Cold weather start, with glow plugs and block heater. Why does my tractor not start at minus 20 C?

[RalphVa]

Ray -- NAHH-HH-H!

I'll admit the battery in my '05 Jetta TDI Wagon was last replaced in Dec of 2013 (8 yrs) and is now (apparently) due for another change... but that tractor's battery is still holding up amazingly well. No plans to swap it... yet.

Today, temps were milder (starting at -2, rising to 18), and the little red beast started with no problem after running only the block heater for 2 hrs; no additional help. Fired right up for another scrape at the driveway.

Hey -- I may be cheap... but I'm cheap!

You really only need to run block heaters for about 10 minutes or so.

 

[LouNY]

Were do you come up with 10 minutes to run a block heater,
many block heaters are only 400 watts.
Even if you had a 1000 watt heater 10 minutes would do almost nothing
to a 400 pound chunk of steel and cold water.
An hour may be enough in moderate weather10-20 F,
-5 to 5F definitly a couple of hours

 

[Dmacleo]

You really only need to run block heaters for about 10 minutes or so.

generalizations often wrong.
my small GC in sub zero weather....20 minutes good figure.
the MF1532 I often use...if not plugged in all night takes 2 hours to help in sub zero. if plugged in 2 applications of 30 seconds glow plug and running fine.

 

[ray66v]

I see why he's saying that. The block heater on a GC is so tiny, it's hard to imagine it does anything in 20 minutes.

 

[Dmacleo]

I see why he's saying that. The block heater on a GC is so tiny, it's hard to imagine it does anything in 20 minutes.

in -10 weather the 4269250M91 heater brings my GC2400 temp up to just under 1/4 on gauge in 20-30 minutes. proved that many times over last week.
not sure the wattage.

 

[PILOON]

Here is a trick I've adopted.
I wired an LED night light into my block heater/tender circuit so that I simply look out the window to confirm that everything is working OK.

Now I'd also like to be able to install a remote starter like I have on my car.
Would sure be nice to enter a warm cab!

 

[RalphVa]

Were do you come up with 10 minutes to run a block heater,
many block heaters are only 400 watts.
Even if you had a 1000 watt heater 10 minutes would do almost nothing
to a 400 pound chunk of steel and cold water.
An hour may be enough in moderate weather10-20 F,
-5 to 5F definitly a couple of hours

Run them more than about 20 minutes and you're just wasting electrical energy causing hot water to flow to rad and cool it down, etc. Think it was somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes I had the lower rad heater on the 1972 220D Benz one morning in Vermont @ -22 F. Started right up after glowing about a minute.

 

[LouNY]

Run them more than about 20 minutes and you're just wasting electrical energy causing hot water to flow to rad and cool it down, etc. Think it was somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes I had the lower rad heater on the 1972 220D Benz one morning in Vermont @ -22 F. Started right up after glowing about a minute.

I am afraid that you are mistaken, I have used both block heaters and lower radiator hose heater on many engines and even the ones that are the thermo pump style. Depending on the engine block and the wattage of the heater most are going to take a heck of a lot longer then 20 minutes.
Also they would have a very difficult time getting flow into the radiator untill the engine thermostat opens at 180F or so.
You can run yours as little as you wish but you are doing inexperienced operators a disservice by spouting of that line.

 

[Rockbadchild]

yeah my massey is not much of a starter ether at cold temp

 

[metalbender]

BATTERY BLANKET... Only draws 40 watts, always on, keeps the battery at optimum power. My block heater is 400 watts, turn it on remotely at least four hrs before I need the tractor. The motor doesn't turn fast enough at cold battery capacity. Had problems when I first got my tractor, even plugged in, in a quonset. Just didn't spin fast enough.

 

[Dmacleo]

-19 F this morning.
I didn't even try.
plugged block heater in and 20 minutes later she fired up easily.

 

[LittleBill21]

guys are block heaters really 600 dollar's? its a freaking heating element.

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[PILOON]

LOL, I solved that problem,
I leave mine plugged 24/7 so it always fires up.
Hydro is reasonable here and that extra $s is worth my peace of mind, besides if my car won't start I can always boost from my tractor.
But then my car groaned and started and it was -32 C this AM. and that via my remote so it was cozy when I went for the paper.
Drat it the papers weren't delivered either.

Lots of folks woke up to frozen water this morning and some water mains also gave up the ghost.
Contractors will have a good ($'s) time thawing those water mains for the city.

 

[RalphVa]

LOL, I solved that problem,
I leave mine plugged 24/7 so it always fires up.
Hydro is reasonable here and that extra $s is worth my peace of mind, besides if my car won't start I can always boost from my tractor.
But then my car groaned and started and it was -32 C this AM. and that via my remote so it was cozy when I went for the paper.
Drat it the papers weren't delivered either.

Lots of folks woke up to frozen water this morning and some water mains also gave up the ghost.
Contractors will have a good ($'s) time thawing those water mains for the city.

Gonna burn out your heating element and a huge waste of electricity. Only need 20 minutes before starting. Did this @ -22 F in Vermont.

 

[Dmacleo]

guys are block heaters really 600 dollar's? its a freaking heating element.

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iirc I spent, with tax, 165$ for my massey gc2400

 

[Dmacleo]

LOL, I solved that problem,
I leave mine plugged 24/7 so it always fires up.
Hydro is reasonable here and that extra $s is worth my peace of mind, besides if my car won't start I can always boost from my tractor.
But then my car groaned and started and it was -32 C this AM. and that via my remote so it was cozy when I went for the paper.
Drat it the papers weren't delivered either.

Lots of folks woke up to frozen water this morning and some water mains also gave up the ghost.
Contractors will have a good ($'s) time thawing those water mains for the city.

super small ( as in GC series) cooling systems will open T-Stat after an hour and the factory heater will start boiling fluid.
ask me how I know.....
I got lucky and caught it before bubbled into overflow.
the 1532 I deal with can stay plugged in forever w/o expanding enough to bubble over.

 

[LittleBill21]

iirc I spent, with tax, 165$ for my massey gc2400

mine must be coated in gold.... sigh. can't believe what stuff costs.

 

[PILOON]

Gonna burn out your heating element and a huge waste of electricity. Only need 20 minutes before starting. Did this @ -22 F in Vermont.

I did have to once change an element but it was 25 yrs old. (and was it cold) and that was B4 I started the 24/7 routine.
I think my element is 300 watts so same as a few light bulbs but then I know heavy contractors that always leave units plugged in with much bigger wattage.
I once tried using 2 magnetic heaters but soon learned they were not all they were hyped to be.

Changing in the cold had me using a construction heater (to warm me) and many DIY tricks to get that GD old unit out. Dang thing was behind the oil filter and reluctant to leave.
Not fun, draining coolant and oil at -25 is almost enough to want U to 'light it up' and collect on insurance., especially when you hit 80.

LOL, think next winter I'll get a contractor to handle my snow, problem is it'll be close to $1K/yr and did I say I was frugal?

 

[3 Horse Ranch]

Gonna burn out your heating element and a huge waste of electricity. Only need 20 minutes before starting. Did this @ -22 F in Vermont.

Strange, my water heater element has lasted longer than the tank. As long as it's surrounded by water, it should be fine.

 

[Egon]

I did have to once change an element but it was 25 yrs old. (and was it cold) and that was B4 I started the 24/7 routine.
I think my element is 300 watts so same as a few light bulbs but then I know heavy contractors that always leave units plugged in with much bigger wattage.
I once tried using 2 magnetic heaters but soon learned they were not all they were hyped to be.

Changing in the cold had me using a construction heater (to warm me) and many DIY tricks to get that GD old unit out. Dang thing was behind the oil filter and reluctant to leave.
Not fun, draining coolant and oil at -25 is almost enough to want U to 'light it up' and collect on insurance., especially when you hit 80.

LOL, think next winter I'll get a contractor to handle my snow, problem is it'll be close to $1K/yr and did I say I was frugal?

In Colder areas plug ins are left on continuously. Very few failures. The failures are mostly rusted inserts or the cord Area corrodes.