73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Engine/Drivetrain => Topic started by: greenmonster on January 20, 2008, 10:39:19 am
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Can I leave a block heater plugged in all night.
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Yes, they are meant to be used that way. I plug in all diesals including machinery when possible in the cold. Same goes with gas motors.
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Yep, my dad keeps his bucket truck plugged in for days at a time..it seldom fully cools off.
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How hot do the heater get the truck.Mine won't bring the temp gauge off 100 degrees.
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They are not meant to get that hot (I'm not sure of exact temp), just to keep the oil warm enough to circulate easier in the severe cold. Some diesals can be next to impossible to start in frigid weather.
For your gas motor, you should have easier starts and warm up quicker.
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If you leave that plugged in all the time you will see a difference in your power bill. Unless its super cold like 30 or 40 below freezeing I just get up early in the morning and plug it in a couple of hours before I start it. Thats with a gas engine. Diesel I would plug it in all night depending on how big the motor was. Example semi truck= all night.
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You could easily tell how much power it's using with an amp clamp.... 120V heater drawing 2Amps is 240Watts. Volts X Amps = Watts
As far as temp goes most modern block heaters go up to 250°F
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A freeze plug type block heater left plugged in all the time will add up to about $10-15/month extra on your electric bill, a large tank type will add up to $20-25 if left plugged in all the time. I use 1000 or 1500 watt tank type heaters, and 675 watt freeze plug heaters in these engines. They heat the engine the same if installed properly. Tank type heaters are by far easier to install than freeze plug heaters if the engine is in the vehicle, which is the only reason I use em at all. The 1100 watt freeze plug heater in my dad's bucket truck heats the Navistar 7.3L N/A commercial diesel to 60*F in about 24 hours @ 10*F outside temp, and when plugged in on average 150 hours a week, adds about $20/month to the electric bill. Thats a small price to pay to be able to answer emergency "half a tree fell on my house" calls after an ice storm.