How long do you leave your diesel plugged in for?

[tlbuser]

3 hours shopuld be sufficient, but as a test: leave it plugged in for 3 hours then go and check your upper radiator hose to see how warm to the touch it is. If it doesn't feel warm, wait another hour then go check again, repeat as needed. If the upper radiator hose never gets warm to the touch, I would suspect a bad block heater connection or just plain bad block heater. The block heater should warm the oil and antifreeze.

 

[k6dyc]

This year I haven't plugged in my 2002 Powerstroke and it started right up yesterday after being in -23 degrees overnight (that is 55 degrees below freezing!). However, my Kubota in the Bobcat needed to have the heat added for a few hours in order to get going. I love winter here.

 

[hudr]

I usually plug my 6.5 Chevy in the night before. I don't see a huge difference in the electric bill. Also my block heater is only 600 watts.
Not trying to hijack the thread but, I noticed a magnetic block heater in JC Whitney. I was thinking about it for my Mahindra 5005. Anyone have any experience w/ these?

 

[thatguy]

Our electricity is $0.67/kw hr, so a 1,000 watt heater will use about $0.067/hr to operate (i think i did my mouth correctly).. we have extremely low electricity rates with American Electric Power..

 

[GaryE]

Derek,


I think the 94's were still IDI. They don't like cold, I have an 88 ..I know!!! I use a timer on mine. 90 minutes even at -10F seems to be fine. That and good batteries will get you through the winter. Leaving it plugged in will not hurt it.


Hope this helps,


Gary

 

[George2615]

I use a HD appliance timer good for over 1800 watts. I have it set to come on for 3 hrs. before I leave for work and it works fine. I went to the timer because electric rates here are high. Bill went up almost $40 a month leaving it plugged it for 8-10 hrs a night. When I leave for work in the morning I unplug the truck then plug in the tractor heater which is set to come back on for 3 hrs. in the afternoon so the tractor is ready to go when I get home should it snow.