I was digging around in the bumper checking out the situation for adding fog lights and came across a plug that appears to be for a block heater. I am going on the assumption that it is a block heater as it is a typical three prong plug.
My question is there any restrictions for a Ford block heater such as amount of time it can be connected? Are these actual block heaters or just oil pan heaters?
I also when I got home checked my exploder for kicks and it's got one as well. Both vehicles came from canada and have options that are hard to find on typical models here.
The truck is a 97 4.2L 4x4
The exploder is a 00 SOHC 4x4

Any one?

 

Hi Rugby

Same on my 99SC...built in Can.

If you trace where the elect. line goes to..bingo!

Only used mine once...but how long you can leave it plugged in?..like anything it will eventually wear out.

How long you leave it plugged in, may depend on how fast your elect. meter is spinning.

Good luck...OT

 

Thanks for the reply, yes it is a coolant heater, decided to check if the manual had anything about length of time it could be left connected. The comment was at least three hours before you plan to drive off, so leaving it on all night won't be bad.
The next question is does anyone know how much the draw is? The cost of the meter spinning off isn't worth it if that is the case. Especially with two vehicles hooked up.

 

If the temp. isn't around or below freezing, I wouldn't use it as it will burn out in time. They are meant to help starting in cold weather. I don't use mine until its below minus 20 celcius or so. The truck will start fine without it. Just my 2 cents.

 

Hi Rugby

I dont know what it would cost...electricity? Maybe a test would help. I was kidding alittle. But is does cost.
Maybe just a simple one like...look at elect. meter before you plug in block heater....how fast is wheel turning...now plug in heater. compare turning speeds.

Just an eyeball thing. I dont know how much that block heater draws? There maybe a more scientific way of doing...or just trial and error? Take a hair dryer..should say on it what wattage is...plug it in..watch meter...then do same with engine heater..compare wheel speeds as best you can. Find something that turns elect. meter same as block heater? I think your elect. provider has charts to figure kwh X cost. But knowing how much that heater draws is important to come up with right cost.

I see some PSD here plugged in during really cold winters. Alot more oil than ours. I only did once when it got down to 5 deg.F
That was an experiment...found out i really didnt need to do it.

Again...faster the wheel turns...more it cost, especially 2 vehicles.

Its a good question you asked. Maybe someone here knows for sure. You may/maynot need to plug in?

Good luck...OT

 

Thanks for the replies Old Timer and Thad.
I was just curious about some of the things. I have lived in some very cold places and now in NH it gets cold but not to bad. I don't plan on needing to use the heater very much but was pleasantly suprised to see that both the vehicles had it.
Also been checking out adding the fog lights to my truck since it does have the wiring harness. The only holdback so far is cost for the damn lights $250 at the dealer OUCH!!! So I am trying to find some from a junk yard or for sale elsewhere.
Thanks again

 

The engine block heater uses 110V AC.

I have a garage now but when I had to park outside, I'd use it any time the temp was below about 20 degrees. It was set on a timer so it would turn on 1/2 hour before I went out to leave for work. This would warm the coolant enough that the needle was just above the cold line and I could run the defroster and heater right away. It makes it much easier to go out in the cold.

What it also does is keeps the freeze plugs from popping out of the block in extreme cold. Most areas are not cold enough to freeze coolant but here in Minnesota, we occasionally have actual temps of -40 degrees.

 

it get to be -28C here some nights and I have always plugged my block heaters in, the engine is nicely warmed up and you would be surprised how nicely it starts up, the heater even heats up faster, I have plugged mine in for whole weekends if the vehicle wasn't used and I never noticed a huge influx in my electricity bill.

 

We have found that it only costs about $20.00 per month if you plug in about 6 hours per night. The timer that AjRagno uses is an excellent idea. You can run it for an hour or so just to warm it up. They say no matter how cold it gets, anything over 4 hours is a waste. Its nice to leave it on at least that if you have an interior warmer. It keeps the windshield clear, and the seats soft. At minus 30 they are like cement. Isn't winter fun?

 

Once again thanks for all the replies, I will probably set it up with a timer if I do use them. It gets cold up here on the mountain I live on in NH, but nothing like it was when I was stationed up in the UP of Michigan at KI Saywer AFB. That was damn ugly. We will probably have a bad winter this year so it might come in handy.

 

Found this on a google search

Block Heaters: Q&A on Engine Wear, Clean Air

Q. What is a Block Heater?
A. It's an electrical heater used to warm up your car's engine when the engine is not running. Block heaters help your car's engine start at temperatures 20 degrees or colder. Most engine wear occurs on cold starts and using a block heater can help prevent some excessive wear. Block heaters use power from any standard electric outlet.

Q. What is the difference between block heaters and engine heaters?
A. They are the same thing. There are a number of different types. The most common is the "freeze plug heater." It is installed in a freeze plug port of the engine block where it warms the coolant in your engine block.

Q. How much does it cost to use?
A. A major engine heater manufacturers recommend that freeze plug heaters be sized at approximately 150 watts per liter of engine size. A 2.3 liter/4cylinder engine would cost about 3.1 cents an hour to operate. A 5 liter/8 cylinder engine would cost about 6.7 cents an hour.

Q. How does its use affect air quality?
A. University of Alaska studies say engine heater usage results in an average reduction of 400 grams (just under a pound) of carbon monoxide per vehicle cold start. The electricity required to power an engine heater for 8 hours produces about .5 grams of carbon monoxide, a reduction of 99.9 percent.

 

Hey Rugby

Some good input here.

Hi H

Tks. for update. Interesting eh! Thad was close on his figures. Maybe he saw same before posting Just kidding.

A member once posted here...he was doing better before he started reading this bd. I think i know what he means. I never thought about air pollution on cold engine start ups. Geez!

Good luck...OT

 

We use ours all winter here. Temperatures of -40 require it or you don't go anywhere. Have done this for 3 years in my new truck and 17 years in another one. These things are like the heaters found in kettles and water tanks. They never wear out, they may burn out but not wear out. I plug in every nite for 12 hours minimum in the winter and during the day when at work. My vehicle has to start as my wife and I are on call for work.

 

I don't think leaving it plugged in all the time can hurt any, maybe your bankroll, but that's about it.
(someone was asking about this over in the engine forum)

I spent over a year working in Baffin Island, NWT (100 miles south of the circle)
We had four F150's, and they were plugged in all the time, as a matter of fact, one of the workplace requirements was that they be started every 4 hours, and run for 10 minutes.

What a place that was, 10 months of snow and ice, and 2 months of 50 degree weather, and mosquitos the size of golf *****.

It drove a person to drink!

 

Thanks for all the responses.