Block heater question

Topic: Block heater question (Read 1555 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Block heater question

Reply #25 – November 23, 2015, 09:44:39 pm

Last year temperatures were in the upper teens with strong winds for several days before we left. The night before we were to leave I turned on the block heater as we went to bed. The next day we packed up (outside work was done as quickly as possible), I turned off the block heater, turned on the boost, and cranked. The engine wasn't real happy about starting, but it did start.

The plan is to move up to Babler Wendesday morning. Tomorrow night it is supposed to be 37, so I'll turn on the block heater at bedtime (if I remember). If I forget I'll turn it on as soon as we wake up, and it may just take us a little longer to get going.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #26 – November 23, 2015, 10:32:35 pm

Quote from: Don Rickey – November 23, 2015, 09:02:14 pm

This question may be for Brett.

I have a couple of unlabeled switches in our 2007 Nimbus, one of which is by the bed. Have asked the factory about this, but they seem mystified as well. I am not aware that I have a block heater, have always used the Hydro-Hot engine pre-heat. Do the 2007's have a block heater and, if so, should we use that in conjunction with the engine pre-heat?

Thanks for any info,

Don

Sorry, Don-- I don't know the answer. But a quick look in the engine room should tell you. An "extension cord"/120 VAC cord coming from the engine and plugged into a 120 VAC outlet should be easy to spot.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #27 – November 24, 2015, 06:56:46 am

Quote from: toyman – November 23, 2015, 01:18:12 pm

And conversely, I'd bet that a lot of amps for a couple of seconds aren't gonna do you much good ..... Or will they ?

As listed in another post in this thread, the engine makers state their specs in CCA. The assumption is that the voltage of the batteries is correct.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #28 – November 24, 2015, 10:23:34 am

Quote from: wolfe10 – November 23, 2015, 10:32:35 pm

Sorry, Don-- I don't know the answer. But a quick look in the engine room should tell you. An "extension cord"/120 VAC cord coming from the engine and plugged into a 120 VAC outlet should be easy to spot.

Of course!

I'll check that. Thanks, Brett!

Don

Re: Block heater question

Reply #29 – November 24, 2015, 10:33:27 am

Quote from: Don Rickey – November 24, 2015, 10:23:34 am

Of course!

I'll check that. Thanks, Brett!

Don

Don, the 2007 Nimbus does not have a block heater. We use the HydroHot to preheat the engine. The switches next to the bed are for the speakers from your bedroom television. Turn on the switch if you want the speakers over the bed on. You also have a switch to turn on the generator and your docking lights. Hope this helps
Bob
2007 Nimbus Owner

Re: Block heater question

Reply #30 – November 24, 2015, 11:18:18 am

Thanks, Bob. Sent you a PM.

Don

Re: Block heater question

Reply #31 – November 24, 2015, 01:38:51 pm

Quote from: kb0zke – November 23, 2015, 09:44:39 pm

Last year temperatures were in the upper teens with strong winds for several days before we left. The night before we were to leave I turned on the block heater as we went to bed. The next day we packed up (outside work was done as quickly as possible), I turned off the block heater, turned on the boost, and cranked. The engine wasn't real happy about starting, but it did start.

The plan is to move up to Babler Wendesday morning. Tomorrow night it is supposed to be 37, so I'll turn on the block heater at bedtime (if I remember). If I forget I'll turn it on as soon as we wake up, and it may just take us a little longer to get going.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #32 – November 24, 2015, 01:41:32 pm

Quote from: kb0zke – November 23, 2015, 09:44:39 pm

Last year temperatures were in the upper teens with strong winds for several days before we left. The night before we were to leave I turned on the block heater as we went to bed. The next day we packed up (outside work was done as quickly as possible), I turned off the block heater, turned on the boost, and cranked. The engine wasn't real happy about starting, but it did start.

The plan is to move up to Babler Wendesday morning. Tomorrow night it is supposed to be 37, so I'll turn on the block heater at bedtime (if I remember). If I forget I'll turn it on as soon as we wake up, and it may just take us a little longer to get going.

I would check to make sure your block heater is working

Re: Block heater question

Reply #33 – November 24, 2015, 01:43:05 pm

Quote from: oldguy – November 24, 2015, 01:41:32 pm

I would check to make sure your block heater is working

How would one know, except for white smoke at start-up? A warm engine block?

Re: Block heater question

Reply #34 – November 24, 2015, 01:48:42 pm

Mike,

Yes, pretty easy to tell by touching the block near it (lower driver's side of block) . Certainly make sure the switch is on (red light illuminated) and that the block heater is plugged into the outlet on the front wall of the engine room.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #35 – November 24, 2015, 02:03:14 pm

Unplug it, plug into an extension cord, then plug the cord into an inverter supplied outlet and monitor the drain on your batteries. "Holy crap" indicates its working.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #36 – November 24, 2015, 07:05:25 pm

Mike, I know the "block" heater works because I check it whenever I use it. For some unknown reason, Foretravel decided that the proper place for the heater is in a tank at the top of the engine. Yes, coolant is in there, but since heat rises, that little tank gets quite warm as it tries to warm all of the coolant. I'm thinking that when I have the engine serviced in March I'll have that block heater moved to the lower part of the engine, where it belongs. That way there won't be any loss of coolant, since the coolant will all be disposed of anyway.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #37 – November 24, 2015, 07:10:16 pm

Block heater location varies by engine make and model.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #38 – November 24, 2015, 07:42:56 pm

The block heater should be in the block as in the tank above the block the thermostat would stop the engine from getting warm. The
only heater that I know of that isn't in the block is the circulation heater that that is installed out side the engine and is hooked to the engine by heater hoses. They work great too.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #39 – November 24, 2015, 09:22:08 pm

The Detroit coolant heater when installed in the thermostat housing is almost useless. Do yourself and your starter a favor and install one in the proper location or install a circulating heater for less than $100 with hoses/fittings.

Pierce

Re: Block heater question

Reply #40 – November 25, 2015, 09:52:17 am

Funny that we could be in very cold temps with the Airstream, hit the glow plug button to heat for 30 seconds and be in business, rather than all the fooling around we have to do now.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #41 – November 25, 2015, 12:41:07 pm

Mike,

Your engine will start down into the 20's without all the "fooling around".

But the "fooling around" makes it a lot easier on the engine, starter and batteries.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #42 – November 25, 2015, 01:05:05 pm

Quote from: wolfe10 – November 25, 2015, 12:41:07 pm

Mike,

Your engine will start down into the 20's without all the "fooling around".

But the "fooling around" makes it a lot easier on the engine, starter and batteries.

Ah, the temp was what I was wondering about. When she "white smoked" for a instant in Flagstaff, I wondered. Thanks, Brett.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #43 – November 25, 2015, 01:07:32 pm

Yup, in the 20's with no block heater, it WILL cough white smoke!

Re: Block heater question

Reply #44 – November 25, 2015, 02:13:43 pm

The Airstream with the Isuzu 6BD1A diesel had quick heat glow plugs. Only takes a couple of seconds to fire up in cold weather. Our Mercedes 300SD is an indirect injection (pre-combustion chambers) engine and with almost 450,000 miles, it starts instantly with a 3 or 4 second glow down in the teens and with no smoke.

The Cummins, Detroits, CATs don't have glow plugs and take a lot longer to start in very cold weather with just heated screens like the Cummins has.

Heavy duty diesels spend lots of over the road time so don't usually make cold starts that often. Our Detroit owners just got stuck with a terrible order spec on the Foretravel engine installation.

Pierce

Izuzu glow plugs example below:

Re: Block heater question

Reply #45 – November 25, 2015, 02:44:10 pm

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart – November 25, 2015, 02:13:43 pm

The Airstream with the Isuzu 6BD1A diesel had quick heat glow plugs.

No wonder GM bought Isuzu, a bullet-proof design! Owners of Chev dura-max engines can thank the Isuzu engineers! We've poked our noses into some "chilly" areas with the AS, and the glow-plug method never failed us!

Re: Block heater question

Reply #46 – November 25, 2015, 06:15:00 pm

My 8.3 will start instantly down to 25F or so without me waiting for the grid heater to come on (I turn the key to start instantly). It puffs a bit of smoke for about a minute. I try to use the block heater when possible, though.

I run synthetic oil. It helps with cold cranking.

Re: Block heater question

Reply #47 – November 26, 2015, 06:29:29 pm

I like glow plugs, it always work the best. Some cat engines use glow plugs and I could get them going at -30 no problem. Cat engines with pup engines is probably the easiest on the engine as the main engine can get a bit warm before starting, cat hasn't made pup engines for about 50 years.

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