For those with block heaters

[whitenorth]

I've searched the forum and I've seen multiple answers on the subject of how long one should have the block heater on before starting. I live a few hours south of the Canada border and it can get pretty cold at times and for days at a time. So my question is for those of you with block heaters and in the colder climates, how long do you leave the heater plugged in before you start it? I live a 2 to 3 hours south of the Canada border and it can get pretty cold at times.

Before we moved further north, I'd plug the wife's car into a timer and run the cord underneath the garage door. Can't do that up here as we have plenty of mice to worry about. The timer I have is digital and I'm concerned how well it would work when the device gets really cold outside instead of inside. Is the one you use digital or is it a mechanical one? How do they stand up to getting cold? Not to concerned about it getting wet as I can put it under the tractor hood and will get removed when I unplug it when I go to start.

If it matters, I have a 1990 Ford 1520.

 

[Tpondel]

Put an outlet outside the garage?

 

[whitenorth]

There is an outlet on the outside. My 2 questions are:

How long do you leave the heater running before you start it?

How well do the digital or mechanical timers work when they get really cold?

 

[RjCorazza]

There is an outlet on the outside. My 2 questions are:

How long do you leave the heater running before you start it?

How well do the digital or mechanical timers work when they get really cold?

I have no experience in REALLY cold temps, but in my area a block heater will saturate the block and then maintain around 40 degrees F over ambient after 3 hours. We generally don't get much colder than 0f here.
I have used both digital and mechanical timers. Neither type were affected by the cold, but my preference was mechanical timers with a weather proof cover (think holiday light timers).
I currently use a wifi smart outlet that I can control by schedule or my phone. It's not weather resistant.

 

[Rustyiron]

The question is CA's border, North or south

 

[whitenorth]

The question is CA's border, North or south

Sorry, Canadian border.

 

[whitenorth]

I have no experience in REALLY cold temps, but in my area a block heater will saturate the block and then maintain around 40 degrees F over ambient after 3 hours. We generally don't get much colder than 0f here.
I have used both digital and mechanical timers. Neither type were affected by the cold, but my preference was mechanical timers with a weather proof cover (think holiday light timers).
I currently use a wifi smart outlet that I can control by schedule or my phone. It's not weather resistant.

I didn't think about the holiday type light timers.

 

[rScotty]

We live in an area where most winter nights are 0 F or below. We don't use a timer and don't know anything about them. The barn has an outside socket that can be turned on from inside the house. Block heaters draw very little amperage. I use a clamp-on ammeter probe on a Fluke VOM to check that the block heater is drawing power.

If it's to be a tractoring day, I connect all the cords the night before, then power up the outlet to turn on the engine block heater from 3 to 6 hours before I am going to start the tractor. Block heaters draw very little amperage. I use a clamp-on ammeter probe on a Fluke VOM to check that the block heater is drawing power.

After about three hours the coolant and engine block feel warmer than the rest of the metal on the tractor. I'm guessing 30 F. Nothing seems much warmer than that if I leave the block heater on for twice as long. My guess is that the coolant is thermocycling due to the density difference between the engine and radiator.

Our tractors range from a compact Yanmar to a 100 hp JD. They all start good down to close to zero, I use the heater below about 35 F. My feeling is that the block heater pre-heat reduces cold engine wear. Surprsing to me, they all seem to heat up about the same amount in 3 hours, so maybe 3 hours is too long. It all depends on the temperature and wind. If it is really cold and windy I use a heavy blanket and tarp over the hood - just do something inside that day.
Hope that all helps,
rScotty

 

[whitenorth]

We live in an area where most winter nights are 0 F or below. We don't use a timer and don't know anything about them. The barn has an outside socket that can be turned on from inside the house. Block heaters draw very little amperage. I use a clamp-on ammeter probe on a Fluke VOM to check that the block heater is drawing power.

If it's to be a tractoring day, I connect all the cords the night before, then power up the outlet to turn on the engine block heater from 3 to 6 hours before I am going to start the tractor. Block heaters draw very little amperage. I use a clamp-on ammeter probe on a Fluke VOM to check that the block heater is drawing power.

After about three hours the coolant and engine block feel warmer than the rest of the metal on the tractor. I'm guessing 30 F. Nothing seems much warmer than that if I leave the block heater on for twice as long. My guess is that the coolant is thermocycling due to the density difference between the engine and radiator.

Our tractors range from a compact Yanmar to a 100 hp JD. They all start good down to close to zero, I use the heater below about 35 F. My feeling is that the block heater pre-heat reduces cold engine wear. Surprsing to me, they all seem to heat up about the same amount in 3 hours, so maybe 3 hours is too long. It all depends on the temperature and wind. If it is really cold and windy I use a heavy blanket and tarp over the hood - just do something inside that day.
Hope that all helps,
rScotty

Yes it does. I was thinking of putting a canvas tarp over the hood as well to block the wind.

 

[newbury]

I live a few hours south of the CA border

Hours doesn't equal distance. And certainly not climate.
I've lived in Northern, Vt. and had 40 below. I've lived in the Seattle area and never saw below 0 degrees F. And I'm sure there are some areas that are "a few hours south of the CA border" that it goes well below 40 below.
In Vermont sometimes (rarely) we'd turn on the block heaters all night. In Seattle never had to use a block heater.
So either tell us the lowest temps you expect or experiment.
The tarp is a good idea.