Are block heaters needed?

[Egon]

Block heaters come in different wattage ratings. For the tractors we talk about here 350 watts may be the norm???

I've never had a problem leaving mine plugged in all the time.

 

[MadReferee]

Question (really 2) - how much juice does a block heater consume - is it equivalent to, say, a 100W light bulb?
Second question - can you leave it on "too long" - meaning will it get too hot or cause damage if you leave it on all the time?

The block heater for the Kubota B series is 400w @ 115v. All it normally takes is 20-30 minutes to heat up the engine coolant, any more time is wasting electricity.

 

[MikePA]

Morning Mike.
Neet little unit compare to my old Sears charger w/40amp max starter...thanks for the info...125 must really spin the engine,or does it have safety device built in...only uses the amps it needs to start.

Morning Thomas,

When I've used it to start the tractor, cars or truck, the engine turns over just as if the battery was working correctly.

 

[ovrszd]

The block heater for the Kubota B series is 400w @ 115v. All it normally takes is 20-30 minutes to heat up the engine coolant, any more time is wasting electricity.

Yeah, I would agree. I run a grader and plug it in nightly if I plan to use it the next morning. Went to Wal-Mart and bought a plug-in timer that allows me to set each of the hours on a 24 hour clock. For example if I were going to start the grader each morning at 0600 hrs, I would leave it plugged in when parked and have the timer set to kick on at 0400 or 0500 hrs and back off at 0600 hrs. Only using one or two hours of electricity and having the grader crank as if I just shut it off. Minimizes the amount of electricity but still gives the results I want.

Edit: Forgot to mention, it won't hurt your engine to leave it plugged in all night. Just uses more electricity than necessary to get a good start.

 

[patrick_g]

Although a block heater of the "percolator type that heats the water may have a rating of 350 watts give or take a hundred watts or two, it isn't a sure thing that it is pulling that continuously since the ones I used in North Dakota had thermostats and would cycle. If you are concerned with eneregy consumption, you can put it on a timer if you have one.

Regarding the loss of mileage due to winter starts. Let me generalize that statement. Many automotive experts believe that dry starts (summer or winter) reduce engine life by a factor of 2-3. All starts that are a day since the unit last run is a dry start as the warm oil after engine shut down is heated and thinned (no circulatiion) and drains down leaving little or no residual whre the hot spots were and not much anywhere else. When first cranking your engine there is little lubrication. This accelerates wear by a fantastic margin.

The Cummins diesel folks (factory info not some shade tree mech) recommend that if your engine has not been run for several days (a few weeks) that you should disconnect the fuel solelnoid and crank it with no fuel until you see the oil pressure come up and then give it fuel. They recommend a switch to easily accomplish that. My Toyota Prius starts and stops the engine frequently (like about every time you coast) and they do not give it fuel or spark when cranking plus they use the variable valve timing to elliminate compression. They spin it up and get oil pressure and then give it compressiion, fuel, and spark.

Many diesel boats and lots of big trucks and heavy duty equipment use a device called a preluber. It is (usually) an electric oil pump that is switched on and it brings the oil pressure up lubricating everything and then you crank the engine. Another use of the preluber is as a post-luber that keeps circulating the oil after you shut down to avoid hot spots frying any oil. This is especially useful for the turbo bearings.

There are super simple DIY non-electric preluber designs which I will discuss in a different thread if there is interest.

A block heater does not lubricate anything. It shortens the time it takes to get oil to the places it needs to go so that at best the dry starts you experience in the winter are no more severe than those in suimmer. Cranking with the fuel turned off till oil pressure comes up (ala Cummins and others) helps but does not elliminate the dry start problem. A preluber, even a simple non-electric DIY model elliminates dry starts as it gets the oil pressure on the scoreboard before you do any rotatary metal to metal grinding.

Pat

(Note: Smilies don't work for me on this site... Assume a couple yellow smiles after my name unless otherwise informed)

 

[Doc_Bob]

Shumacher is one brand with a model that has a Start Engine setting. Link

Thanks, nice unit.
Bob

 

[Doc_Bob]

Only using one or two hours of electricity and having the grader crank as if I just shut it off. Minimizes the amount of electricity but still gives the results I want.

Edit: Forgot to mention, it won't hurt your engine to leave it plugged in all night. Just uses more electricity than necessary to get a good start.

I will do the same with a timer. No harm in saving electricity.
Bob

 

[goaliedad]

I really like the timer idea, and the cord thru the steering wheel. Wish I had thought of that before....don't ask.

What are your thoughts on a running a salamander type heater on the tractor? My old L175 has always been on cold blooded beast- have used a magnet heater on the oil pan with decent luck- resorted to the salamander when needed. Not too close, just blowing on the engine for a while.

Last winter I did some work on the engine, and it seems be much easier to start now- hopefully it will be a while before I find out! LOL

 

[Charolais]

I can start both my tractors without the block being heated. But I have them and use them on both. Main reason is to keep down wear on the engine and starter. Second resason is the engine is nice and warm and I don't have to let it sit there burning fuel to get warmed up.

I've tried all the engine block heaters except the Propane type. The dip stick heater can burn the engine oil. The lower radiator hose heater/I've seen two of those get stuck on and either boil all the coolant out or crack the radiator. I have on tractor with the heater in the freeze plug. It works OK and does the job. But it doesn't warm the engine like a tank heater. I've found over the year that the tank heater works best for me. On larger (50hp-75hp) engines I use 1,500-2,000 watt tank heaters. They will warm the engine and the temp. guage will go up just like the engine is running. I have both tractors on timers so they come on about 1.5 hours before I need them. This is done daily because I feed cows daily. When the freeze plug type stops working I'll replace it with the tank type.


This is what I use:Servicemate.com
This type heater has a ball in the output side so it stops backflow after the engine is started. They have held up well.

 

[Doc_Bob]

This is what I use:Servicemate.com
This type heater has a ball in the output side so it stops backflow after the engine is started. They have held up well.

How are they installed? Any pics you can post of your installations?
Bob