plugging them in 24/7 for months at a time is a fact of life up here where it actually gets cold. We plug gassers in too.

johnh.......i'd REALLY like to know where this tidbit of info came from............. "the unit will cycle off as soon as the design temp is reached ,so it doesn't operate constantly." What circuitry is in there to cycle it, that we don't know about?

 

I agree that there is nothing to cause it to cycle. It is just a 700watt heating element surounded by coolant and when it is plugged in it gets hot. I have found that if my truck is plugged in for 3 hrs the engine is as hot as it is going to get. So if you are on a regular schedule a timer is the way to go. If you are not on a regular schedule you can ether plug it in if you suspect it to get cold. I am retired so I have a remote and I turn the block heater on if it is cold enough and I allow it some time to warm the engine up depending on how cold it is. I have given it 3 hours in -40 and it started fine.And after Christmas I go south to Arizona so I don't have to plug it in.
Jim 0

 

I'm like tim holt, I never know when the truck's going to be needed (subject to callout 24/7) so it just stays plugged in all winter. And yes, 3-4 hours before start time is all it ever needs. if i ever build a house (retire), I'm gonna put a switch from inside the house on an outside outlet, so i can turn it on only when I need it.

 

Plugging them 24/7 in areas like Galena or Fairbanks Alaska where you can see -40 to -60 can be a fact of life. Heated garages, leaving the vehicles running when going into the store, plugging in, etc are necessary for the vehicles to run. But in Corinth Texas, where the average temp is 43 and the average low is 32 in January.... Seriously next week it is expected to hit 70... Brrrr.... bundle up...

 

I agree, I lived in Wichita Falls,TX, I was there for 6 years and it snowed once.Granted it gets cold from time to time but it don't last. To each their own but plugging in 24/7 in that climate is big time over kill.

 

My rule of thumb if you are warming a cold block is one hour for every ten degrees below 30F.

 

Who says I stay in Corinth all the time guys? You assume too much! Besides where you live doesnt matter, cold is cold. Its been 9 degrees here before, froze up my RV. Like I said 45 and below it gets plugged in. I didnt say year round.

 

Check this out:

http://store.dieseltruckresource.com/blheco.html

 

It does.. been checked before with a temp gun on this forum by others. I have gone out on a 20* morning and every part of the engine was warm from the oil pan to the valve cover and there was a ring on top of the hood where the light snow had melted.

Separate block heaters are sometimes necessary when it gets really cold, but the stock heater is plenty powerful for most.

But you are right it doesn't heat the fuel in the tank, hope for good anti-gel