Engine Block Heater: OK to leave plugged in?

   / Engine Block Heater: OK to leave plugged in? #1  

JohnDeereGreen

New member
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
Messages
8
Location
Windsor Ontario, Canada
Tractor
2003 John Deere X595
I have an X595 with the Yanmar diesel engine. When I bought it, the dealer installed a block heater at no charge. It gets pretty cold here. 0F or below quite often. The tractor starts when it's that cold and not plugged in, but has the "romps" for a minute or so. Since it has the block heater, I would like to leave it plugged in, so it's easier on everything at startup. When I was growing up, we used to leave one of our farm tractors (the one with the blade on it) plugged in all winter and this didn't seem to do any harm. Just wondering if I could/should do the same with my X595?

The block heater is in the engine, (not an inline one in the cooling system).

Thanks, in advance for your input.
 
   / Engine Block Heater: OK to leave plugged in? #2  
I'll usually leave mine on a timer to come on about 2-3 hrs before I plan to use it. If it's left plugged in all the time, I think you'll just be wasing electricity. Plug it in 2-3 hrs before you plan to use it if you can, should be all you need.
 
   / Engine Block Heater: OK to leave plugged in? #3  
Rob, you may not like your electric bill leaving it plugged in all the time, I like the timer idea like JD mentioned and DON'T forget to unplug it when you move your machine
Jim:)
 
   / Engine Block Heater: OK to leave plugged in? #4  
You can get a heavy duty timer at Lowes/Walmart for less than $20 that will do what you need..

Brian
 
   / Engine Block Heater: OK to leave plugged in? #5  
Will it do any harm, not to your engine anyway. Your wallet is another story.
 
   / Engine Block Heater: OK to leave plugged in? #6  
You should put it on a timer or just go out and plug it in about 30 minutes to an hour before you want to start it.

It's very likely that the radiator will release more heat than the heater puts in; so it won't overheat anything. However, it'll run your electric bill up, and it may be cooking your anti freeze too much by that localized heating.

My wife ran the heater on her 24 year old Benz this morning. She just went out and plugged it in when she got up. By the time she was ready to leave, it was warmed up.

Ralph
 
   / Engine Block Heater: OK to leave plugged in? #7  
I also use a timer on mine to turn on a coolant heater an hour or so in the morning and in the evening when I am most likely to use it.

I always run the extension cord for the heater through my steering wheel before I plug in the heater. That way, if I forget to unplug it (which so far I have not in 10 years), it will be staring me in the face as I go to start the tractor. It pays to try to set things up to be idiot proof just in case one has a brain fart.

Ken
 
   / Engine Block Heater: OK to leave plugged in? #8  
I used to have mine run about 8-10 hours a day on a timer. My bill went up about $10 a month. Now I only have it run 2 hours a day. Once in the morning so it's ready before I leave for work and once for an hour after dinner time. It seems to work out very well.
 
   / Engine Block Heater: OK to leave plugged in? #9  
I installed an in line lower hose heater a few years ago. At first I left it plugged in all the time when I wasn't using the tractor. When the next electric bill came in the bill was about $35 higher. I quickly bought a heavy duty appliance timer and have it set to turn on about 2-3 hours before use. 2-3 hours a day of electric to warm the coolant is much cheaper than 16-20 a day. If money is no object then you can leave it plugged in all the time without any problem.
 
   / Engine Block Heater: OK to leave plugged in? #10  
ksimolo I always run the extension cord for the heater through my steering wheel before I plug in the heater. That way said:
Ya that's a good idea, I have a heater for my 4310 and use the timer, my problem is on my dodge ram with cummins, also have a timer and have driven away with it still plugged in at least twice that I know of and have found the extension cord in some weird places a few more times, no damage to the heater cord , just a little longer, I now hang the cord over the side mirror so I see it.
 
 
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