Has anyone used these? I'm thinking about using this one.

http://www.kimhotstartheaters.com/st...6c391470434b31

 

The only advantage that I could see is that the heater is rated for 1500 Watts. The Cummins block heater is rated at 750W. You would get more thermal energy into the coolant/block of your engine.

It would be nice to have 2 heaters, however you would exceed the current rating of most all 120 Volt circuit breakers easily if you ran both of them. (1500W heater would draw 12.5 Amps, 750W heater draws 6.25 Amps)

Another thing I just thought of, I think those heaters are designed for vehicles that may never have had the option for an OEM block heater.

Getting a little cold up there Trevor?

 

One of the reasons I want one is to get the warmed up to almost operating temp in the morning. Most likely it'll be on a timer. I just want a toasty warm truck in the morning.

How's the little one doing?

 

For the cost of the heater you could go to the hardware store buy the parts make it yourself and save half

 

The heater also circulates coolant too. I don't think with the thermostat, heating element and circulating pump would cost half. Plus it's an industrial heater so it will last.

 

I wish I had a block heater.

 

$342.59 for a coolant heater?

15 years ago, I bought one from the local independent auto parts store for my gasser. It was also 1,500 watts, worked great, and it was only $40.

It was probably this brand, but IIRC, mine was painted orange.

 

If you want things to warm up nicely, you should put on a oil pan heater too. Almost instant oil pressure in the mornings, even at -35.

 

The stock block heater circulates coolant the same way the heater you are looking at does without a pump.
It's called convection, hot air/fluid rises.
If you leave your block heater plugged in long enough you will notice the radiator is warm as well as the heater core in the cab.

I have also bought 1500 watt heaters for my tractors from John Deere for around $50. Even with inflation $342 seems like a total rip off.

 

I used a similar model in ND for a couple of years back in the mid-70s. I don't recall the cost but it was not expensive. We had a blizzard one night and I popped the hood the next morning and everything was covered in snow. I plugged in the coolent heater and watched as it melted the snow off the heater hoses. This was the convection at work because it was something like -20* at the time so nothing was melting without some electrical help. I will say that the model you are looking at looks like it has a water heater element to do the heating.

 

Go to your local tractor supply store or even a auto parts store and get the same thing for 1/4 of the money. Around here that is all we use on our tractors, they work great most of the time and will "hiss" almost immediately after pluggin it in, so you know it is working. Only probs we ever had was bad cords and plugs, mostly from use hitting it or catching it on something when we were using it.
DS79

 

I bought one not knowing there were cheaper ones out there. I bought mine as NOS for $60 shipped with a 2240 element. If/when this goes I'll buy two for $40 a pop.

Works real well, though.

 

I work on generators equipped with the KIM hotstarts and they don't seem to have too long a life. I usually replace one a year among 7 units. I run them continuosly from now until April. You will not put nearly as many hours on one, but for the money and longevity I'd do more investigating first.

 

Try this.

http://www.warehouseautoparts.com/Sp...ank_heater.htm

 

Those are good heaters! I forgot about them, we sold those at my last job to put them on Bobcats.
DS79