How long does an engine coolant heater need to be plugged in?

[oosik]

As MROlson86 indicated - lower hose heaters work great. If installed properly. I spent a year in Doofy's stomping grounds - Glennallen, AK. This is, or was, an area where COLD was not just a nighttime thing. It started in Nov and lasted thru March.

We used lower hose tank heaters on all government vehicles. Both electric and propane fired models. My private vehicle had an electric lower hose tank heater.

Living and working, successfully, in extreme conditions has a lot to do with a persons state of mind.

If you know that you must work with "it" - many can learn how to best deal with the conditions. Some never will.

 

[Rockbadchild]

how many watts heater you have ? ... this is calculable.

 

[NUTTERDW]

I had one of the engine heaters that gets cut into the radiator hose. I would plug it in and hour or two before I wanted to start the tractor and it didn't seem to help at all. Did I need to leave it plugged in longer? Like over night? Was it a junk heater? Do they not really work below O degrees? Should I have had a battery heater?

I've had a Case Ih 50 HP tractor since 99 and it had a coolant heater when I bought it. I can plug not in 30 minutes before I need to use the tractor and it starts like summer time, even at a minus zero temperature. It will also start with out using the heater but it has to grind for a while and ruins rough for a few minutes. But with the heater it runs smooth. It also has an either injection system but I have never used it.

 

[Egon]

Do most thermostats have a bypass??

 

[RHiebert]

I had one of the engine heaters that gets cut into the radiator hose. I would plug it in and hour or two before I wanted to start the tractor and it didn't seem to help at all. Did I need to leave it plugged in longer? Like over night? Was it a junk heater? Do they not really work below O degrees? Should I have had a battery heater?

If you insist on using petroleum based engine oil, which will need to be warmed prior to starting, then good luck. My suggestion is use the quality synthetic that will allow and provide premature wear protection at temperatures that are mentioned because it will remain fluid. Petroleum based oils contain paraffin which cause it to solidify when exposed to winter temperatures.

 

[joea99]

It depends. Colder temps and/or wind require more heating time. Also, generally speaking, the lower in the system the heater is, the quicker it will work (heat rises). If it's in a hose at the top of the engine, it's gonna take a lot longer.

A common misconception.

Heat "moves" toward cold, in any direction, it does not "rise".

Heated Air, water or any fluid or gas, will tend to "rise" as it is less dense than the cooler air, etc., which is probably where that idea comes from.

 

[jmc]

What's the trick mentioned here several times about multiple glow plug cycles? Are they just controlled by a timer instead of a thermostat? Can you burn them out?

 

[Hermio]

I just put a hair dryer under the hood. After 2 hours, it is warm enough.

 

[coalguy]

Here is my opinion from the great white north.
When I was farming I was starting my tractor every day in winter. Lots of times the temperature was 40 below 0. YES 40. I always plugged in my tractor for AT LEAST 4 hours. And used a 1500 watt circulating type heater. They have a thermostat so once the coolant is warm they cut out. Tractor started like summer. A cold engine wears fast until warmed up.
I never really noticed the difference on my power bill.
Yes my bill was a bit higher in winter BUT I also had electric heat in the house and 3 cattle water bowels.
So compared to possibly all that have posted you are in near tropical conditions by comparison.
I live in Saskatchewan Canada.

Good post! I also live in Canada, and plug my tractors 2 hours above -10 °C (14 °F), and 4 hours when below. My tractors will eventually start without it, but as you stated it is a lot harder on the starter, batteries, and engine wear. My Kubota doesn't like cold winter weather, and need so many glow-plug cycles that it drain the battery down if not plugged. The Yanmar equipped John Deere start a lot better in cold weather but I still plug-it. I recently have started using those flexible pan heater on the transmission also. It does make a big difference in the first hour of operation.

 

[Hermio]

A common misconception.

Heat "moves" toward cold, in any direction, it does not "rise".

Heated Air, water or any fluid or gas, will tend to "rise" as it is less dense than the cooler air, etc., which is probably where that idea comes from.

Not quite correct. Heat is conducted in every direction, and it radiates in every direction. But the third method of heat flow is by convection, and natural convection carried heat upwards, due to density differences. That is why placing a heater on the bottom is more effective.