Block Heaters 24/7

[VoyagernOK]

Expansion and contraction aren't going to be significant issues with regard to heating your engine.
For someone who needs to be able to jump in his diesel at a moment's notice and go, leaving it plugged in makes sense. I let a diesel engine in a Suburban heat only about a half hour in -25° weather and when I started it, it twisted the shaft in the oil pump off because the oil inside the pump had not warmed and was too stiff for it to pump.
If it is cold enough as our winters in SD often were, I'd use both a tank and block heater. Mine were always wired together. If you don't want to leave it on 24-7, then plug it into a timer. That's what most of the ranchers in our area did.

I've never heard of anyone having a fire from an engine heater? Anyone else here ever hear of that?

 

[PChap]

I own an old Ford 545D Loader with air heat assist does not work well. So I added an oil pan heater 150 watts it works great plug it in after you use the tractor an leave it

 

[Gord Baker]

There are heaters that are inserted in the lower rad hose that circulate the heated water.
Many heaters are 1500 Watts and take a lot of electricity. Consult your manual and Dealer.
4 hours ON should serve for most situations.

 

[Doofy]

The old plow truck with the 7.3 diesel sits outside year around. When I need to plow, everything gets plugged in. Oil pan and transmission pan pad heaters, either the 1500 watt circulating heater or the 700 watt block heater (depends on if I remembered to plug in the block heater the night before). There are also 80watt Battery Blankets on both batteries.

The 1-1/2 amp trickle charger is always plugged in.

Even with all of this, sometimes it is still a chore to fire that beast up.

 

[PILOON]

My CUT is a Mitsubishi and does not like cold so my heater is on 24/24.
Heck even in summer I need glow plugs.

I also enjoy the fact that my cab heat is ready to provide some comfort at start up.
OK, in Quebec we have affordable power but the cost of that 300 watt element is not much worst than forgetting a couple of lights on in the shed or whatever.
I compensate by having mostly LED lighting elsewhere.

I also have an intelligent charger permantly wired to my battery and a witness LED to confirm that power is live at my tractor.

Did I say that I hate cold.

 

[panamaguy]

My winters are cold. Sometimes way below freezing sometimes well below zero Fahrenheit. A few of my neighbors that have snow plowing routes and those that have farm animals plug in their block heaters for those 6 months. That is, when they are not in the vehicle, using it, the vehicle is plugged in. Their idea is #1 The vehicle is ready at a moment's notice. And #2: there is no stress on parts (expansion and contraction) as the engine goes from 0 degrees to running temp. I'm not saying what they do is not valid... Personally, I nervous about having the Heater plugged in overnight when I'm not around to see or smell a problem. I just don't have confidence in them. What is your opinion.

Having grown up in Canada a block heater and oil pan heater are a way of life. In the a out 40 years using then I have never had a problem. Plug it in a forget it. A oil pan heater should be part of your setup. You want oil that flows the second you touch the key. If you want to do a test put whatever grade of oil you use in a cup and put it in the deep freeze over night and try pouring it out in the morning. Hence the oil pan heater

 

[Doofy]

I finally made the move to full synthetic oil in my 7.3. Went from Delo 15W-40 to Rotella 5W-40. Should have made that change several years ago. It is amazing how the viscosity of the oil affects cranking speed.

 

[DSteiner]

Years ago… I thot I couldn’t afford to leave any of my tractors plugged in until a hour or so before needed then one cold winter day the power went out. I needed the tractor powered generator to milk my cows but non of the tractors started. After that one tractor was plugged in continuously with a thermostat. Now that I’m retired and have a newer tractor, 29 years old compact, that starts in all weather I seldom ever use the block heater.

 

[Doofy]

At 38 cents (and climbing) per KWH, I can try being frugal but the time wasted and frustration of not plugging in usually wins and I plug 'em in. It's only money.

 

[rogerson]

My winters are cold. Sometimes way below freezing sometimes well below zero Fahrenheit. A few of my neighbors that have snow plowing routes and those that have farm animals plug in their block heaters for those 6 months. That is, when they are not in the vehicle, using it, the vehicle is plugged in. Their idea is #1 The vehicle is ready at a moment's notice. And #2: there is no stress on parts (expansion and contraction) as the engine goes from 0 degrees to running temp. I'm not saying what they do is not valid... Personally, I nervous about having the Heater plugged in overnight when I'm not around to see or smell a problem. I just don't have confidence in them. What is your opinion.

I’m in Northern Ontario Canada and winters are cold. Have the block heater for my tractor and automobiles on timers running from 4 AM to 11 AM. I‘m normally out and about between 8 AM and 9 AM with no start issue even on the coldest mornings.

in terms of worrying about a device failure, it happens, but the electric circuit breaker will trip before a short creates a fire or similar. Trust me, everyone in Northern Ontario plugs their vehicles in overnight, and I don’t think I’ve heard of a structure or vehicle fire caused by a malfunctioning electric block heater.