Plug it in......

[JimMorrissey]

Just wondering if it is wrong to leave a diesel plugged in overnight. I've heard both "never plug them in for more than 4 hours at a time" and "I leave mine plugged in for days"....Maybe it depends on the type of heating element. Mine is a factory Kubota block heater.

 

[ronjhall]

My uncle has a Yanmar that is plugged in at end of November and never unplugged except when used until the end of April. He has been doing it for at least 15 years. Never had a problem other than the cost of electricity.

 

[dmp437]

I think it depends on the type of heater. From a John Deere point of view ('cause that's what I have /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif) there's a engine coolant heater (on my list to get) and a transmission fluid heater (got it, 150 watts). In either case you're heating a large volume of liquid when it is typically rather cold out with a small wattage heater.
I have heard not to leave "dipstick" heaters on for too long. A dipstick heater inserts into the tube that holds the engine oil dipstick and warms the oil. Using dino oil the oil can "coke" on to the dipstick if it's plugged in for too long.

 

[19977]

I have a Dodge Cummins pick up,and a John Deere 4520 and i leave both plugged in all the time , when i know if the weather is going to be cold, and hard to start.

Mike

 

[RalphVa]

It's just a waste of electrical energy or laziness to leave them plugged in all the time. My wife's Benz is on timer. It comes on about an hour before she wants to leave for the gym in the mornings. Had the old Benz on timer at our house in Vermont, too. Only need it on about an hour ahead.

Otherwise, you're putting energy in, and it dissipates through the radiator, as the thermostat opens and lets water flow by thermal action through the radiator.

NOT a good idea to leave one on in contact with oil very long, as someone pointed out. The oil, unless it's synthetic, will degrade. Even a synthetic would probably coke up on a dipstick heater.

Ralph