Block Heater Specs?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 1,007
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From: Newport News
Block Heater Specs?
Trying to figure out the draw for the block heat. How many Amps/Watts is it? Called the dealer the other day, and the truck mechanic said he had no idea. I wanna get a timer for it, but I'm not sure what to get. The largest I could find was a 15 Amp/1800 W. Is that sufficient?
Thanks,
Terry
Thanks,
Terry
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: NW
basstardo,
I went down and bought a 3 prong 1800 watt single event timer for 11 bucks, and so far it has worked great on mine. I think the heaters come in two sizes, 1000 watts and 1500 watts.
My mornings are around 30 degrees, so I have mine set to operate 3 hours, and turn off just before I go out to head to work.
Its not warm enough to have instant heater heat, but I am sure the oil is thinner, and more free flowing, and that wear and tear on the ebgine is reduced.
I went down and bought a 3 prong 1800 watt single event timer for 11 bucks, and so far it has worked great on mine. I think the heaters come in two sizes, 1000 watts and 1500 watts.
My mornings are around 30 degrees, so I have mine set to operate 3 hours, and turn off just before I go out to head to work.
Its not warm enough to have instant heater heat, but I am sure the oil is thinner, and more free flowing, and that wear and tear on the ebgine is reduced.
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Idaho
basstardo,
I have a 1000 watt heater in mine, it says 120v/1000w right near the plug end of the heater. it has just been replaced recently, don't know if the original said the same thing, I had the dealer install it. Anyway a 1800w, 15amp timer is more than sufficiant to handle your truck. Just remember not to overload the circuit with say ALL your christmas decor and skillsaws, etc. all at the same time, otherwise you will be resetting breakers
.I doubt you will be up that early anyway working on projects (hehehe). I use a timer myself from home depot along with a small string of Christmas lights on my eaves, not on the timer but on the same circuit and everything is cool.
Cool Canuck is right on the money, using ohm's law is the right way to go (watts/voltage=amps) and the 8.3 amps is probably at the initial start-up, it should lower after that, onlyway to know is with an amp probe. Hope this helps.
I have a 1000 watt heater in mine, it says 120v/1000w right near the plug end of the heater. it has just been replaced recently, don't know if the original said the same thing, I had the dealer install it. Anyway a 1800w, 15amp timer is more than sufficiant to handle your truck. Just remember not to overload the circuit with say ALL your christmas decor and skillsaws, etc. all at the same time, otherwise you will be resetting breakers
.I doubt you will be up that early anyway working on projects (hehehe). I use a timer myself from home depot along with a small string of Christmas lights on my eaves, not on the timer but on the same circuit and everything is cool.Cool Canuck is right on the money, using ohm's law is the right way to go (watts/voltage=amps) and the 8.3 amps is probably at the initial start-up, it should lower after that, onlyway to know is with an amp probe. Hope this helps.
Last edited by elkslayer1; Dec 7, 2003 at 02:50 PM.
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 284
Likes: 5
From: Mena, AR
I checked mine with an ammeter and it pulls about 8.4 amps. That puts it right at 1000 watts as Cool Canuck states in his post. I'm putting mine on a timer as well. No need to run it all night long. Question is....how long? Quess it depends quite a bit on ambient temperature.
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