Block heater woes

[82vdub]

I'll take a coolant leak over a head gasket any day of the week

X10

[lyeinyoureye]

IMHO , ALL Rabbit's should be plugged in at all times.---I use a simple cheap light dimmer to lower the jscket temperature on the element --that way they last ---for an eternity.------OK OK I know that Mark Shepherd UK is going to say hagar that takes a LONG cord -----EH ?

hagar.

A dimmer switch eh? So ya just splice it inline into a cheap extension cable... Hmmm, methinks that's a great idea. I mean, how much more heat are we gonna loose out on if we heat it w/ 200W over 5 hours or or 1000W over an hour. It's miniscule. We can replace an incandescent with a CFL and make up the difference in heat lost to the outside. But, I have a feeling you know something about thermal conductivity I don't...

In fact according to this, the thermal conductivity of something Iron, like our blocks, drop as we increase the temperature. Not only that, but we have a very small amount of surface are in the coolant passages relative to the rest of the block, which limits how much we can heat up the entire engine. So, the faster we heat it, the less effective it is per Watt, and the more likely we are to end up with cold spots and alla that. I bet there's some optimum heat/time that allows for a warm engine all over w/o leaving the block heater on 24/7. And I'm also betting you know what this is hagar, depending on temperature of course.

[82vdub]

So ya just splice it inline into a cheap extension cable

Actually, if you wire a standard dimmer switch to power a duplex receptacle, you can then plug in an extension cord to this "dimmed" receptacle and your installation is nice and weather tight, since it's all inside. The only other issue with this is if you run your block on a timer like I do, your timer is going to need full voltage to run properly.

[hagar]

And I'm also betting you know what this is hagar, depending on temperature of course.

That is one bet you can take to the BANK,.

I did graduate cum laude --first in my class --in Electrical Magic school in Victor Borge town --not for nothing --EH ? that was HARD work , still can't believe I made it.

Lenora pinch my butt Please. --thanks baby., she fell of a Horse a few days ago and broke a leg ----Well ? I did say break a leg , EH ?.

hagar.

[VanagonExpress]

LOL!

Is the air that thin up in Kanuckville? LOL Hagar you always bring a smile to my day

[lyeinyoureye]

So ya just splice it inline into a cheap extension cable

Actually, if you wire a standard dimmer switch to power a duplex receptacle, you can then plug in an extension cord to this "dimmed" receptacle and your installation is nice and weather tight, since it's all inside. The only other issue with this is if you run your block on a timer like I do, your timer is going to need full voltage to run properly.

Isn't that why splicing the dimmer switch is easier? The timer would connect to the outlet w/ full voltage and the cut in power downstream wouldn't influence it. I think this would be awesome to do.

[82vdub]

Well, you can do it however you want and make it work, but I was coming from the perspective of keeping it a legally (according to the National Electrical Code -NEC rules) installed electrical system and also keeping the control location inside your house, garage, or basement and perminantly installed (box on wall). You certainly can do it the way you talked and it should work just fine, but I don't think it meets your local or state electrical codes.

[VanagonExpress]

I saw on some parts magazine, a heavy magnetic magnet that attached itself to the pan or block

hanging out was a 7 inch 3 prong electrical connection---

looked like it would work,

I know I scored a hydraulic head/block last year which looks like it has the factory water freeze plug heater installed

[lyeinyoureye]

Well, you can do it however you want and make it work, but I was coming from the perspective of keeping it a legally (according to the National Electrical Code -NEC rules) installed electrical system and also keeping the control location inside your house, garage, or basement and perminantly installed (box on wall). You certainly can do it the way you talked and it should work just fine, but I don't think it meets your local or state electrical codes.

Wait, what? Would splicing stuff downstream from the plug violate NEC rules? I thought they were just concerned about every up to the plug,..

[82vdub]

NEC seems to be concerned with just about everything electrical here in the US. Just like with hard wiring, there are limitations on cord connected installations, which this is what this would be. I don't think there is any problems with what you want to do, but like I said, I don't think it meets NEC. If it was me, I would probably do something similar to what you proposed, whether it necessarily meets NEC or not. I just wanted to comment on it's legallity so others wouldn't just start wiring and modifying all sorts of electrical around their house. There are (supposed to be) rules for electrical changes in your home.

[libbybapa]

More of an issue than legality IMO is the fact that if a problem were to occur (e.g. fire, electrocution of neighbor, etc.) and your installation was not to code, any insurance that might cover your tail would be void.

Andrew

[surfcam]

Rather than use a dimmer switch why don't you just buy a thermo switch. They just plug into your cord in series. You have to tape it to your top rad hose. It will sense the temperature and turn the power totally off and only turn it on when it hits the set temperature. I've had this thing on for about 7 years and forgot I even had it. I was up in North Alberta it was -50C it started no probable with 400W block heater. On the milder days you don't use much power at all probably better than a dimmer switch. Best of all UL and CSA approved.

[tylernt]

Guess those cold Canadian winters breed all sorts of clever ideas. I've seen temperature-controlled outlets here in the states, but they usually just turn things on when the ambient temperature dips below 33*F/1*C.

Actually, there's an argument for using a block heater even in the summer: faster engine warmup improves fuel economy. Depending on the price of fuel and the price of electricity, it may actually save money to run it in the summer.

[A1-2-A3]

In the VW manual as soon as the engine runs for a couple of seconds in the sumer drive it. In the winter a couple of minutes. Here in the winter it actually gets cold and you NEED full heat on your block heater to be able to give your engine a chance of starting. If you don't need a block heater to start simple don't plug it in. If you like screwing around with extension cords and wasting power$$$ plug it in every day.
These things dont use much fuel idling for a couple of minutes.
Most smart people up here in the north run timers so they run 4 hours block heater before startup.
And yes us Canucks know almost everything there is about COLD starts.
I find it amost funny to even read a topic on block heaters like its some sort of magic. There is really nothing to them.
If you have nothing better to do and you want to pretend you live in a cold climate plug them in every day like a eskimo. Count how many times a year the wife drives away with the cord still on the car.
Many extension cords up here turn into wire when cold. You need to buy special cords that dont ge as stiff. If you don't have to wrestle with a extension cord or never have heard of this or experienced that then you dont need to plug in. Those are the temps when you should plug in.

[tylernt]

I finally got a chance to use the block heater this morning. Set a lamp timer (don't worry, it's rated for 1000W and my heater is only 400W) for two hours before startup, and it fired off after one glow cycle like it was the dead of summer.

I didn't get much heat from the heater though. I might go to three or four hours and see if that helps.