Block heater

[olefaht]

I have a L4600 that I have used very little in cold weather. Starts fine with glow plugs down to 30F. There is a block heater installed which I have never used, and in advance of wanting to start it up in 20F or less temps this week I plugged it in. I can't tell if it is actually doing anything; touching the exposed portions of the device after an hour doesn't seem to be any warmer than the surrounding metal. My question is whether the 'business end' of the heater is way inside the block and won't affect the outer portions, or should there be some noticeable temperature rise where the device is mounted?

 

[newbury]

I'd expect the block to feel moderately warm compared to ambient below freezing temps at least. Try pulling the oil dipstick before plugging in the heater, note the temp (How warm the oil feels). Then plug it in and see if the oil warms up.

 

[Chewwy]

Fingertips are not very accurate temperature measuring devices.

Most block heaters are a only few hundred Watts and are not going to provide enough temperature elevation to an engine block in frigid weather to be felt by finger tips.

Use a contact thermometer or thermal camera to actually determine if heating is occuring.

 

[Ed ke6bnl]

Fingertips are not very accurate temperature measuring devices.

Most block heaters are a only few hundred Watts and are not going to provide enough temperature elevation to an engine block in frigid weather to be felt by finger tips.

Use a contact thermometer or thermal camera to actually determine if heating is occuring.

Or get a killowatt meter for about $10 on Amazon and check to see it is using some wattage, and it is a good tool for other projects around the house.

 

[LHF2019]

Any block heater whether in block or external you can hear them work. And yes after being plugged in for half hour or so the block should feel warm on smaller tractors. Larger ones take more time.

 

[Chewwy]

. . .

And yes after being plugged in for half hour or so the block should feel warm.

Even if it could heat it the block to 70 deg F, which it can’t in subfreezing conditions due to ambient heat loss, it will feel cool to the touch since the human body is well over 95 deg F.

 

[LHF2019]

Even if it could heat it the block to 70 deg F, which it can’t in subfreezing conditions due to ambient heat loss, it will feel cool to the touch since the human body is well over 95 deg F.

Any time you want to check any of my tractors after they been plugged in you are welcome to. I listen for them to kick on most of them. The external ones I can watch for the snow to immediately melt off the block heater. On the smaller tractors the snow is starting to melt off the hoods after about an hour. On the 6 cylinders takes it a couple hours. Yes you can feel the heat.

 

[hube2]

I can hear my block heater, or I should say I can hear the water heating, and it warms my engine enough in an hour that I can feel it by touching the valve cover.

 

[bdhsfz6]

If it's an OEM block heater, it is not thermostatically controlled and should be on all the time when plugged in. Yes, you should feel some warmth.

If it's an aftermarket heater, it may have a thermostat and the ambient temperature might not be low enough for it to activate.

 

[Rockbadchild]

It take some time but it should be warm...
The bock heater in my car will melt the snow off the hood...

 

[chris the wrench]

Ive got block heaters in my two diesel trucks(5.9 & 6.7 cummins) and my l3902. I can’t feel any heat on any of them. I usually don’t plug them in until temps get down to 10f-15f.

 

[WinterDeere]

I've had block heaters on each of my diesel CUT's, and can always feel the block and/or exhaust manifold getting warm to the touch after 20-30 minutes with the block heater plugged in.

That's with the tractor in a cold shed, where there's no wind to strip heat off the block. I do remember having a block heater in a pickup truck stored outdoors 20 years ago, and whether it was due to the wind or the larger block, I could never feel the heat coming off that one unless I put my hand basically right on the block heater itself. So, wind and engine size vs. heater size might dictate how well you can detect functionality by feel.

But it's also easy enough to check current draw with an ammeter or watt meter, and you can usually hear them heating the coolant after several minutes plugged in.

 

[Chewwy]

Any time you want to check any of my tractors after they been plugged in you are welcome to. I listen for them to kick on most of them. The external ones I can watch for the snow to immediately melt off the block heater. On the smaller tractors the snow is starting to melt off the hoods after about an hour. On the 6 cylinders takes it a couple hours. Yes you can feel the heat.

The OEM block heater for the OPs machine is rated for 400 Watts. Based on a cursory check of block heater for one of your Deere machines indicates they are at least 1 kW. They could be up to 1.8 kW if supplied by a dedicated typical homes 15 A service.

As Winter Deere noted,

“wind and engine size vs. heater size might dictate how well you can detect functionality by feel.”

I do not have heaters for my tractors. No need where I live. I HAVE had block heaters for two previous diesel motor vehicles. They were able to facilitate starting when I visited locations with really frigid temps, but I could never “feel” any heat other than at the heater itself.

Deeres and Kubotas, apples and oranges.

 

[nybirdman]

If working ,your glow plugs will only stay on for a few seconds.I have the OEM block heater in mine(15 years) and still works fine.

 

[WinterDeere]

If working ,your glow plugs will only stay on for a few seconds.I have the OEM block heater in mine(15 years) and still works fine.

I thnk every tractor model might be different, in this regard. I seem to remember my glow plugs not coming on at all, the few times I've used the block heater on my 3033r. My 855 and 750 both had block heaters, but too long ago to remember such details.