When to plug in a block heater?
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When to plug in a block heater?
I am a fire fighter in NJ and I respond to call at night. What I wanted to know is when is it ok to start plugging in the block heater. I have to respond quickly but I do not want to kill my engine.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Maine
Originally Posted by driver32246
Stock 06 Ford 350 6.0 diesel block heater. Will it hurt anything if i start plugging it in when it is in the 50's?
Post Fiend
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From: Sarnia, Ontario, CANADA!
Originally Posted by driver32246
Stock 06 Ford 350 6.0 diesel block heater. Will it hurt anything if i start plugging it in when it is in the 50's?
-Matt
Post Fiend
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From: Great State of Texas
Welcome to FTE and the 6.0 forum driver32246
When you get a chance you might want to cruise over to our Tech Folder for some great 6.0 info.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=303583
Please take a few moments to read our site guidelines as well.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/guidelines.html
</WMFILTERED>
No, it won't hurt anything but your electric bill.
My target temp is under 40 degrees because my office is just 6 miles from the house.
When you get a chance you might want to cruise over to our Tech Folder for some great 6.0 info.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=303583
Please take a few moments to read our site guidelines as well.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/guidelines.html
</WMFILTERED>
No, it won't hurt anything but your electric bill.
My target temp is under 40 degrees because my office is just 6 miles from the house.
Last edited by kw5413; Sep 29, 2006 at 08:35 PM.
Senior User
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From: NJ
I plug my 97 in when it gets in the 30s or lower, i haven't had to plug the new one in yet. gotta have two cords this winter now.
something good to have is a timer. just set it to come on at a certain time in the night, so you aren't using electricity from the time you might park it in the evening, until the next morning. i normally have mine come on about 2am or so. if there is a snow storm coming, the 97 gets plugged in with no timer on, so it's ready whenever i have to leave to plow.
i've heard the 6.0's start better in the cold, but i still like plugging them in. i think it's just easier on the whole engine and other parts maybe to be warmed up. plus, you get heat faster. less wear on the glow plugs too.
something good to have is a timer. just set it to come on at a certain time in the night, so you aren't using electricity from the time you might park it in the evening, until the next morning. i normally have mine come on about 2am or so. if there is a snow storm coming, the 97 gets plugged in with no timer on, so it's ready whenever i have to leave to plow.
i've heard the 6.0's start better in the cold, but i still like plugging them in. i think it's just easier on the whole engine and other parts maybe to be warmed up. plus, you get heat faster. less wear on the glow plugs too.
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From: Lowsyana
Has anyone ever used one of the AgTemp timers that is programmable to come on at a certain temp and kick off after a certain amount of time? I tried my heater out last winter and my utility meter almost blurred(grin). I guess you guys in the real cold need as much heat as you can get.
On the really cold days/nights when you go out in the morning to start your truck is it fairly warm and ready to go or does it still take a while? I'm in Louisiana and we had hardly any winter this past year. I'm going to be doing a lot of traveling to so cold spots and want to be ready. Also what outlets are ya'll using....meaning is it on a seperate outlet for just that purpose?
On the really cold days/nights when you go out in the morning to start your truck is it fairly warm and ready to go or does it still take a while? I'm in Louisiana and we had hardly any winter this past year. I'm going to be doing a lot of traveling to so cold spots and want to be ready. Also what outlets are ya'll using....meaning is it on a seperate outlet for just that purpose?
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More Turbo
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From: Mililani, Hawaii
When I go home to northern Idaho, I use my block heater. There is no special outlet just the regular outlet with an extension cord going outside to my truck. I did use a wall timer that I set to come on at a certain time for a while before I wake up and get in. There isn't any need to have it on all night uless like driver32246 and have to respond at any time.
Senior User
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From: S.W. Michigan
I plugged mine in when it was going to be below 10 degrees. I only did that so I wouldn't have to wait 10 miunutes before I got any heat from the heater.
Don't forget you have an advantage with the 1100 pound cast iron engine at 190 degrees when you park it for the night. I takes a long time to loose all that heat especially if you park your rig in a garage. I don't have a garage, and if I remember correclty, parking the truck at 6pm and firing it up at 7am the next morning, the lowest temperature I ever saw for the water trmp on my scangauge was 29 degrees, and it gets pretty cool at night in January here in Michigan.
When I did plug it in, I put it on a timer to come on 4 hours before I had to go to work.
Heck 50 degrees at night, my truck would still be at 80 degrees WT. Last night was about 35 degrees and even my Jetta TDI was still at 65 degrees WT this morning when I fired her up.
Don't forget you have an advantage with the 1100 pound cast iron engine at 190 degrees when you park it for the night. I takes a long time to loose all that heat especially if you park your rig in a garage. I don't have a garage, and if I remember correclty, parking the truck at 6pm and firing it up at 7am the next morning, the lowest temperature I ever saw for the water trmp on my scangauge was 29 degrees, and it gets pretty cool at night in January here in Michigan.
When I did plug it in, I put it on a timer to come on 4 hours before I had to go to work.
Heck 50 degrees at night, my truck would still be at 80 degrees WT. Last night was about 35 degrees and even my Jetta TDI was still at 65 degrees WT this morning when I fired her up.
Postmaster
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From: BC Canada
I wouldnt bother until below 0 fehrenheit, -20 C. My garage doesnt get colder than -5 C or 20 F so I dont bother. I was in Edmonton at it was -39 C or -40 F and it started on remote start. Ran rough a bit and was fine. If I could have reached a plug to use the heater I would have, it wasnt supposed to go below -10. Often when I leave hockey (Prince George Canada) its -20 to -30 and starts fine. Love those heated seats. I dont use the temp setting on the remote start because it burns a lot o fuel when its cold.
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For a emergency worker, it'd be good to plug her in when it starts freezing (or close) just to have the pep of the engine without waiting for it to warm up. I've plugged mine in when it was really cold, and it started right up and ran great. I've also left her untouched when it was really cold, and she started right up too, but did run a little rough for a while; but it was cold (maybe +10 F). So you be the judge. It is harder on the engine to start it when it's really cold, but it'll start. Now my 7.3, ha ha, that thing won't start if it's below 40!
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: Schwenksville,Pa
Along with my block heater I use an oil pan heater. I figured it would be better for the engine to flow warm oil sooner. I wired both heaters together so I only have to plug in one cord. I used model 16 which is 250 watts. Added to the 1000 watt block heater gives 1250 watts which is still OK for a 15 amp circuit. Here's the link: http://www.janyce.com/+wolver/heat.html
Got Diesel?
Joined: Jan 2004
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I use synthetic 5W-40 oil to aid in cold weather start-ups.
I also plug-in when it gets into the 30's only... but again, the synthetic oil helps. If outside, I would consider synthetic and below 40... above 40F seems like a waste of time and electricity???
I also did the Marinco AC adpator plug mod. You can see it in my gallery and it makes "plugging" so easy that I find myself doing it more often... which is easier onmy truck.
I maybe switching to the new CJ4 motor oil which is only available as a 15W-40 weight... so I may beplugging in more often since I am starting to think that the new CJ4 spec oil is better than the cold weather benefits of the synthetic (at least here in Kansas City)?
Good luck plugging in, but if you use a timer (3 - 4 hours is all that is needed to heat your coolant), use an outdoor timer capable of at least 1,100 watts... the block heater pulls a bunch of wattage!!!!
I also plug-in when it gets into the 30's only... but again, the synthetic oil helps. If outside, I would consider synthetic and below 40... above 40F seems like a waste of time and electricity???
I also did the Marinco AC adpator plug mod. You can see it in my gallery and it makes "plugging" so easy that I find myself doing it more often... which is easier onmy truck.
I maybe switching to the new CJ4 motor oil which is only available as a 15W-40 weight... so I may beplugging in more often since I am starting to think that the new CJ4 spec oil is better than the cold weather benefits of the synthetic (at least here in Kansas City)?
Good luck plugging in, but if you use a timer (3 - 4 hours is all that is needed to heat your coolant), use an outdoor timer capable of at least 1,100 watts... the block heater pulls a bunch of wattage!!!!
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: NJ
I haven't even tried to look for my plug on my new 06 yet, just something i havent' had time to do, but will soon, it was 42 this morning, another couple of weeks and both trucks will be plugged in.
i never realized that the engine block heaters pulled so much juice. plugging in two trucks is 2200 watts roughly. i hope my outside recepticle can handle it.
that engine oil pan heater sounds like a good idea, the only ones i have ever heard about years ago, were the dipstick heater kind.
i never realized that the engine block heaters pulled so much juice. plugging in two trucks is 2200 watts roughly. i hope my outside recepticle can handle it.
that engine oil pan heater sounds like a good idea, the only ones i have ever heard about years ago, were the dipstick heater kind.