Plugging in the Truck
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 626
Likes: 0
From: Orange Park, FL
Plugging in the Truck
For those of you whom plug your truck in on the cool nights, how long is it to be plugged in. A few hours? All night??? Just curious, ordering one soon and just learning as much as possible.
Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: rural ok
I plug mine in when I know its going to be cold so the heater will work faster in the AM Ford engineer at a all Ford meet said you could leave it plugged in for extended periods of time without damage.Last one I owned that had to be plugged in to start was a 96 1 ton with 250000 miles only had to plug in on really colld nights. You live in my area so you shouldn't really need too. Good luck.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 173
Likes: 0
From: Missoula, Montana
I live in the mountains of Montana, so mine gets alot of use.
Here is the deal: a block heater is very good at keeping a warm engine warm, but very bad at making a cold engine warm.
So when it is cold, I plug it in when I get home, and it is still warm the next morning.
If I let it get cold, then go out and plug it it, it does help some, but not very much.
Your climate is much less severe, so your experience may be different.
(note: the Weather Channel just said it is minus 1 degree today !)
As far as longivity of the heater element: well mine was installed in my 1994 Bronco when new, gets used about 7-8 months a year, so thats over 10 years with no problems.
Here is the deal: a block heater is very good at keeping a warm engine warm, but very bad at making a cold engine warm.
So when it is cold, I plug it in when I get home, and it is still warm the next morning.
If I let it get cold, then go out and plug it it, it does help some, but not very much.
Your climate is much less severe, so your experience may be different.
(note: the Weather Channel just said it is minus 1 degree today !)
As far as longivity of the heater element: well mine was installed in my 1994 Bronco when new, gets used about 7-8 months a year, so thats over 10 years with no problems.
