TRCM

Last year, my block heater worked, but it was drawing some crazy current. The meter could have been used on a helicopter, and once you unplugged the truck, it slowed back down to normal. Leaving it plugged in ran my garage electric bill up from $20 a month to $100 a month.

Resistance across the plug read fine, and no apparent issues with boiling the antifreeze out or anything else.

Now this year, I go to plug it in, and it pops the breaker immediately.

kthiemann

Something to look at is the power cable to the block heater, I've seen a few of those short out. It is easy to change and you can find them fairly cheap.

TRCM

Well, without the heater, I had to resort to starting fluid to get the dang thing to start.

grid heaters are working

I pumped the manual priming pump until I knew it was primed (just in case it had bled down)

good batteries with a charger hooked up on 250 amp start

Just wouldn't fire until I shot some starting fluid in the intake (grid heaters are manually operated on my rig)


I think it's time for a new engine

RPegram

You should be able to crank and fire easily where you live. I'm just a few hours south of you and have had to wait one time for grid heater to do it's thing before engine would fire and the temps were down in the upper teens that morning. I've never plugged either of mine in. If you do have problems with starting, take your hair dryer and shove it down intake pipe to heat air. Be VERY careful with starting fluid and grid heaters, very dangerous combination. Check your grid heaters and make sure they are working properly.

The block heater you plug in is going to take some current to work. Remember it is basically a water heater plugged in the side of the engine. Most homes #1 user of electricity is the water heater (they are not wired on their own individual 30 amp circuit for nothing). If you use a small cord to reach the house, this will compound the issue of tripping breakers. You need a good heavy duty cord (yellow kind from SLowes). Try not to use an already loaded circuit. Unless you have plugged in the heater with no water in the block, the heater should be fine, but check the wiring going to heater and especially the plug on end.

blackimpala

I would suspect the cord. Change it and see what happens. I remember reading your post from last year. I live in a cold climent two things I do, cycle the grid heaters a few times before starting and I have my block heater on a timer set to come on a couple of hours before I normality need the truck. I really think something is wrong with your system, it shouldn't use that much power.

Floyd

TRCM

Well, new heater is in. Got it @ Cummins....cheapest place...40 bucks and in stock. Everywhere else wanted 140 bucks and had to order it.

The old heater came out pretty easy, and the new one went in just as easy.

The old heated element was pretty corroded, and actually looked like it was bad, altho I didn't really test it. Couldn't get the cord off in the truck, so I had to cut it to get the heater out.

At least I know it will work now when I need it to.

blackimpala

Let us know if that fixed you power consumption problem.

Floyd

TRCM

Yes it did.

The block heater now draws about the same amount of current as the lights on the bottom floor of the garage.

WAY WAY WAY less current than last year.

MikeR

Newport News shouldn't need a block heater to start a Cummins. Are your heater grids not cycling on? Heck the Cummins should still fire off in the high teens even without the grid heaters. Something isn't right.

TRCM

Yer right...something is wrong....I highly suspect worn rings, as the PO didn't take very good care of the engine. Blow by is 3x normal

Yes, my grid heaters are working fine, and are on a manual switch instead of automatic. Also installed an LED in the dash so I know if they dont turn off (had mine stick on once...not pretty going down the PA turnpike at night in the snow and having your headlights dim and gen light come on cuz the gridheaters stuck on)

TRCM

Just an update...new heater works great. Hunted all week in 30-40 deg weather, and never had a problem starting her up.