get spendy running around 1000 watts. A heavy duty bluetooth or "smart" outdoor outlet you can toggle on and off with an app or leave on a timer might be worth while.

Yes you can remote start the truck, just remember to plug it in before you take off.

 

I have mine plugged into a timer and have the grill cover installed. On days with temps in the teens and twenties the truck starts out with coolant in the 80's and I set the heat on the lowest setting. After driving 2 miles it is up to 100 and I bump up the blower by one notch for every 10 degree increase in coolant temp. In 5 or 6 miles the truck is fairly warm.

 

I've always thought of buying a XL grill, installing some male snaps in it, having a grill cover made by bringing it to the vinyl place and having them size it to the snaps...

I have to say, having the supplemental heat is pretty sweet... not even a mile from my house, truck idled a few minutes before leaving for work, coolant was either at or just under a 100 degrees, engine oil 70 to 80, heat at 74 degrees, I start to have a little heat. Tested it not long ago with the blower on the AC vents at me and could feel a little bit of heat. Temps were in high teens/low 20s...

 

Hi Overkill,
Here are a couple of pics of how it is mounted and not shown, there are hooks on the bottom that attach to the bottom of the grill.

 

Nice set up... I'll have to look for that... Thanks.

 

I need a heated steering wheel... LOL

 

I have the same Ford grille cover pictured. I monitor temps with a Scan Gauge II hooked up to the OBD port. What I have seen is a very small or no improvement in the time it takes to warm the engine. The improvement is so minor it's hard to even prove it's doing a benefit.

So school me on these Espar diesel heaters people talk about. How does that work? You have to run a fuel line from your tank into the cab to connect to the heater? Lots of people say they love those, but it seems like an installation nightmare.

 

So I finally got curious enough that I called the local big diesel shop around here and talked to them about the Ventech heater. They refused to even install it. Said it doesn't look like a good kit, and will likely cause issues later down the road, and I guess they just don't want the liability of having to repair it or issues related to it. Interesting.

So I guess I'll wait until late this year when we're about to head into cold weather again and I'll get a block heater installed and try that. The coolant will need to be flushed by then anyhow as I'll be at 100k.

 

I haven't used my engine block heater since at least last year. From what I do remember, when I used it, and it was when the temps were getting down close to zero, the coolant and oil temps were over 70 degrees I want to say... but I can't comment on what they did for me because I have the factory supplemental heater installed because I believe I had heat pretty quick but I have been doing an experiment of sorts to make a comment here.

This morning the truck said 28 degrees, remote started it a few minutes before leaving. The primary coolant temp was around 70... I put it on the AC vent position and already had a little amount of heat coming out of the vents.

The two days prior it was 17, 18 degrees out and well under 100 degrees for the primary and a small amount of heat also at that time... same thing, remote start for a minute or two, slow drive down the street... she heats up fairly quickly...

Anyone who is going to be buying a new to me or brand new, and has a "honey do" who likes it warm, the supplemental heat is a good option to look for and buy the truck with...

Now that I remember, the block heater used along with the supplemental heater, gets the heat going pretty quickly, but I also have a good hill to climb right off the bat in the morning.

 

Did they say what issues they foresee? I can see it stressing out the belt and causing an early failure. It's basically just putting a big resistance motor on the accessory belt to generate heat. I wouldn't want the kit on my vehicle (I really have no use for it), but I'd be curious to hear why a mechanic wouldn't even touch it. It could also just be inexperience with the system also.

 

VenTech, schmenTech. Just use a Mr. Heater! Favorite of rednecks everywhere

 

I think they were leery of tying into the coolant system. They also didn't like that "if the truck is running, it's running". Just another accessory to power, which adds another pulley to maintain, which also can consume MPG. I don't know, I still think it's very intriguing. I had a Jeep Liberty many years ago with a diesel and it came with a system like the Ventech from the factory. Worked excellent in the middle of winter. If the kit wasn't so expensive I'd probably give it a try.

 

[QUOTE=JoeUser;21148758]VenTech, schmenTech. Just use a Mr. Heater! Favorite of rednecks everywhere

/QUOTE]
This goes with Mr Coffee and Mr Radar.