Block heater question

Rockyridge · Feb 3, 2007

When I purchased a L3400 with 100 hours on it last fall I had the dealer install a block heater before I took it home. With the temp below zero and the wind chill about -15 today I decided to try the heater out.

After it was plugged in for a couple of hours I expected the base of the heater to be hot or maybe even warm but it didn’t even feel warm when I touched it before staring the tractor.

After a few tries, the tractor did start but was really rough for the first minute or so. I expected it to start pretty easy after being plodded in for 2 hours.

I suspect that the heater didn’t work but would like to verify my guess that the base would feel at least a little warm after being plugged in for a couple of hours shouldn’t it.

Next step would be to check the plus and extension cord etc.

Thanks for any information you can provide.

ccsial · Feb 3, 2007

I usually leave my L3400 plugged in for at least 4 hours when it is really cold. If you plug it in and out fast you should see some sparks if it is drawing current. If it is out in the wind that can slow down heating too.

Bob_Skurka · Feb 3, 2007

I don't have block heaters on my tractors, but I have them on my all the trucks in my fleet. We plug them in when the trucks return to the terminal and leave them plugged in until they are started again the next morning. Block heaters only heat enough to get the engine warm but not hot. I would also recommend at least 4 hours of warming, but I would not see a problem with running the heater over night (or longer) unless the instructions for your specific heater recommend against it.

George2615 · Feb 3, 2007

If you have an ohmmeter you can measure the resistance across the power plug (while unplugged of course) and then measure across the element itself. If it has some resistance at the plug and the element the cord is good and you may just need to leave it plugged in longer. If you get no indication of resistance on the meter, the heater element may be open or broken. I you have a resistance at the element but not at the plug then your cord or the male plug end may be bad. Hopefully it is only the cord or end that's bad which is fairly easy to replace.

radman1 · Feb 3, 2007

I had my block heater plugged in today for about 4 hours and the temp is 10F. The block is very warm to the touch near the heater. The heater is 600 watts. Check it out with an ohm meter to see if there is resistance.

Northland · Feb 3, 2007

I have a block heater on my new B7800 as well as on my truck and wife's car. When I plug in the tractor I can actually hear some "gurgling" start immediately. The same goes for the car and truck but all three are in the garage with the door closed. We have them plugged in each night

I find 2 hours more then sufficient to warm up up all the vehicles and actually have a timer set to start two hours before we go to work each morning.

CampMan · Feb 3, 2007

ROCKYRIDGE,

I installed a block heater in my B7510. When I plugged the heater into a GROUND FAULT outlet it would stay on for a few seconds and shut off. I had to go a standard outlet, then things worked fine.

Double 00 Soul · Feb 4, 2007

Rockyridge,

If I leave my B3030 plugged in for 4 hours, I can feel the warmth on my hand when I go to unplug it, don't have to touch the block. I only leave it plugged in now for about two hours. Wouldn't think your L3400 should be much different. I don't believe you mentioned if your machine is outside or in a garage, that could be the difference, mine is in an unheated garage.

Egon · Feb 4, 2007

Campman:

You should be checking your cord and plug in ends to make sure all is well.

simonmeridew · Feb 4, 2007

Rocky:
As was mentioned by someone earlier, when you plug it in you should see and feel a good sized spark in the plug/outlet connection. If you don't it isn't working. There are no moving parts in the system; look for fraying insulation on the little pigtail wiring where it might have worn from something moving against it over the summer, or maybe a sharp stick cutting into and severing a conductor. These things are not rocket science; I have one on my L4400 but never used it; even at zero and below I turn the key to glow plug for 5 seconds and then to start and it hardly even cranks before it starts. Maybe you should make sure that your glow plugs are working properly. I NEVER have to crank more than a second. It starts quicker than my Tundra.
simonmeridew

m7040 · Feb 4, 2007

Left the block heater on overnight to test it out and the block is now warm to the touch. It really is not required because it starts very easily and hardly cranks before firing off. It will be however be better for the engine to get the warmed oil on cold startups and increase circulation initially.

Rockyridge · Feb 4, 2007

The tractor is in an OLD barn so, while it may be out of the direct wind, it is not an enclosed shed. We are on top a ridge so a lot of air moves through that old barn. It’s 3PM and it’s still -7.

I used an ohmmeter to verify there is resistance through the cord and heater and I checked that the plug has power so that all looks like it should be OK.

I’ll call the dealer tomorrow to see what the wattage of the heater is that they install.

I’ll try leaving it plugged in for 4+ hours and see how that works, or like was suggested, overnight if plugging it in for four hours doesn’t do it.

Since this tractor is used only occasionally when we have snow, if this needs 4 or more hours lead time, it makes it more difficult to use.

Thanks for all of the great advice. As you can see, I’m new to this group but am really impressed with advice available here.

dirtworksequip · Feb 4, 2007

Rockyridge, my JD3520 has been plugged in for 5 days. I've been plowing every morning and evening. Temps have been in the single digits. I tried leaving it plugged in for 3 hours once and it just was not enough time to heat up the block. With the temps you have I would leave it plugged in overnight and you should have no problems. You also have to factor in the windchill.

638 · Feb 6, 2007

Tractors don't know wind chill. That only applys to living skin.

ron

ccsial · Feb 7, 2007

638 said:
Tractors don't know wind chill. That only applys to living skin.

ron

I'm not sure that wind can cause a tractor to get any colder than the actual temperature but it sure can carry heat away if you using a block heater.

Put two pokers in a fire and get them red hot. Let one cool by itself and hit the other with an air hose. You'll see a big difference. The wind carries the heat away faster.

bialecki · Feb 7, 2007

ccsial said:
I'm not sure that wind can cause a tractor to get any colder than the actual temperature but it sure can carry heat away if you using a block heater.

Put two pokers in a fire and get them red hot. Let one cool by itself and hit the other with an air hose. You'll see a big difference. The wind carries the heat away faster.

Absolutely, this is the same reason why a car's radiator has a fan on it. From an engineering perspective it has to do with the heat exchange between the warm object and the cooler surroundings, the more mass flow of air (due to wind) the more heat exchange there will be. With that said wind chill is only a human phenomenon due to the rate of moisture evaporation from the skin that creates a feeling that it is colder than what the actual temperature really is.

varmint · Feb 7, 2007

I had plugged in my B-8200's block heater the other day (20+ degrees) in anticipation of doing some work, which didn't happen, and forgot about the heater until that evening, so it was "on" for maybe 8 hours... when I checked the engine, the valve cover and block side were just a bit warm to the touch-certainly not hot. When I do start it up, after just and hour or two of heat, I can tell a difference- everything is happier to be warm! I haven't had to test it in really cold conditions, but the tractor is cold blooded compared to some I've seen, so I figure I could absolutely need it some time.

fishpick · Feb 8, 2007

638 said:
Tractors don't know wind chill. That only applys to living skin.

ron

My tractor is alive! I resent this post!

proudestmonkey · Feb 8, 2007

Rocky,

Welcome to the forum. Good to see another Minnesotan igloo around (I live in Cottage Grove).

This morning when I started my tractor the thermometer read -11. I let the radiator heater (that's what my dealer said was the most cost effective way to add a heater was going to be--$75 installed) run for about 1.5 hours. Not long enough, for sure. I have 90 hours on my BX 2230, have started it probably 100-200 times. Today was the first day I've ever had to turn it over more than once. In fact, after letting the glow plugs glow for about 90 seconds, it turned over, and smoke exited the exhaust, and I could smell diesel fuel burning, but didn't get going. Two more times, and it started out like a train, sputtering, then sputtering less, then I gave it some throttle, and whush, away it went, turned it to a medium idle, let it run for about 10 minutes, adn then started to move some attachments around (FEL and Rear Blade). Used it to clear the little bits of snow we've been getting here and there, and churn gravel up into the snow before the snow gets icy with warmer weather. Worked like a charm.

I also wonder if my heater was getting any kind of juice. I have a radio out in the shed to check the power, probably should have done that before giving the starter a go. Probably should have let it heat up longer too, given the pretty bitter cold of last night. I think the low was probably like -15 or colder in the middle of the night, not sure though.

ByronBob · Feb 8, 2007

proudestmonkey said:
Rocky,

Welcome to the forum. Good to see another Minnesotan igloo around (I live in Cottage Grove).

This morning when I started my tractor the thermometer read -11. I let the radiator heater (that's what my dealer said was the most cost effective way to add a heater was going to be--$75 installed) run for about 1.5 hours. Not long enough, for sure. I have 90 hours on my BX 2230, have started it probably 100-200 times. Today was the first day I've ever had to turn it over more than once. In fact, after letting the glow plugs glow for about 90 seconds, it turned over, and smoke exited the exhaust, and I could smell diesel fuel burning, but didn't get going. Two more times, and it started out like a train, sputtering, then sputtering less, then I gave it some throttle, and whush, away it went, turned it to a medium idle, let it run for about 10 minutes, adn then started to move some attachments around (FEL and Rear Blade). Used it to clear the little bits of snow we've been getting here and there, and churn gravel up into the snow before the snow gets icy with warmer weather. Worked like a charm.

I also wonder if my heater was getting any kind of juice. I have a radio out in the shed to check the power, probably should have done that before giving the starter a go. Probably should have let it heat up longer too, given the pretty bitter cold of last night. I think the low was probably like -15 or colder in the middle of the night, not sure though.

I had an emergency the other day myself and didn't have the tractor plugged in. I almost didn't get it started in zero degree weather.

This topic really has no real answer because everyone thinks differently on whats necessary. But in my case I've seen the difference at low temperatures in getting the engine to turn over. To me it's a no brainer to have one.

But even plugged in the temp only gets to around 100 degrees in the block. Things boil at 212 degrees so it couldn't / shouldn't get too hot anyway. I think it's working fine after an hour of being plugged in. After that it's just leveled out.