Block heater and hydro.

[Phil48]

I usually run my block heater 30 minutes before a cold morning session. I tested both ways : with and without! The engine does appreciate the warm up! From my house, I install a wireless remote:
Westinghouse | Wireless Light Controller | Outdoor

Phil

 

[Looking4new]

Now there is a great idea!:thumbsup:

 

[krazsk]

The numbers don't add up. 400 watt heater will run about 300 kwh per month if on all the time At 12 cents that's 36 bucks. I think you need to look somewhere else too for your $110. The tractor heater ain't it.

 

[Looking4new]

View attachment 310175I usually run my block heater 30 minutes before a cold morning session. I tested both ways : with and without! The engine does appreciate the warm up! From my house, I install a wireless remote:
Westinghouse | Wireless Light Controller | Outdoor

Phil

Where did you get that?

 

[Looking4new]

The numbers don't add up. 400 watt heater will run about 300 kwh per month if on all the time At 12 cents that's 36 bucks. I think you need to look somewhere else too for your $110. The tractor heater ain't it.

i don't think it is a 400 watt heater. I think it is closer to a 1000-1500 watt heater. The heater in the heep is a 1000. The two heaters on the same line at the same time will blow breakers.
The heep was plugged in, too. Some of the time. The hydro is running about 50' across the lane inside 3" PVC pipe for protection. That is with an extension cord. The plan for this summer is to run hydro conduit across, on a dedicated circuit, that should reduce the line loss.

 

[Phil48]

Where did you get that?

It works flawlessly for two winters so far! I got it at Canadian Tire! They usually sell those items with Christmas light.

Phil

 

[Patches]

I have a very similar unit and have used it for the last 4 winters. It works great and I actuate it an hour before I want my tractor; my lower hose heater is rated at 1500 watts, so if you left yours plugged in for a month, I believe your utility bill

 

[Coyote machine]

I was going to suggest a regular heavy duty clock timer set to trip ON at the optimal time, and then one would disconnect/reset it when they went out to the garage/tent/ etc.
The remote one would work too.
Your power in Canada should be free- you're selling it all to us in VT! And you own our power company, Green Mountain Power, some French Company in Quebec owns them...
Are you guys allowed to sell excess power back to the power company by using photovoltaics and turning your meter backwards? We can at least do that here. I'm going to be looking at that in the near future.

 

[kiotiken]

Your power in Canada should be free- you're selling it all to us in VT! And you own our power company, Green Mountain Power, some French Company in Quebec owns them...

You want to read an article that didn't put too many smiles on peoples faces. - 580 CFRA News Talk Radio Under the microFit and Fit programs, Ontario guarantees $0.80 KW/H to small scale producers, people like you and me if we put solar panels on the roof, for 20 years! Unfortunately, by the time dollar signs went across my eyes, my application was rejected because the grid in my area couldn't handle any more juice from the roof (I wonder why). So we're paying 10x the going rate for that power and then paying to dump it! I'm also not sure why they can't just give it away or stick a big grounding rod into the ground.

 

[Coyote machine]

Yeah, reminds me that the news said the other day that wind generation grids in VT were needing to be partially shut down, as to generating capacity, and all others planned to be built put on hold because the grid can't handle the amount of juice. But they're not lowering rates to the consumer/business?!:confused2:
Green Mtn. Power is supposedly installing a $10 Million machine to deal with the issue of the grid's under-capacity. Sounds like trying to suppress a lightning strike with a peanut butter & jelly sandwich.:confused3: