Block Heaters 24/7

[Tony H]

My winters are cold. Sometimes way below freezing sometimes well below zero Fahrenheit. A few of my neighbors that have snow plowing routes and those that have farm animals plug in their block heaters for those 6 months. That is, when they are not in the vehicle, using it, the vehicle is plugged in. Their idea is #1 The vehicle is ready at a moment's notice. And #2: there is no stress on parts (expansion and contraction) as the engine goes from 0 degrees to running temp. I'm not saying what they do is not valid... Personally, I nervous about having the Heater plugged in overnight when I'm not around to see or smell a problem. I just don't have confidence in them. What is your opinion.

 

[Woodstock Walt]

I would like to hear some opinions on this as well. I know some old-school farmers who live by that mentality. I personally don't love the idea due to fear of an electrical fire starting from a short circuit or something and burning my tractor and outbuilding to the ground.

Also, I've found that once my tractor has been plugged in for 3-4 hours, leaving it plugged in for longer doesn't make any more of a difference. In other words, leaving it plugged in overnight doesn't seem to get it any warmer than leaving it plugged in for 3 hours before hand.

Just something I've noticed, again I'd like to hear other users opinions.

 

[Sberry]

Uses a lot of power. Steady.

 

[gstrom99]

I don't use my tractor daily, so I only plug it in a few hours before I go out to plow. I'm retired, so that lessens the "at a moments notice" need.

 

[RalphVa]

You only need to plug it in about 20 minutes before you need to start it. Worked @ -22 F in Vermont, even on a lower rad heater. Be even more direct in a block heater. Any longer, and you're wasting electrical energy out the radiator to air.

 

[4570Man]

I would be more concerned with the wasted energy cost vs anything but if you can live with that plug it in and forget it.

 

[Forky]

When my dealer delivered my new tractor, his instructions were to only plug the block heater in for a hour before trying to start the tractor. The heaters don't have a thermostat and run non-stop. No need to overdo it. Just sayin.

 

[nybirdman]

A couple hours pre-heat is enough,just a waste any longer.Buy a heavy duty timer.I leave a battery tender on mine all the time in cold weather and switch to the block heater a couple hours before use.
Farmer's electricity is paid by "the farm" so they don't care.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Mine is plugged in to a timer all winter. Comes on at 430 am and switches off at 1000 am (or so). I figure if I need it, it will likely be in the morning to plow out so we can get to work. If I end up needing it in the evening when I get home, I can always plug it straight in to the wall outlet and go back in the house until after dinner.

 

[LouNY]

With most block heaters being 600 watts or less that would be around 14.4 Kw per day.
So if your electricity is $0.16 per Kw that would be about $2.30 per day, or around $70 per month.
So is it worth it to plug it in all the time, I guess it depends on how often you need it and if you want to wait for it.

Now some of the newer and larger tractors with block heaters and hydraulic heaters will be closer to 1500 watt,
so that will add up faster, of course if you are using it 6 hours as day that will add up also.

 

[Egon]

When my dealer delivered my new tractor, his instructions were to only plug the block heater in for a hour before trying to start the tractor. The heaters don't have a thermostat and run non-stop. No need to overdo it. Just sayin.

Ahh, but they do!

 

[RjCorazza]

I monitored block temps years ago on my Kubota L3410 with a 400w block heater. Running the block heater longer than 3 hours did not result in higher block temps in 0-32 degree ambient temps. The block was always getting warmer at less than 3 hours, and for shorter than an hour the block temps were not at all even at various points.
If I may be doing a snow route in the morning I have the block heater come on at 3-4 hours prior to starting. I use a programmable smart plug that I schedule in advance.

 

[Cycledude]

With most block heaters being 600 watts or less that would be around 14.4 Kw per day.
So if your electricity is $0.16 per Kw that would be about $2.30 per day, or around $70 per month.
So is it worth it to plug it in all the time, I guess it depends on how often you need it and if you want to wait for it.

Now some of the newer and larger tractors with block heaters and hydraulic heaters will be closer to 1500 watt,
so that will add up faster, of course if you are using it 6 hours as day that will add up also.

Yes thanks for figuring out exactly how much it might cost, way to much money for me to waste . Retired so it’s usually really no problem to plug the tractor in for a couple hours before using it.

A couple hours pre-heat is enough,just a waste any longer.Buy a heavy duty timer.I leave a battery tender on mine all the time in cold weather and switch to the block heater a couple hours before use.
Farmer's electricity is paid by "the farm" so they don't care.

So you for some reason believe farmers don’t care about the cost of electricity ? My guess would be that a farmer that doesn’t care about the cost of electricity probably isn’t a very successful farmer.

 

[Liquidsilver]

I've been using mine in the truck and the tractor for about an hour before I turn the key. Seems to be enough, but I'm not parked outside at 0 degrees either.

 

[Topzide]

Smart plugs are the way to go for a block heater! I have my truck on one and have it set to come on when below a set temperature and during a set time frame in the AM. If I need another time, I open the app and turn on the plug! Sure beats coming on every morning if not below temperature!

 

[rScotty]

I monitored block temps years ago on my Kubota L3410 with a 400w block heater. Running the block heater longer than 3 hours did not result in higher block temps in 0-32 degree ambient temps. The block was always getting warmer at less than 3 hours, and for shorter than an hour the block temps were not at all even at various points.
If I may be doing a snow route in the morning I have the block heater come on at 3-4 hours prior to starting. I use a programmable smart plug that I schedule in advance.

I haven't monitored mine with the temperature gauge in years now. I do know that the difference in engine temperature when I touch the off side of the engine block is noticible after 3 hrs but and not after one hour. At 10F, in the little Kubota this is enough time that it will start and run smoothly. The JD engine is three times the size, and it likes an extra hour or more.

Both tractors use the same same standard block heater that threads into the side of the block. Both are 115volt at 3.17 amps = 365 watts. Our electrical rate is slightly less than 10 cents a kWHr. so heating the tractor up costs a dime. Cheap insurance.

BTW, most tractors incorporate a coolant bypass in case of a stuck thermostat. Two ways I've seen are either a drilled hole in the thermostat itself or passage built into the thermostat housing. That's true of both the Kubota and the JD. That bypass allows coolant to thermosiphon between the radiator and engine block to protect against overheating. Given some way to bypass the thermostat, the only requirements for thermosiphoning circulation to work is that the system be full of coolant and the tractor sitting relatively level.

I assume that all tractors (& all engines for that matter) have a similar coolant bypass, but do not know that for sure.
rScotty

 

[number two]

Let's not forget that block heaters have a finite service life.
Leaving it plugged in all the time will shorten it's life and,perhaps,fail at the worst possible moment.

 

[LouNY]

Well they are never going to fail when you don't need it...

 

[mrmikey]

I have a Katt inline heater on my Iseki 3160, I have it on a remote switch so I don't have to go outside if it's bad out to plug it in. I'll turn it on a couple of hours before going out which works fine for me. I could leave it plugged in as it does have a thermostat but I can't see the sense in it, not to mention the cost, it definitely makes a difference in starting........Mike

 

[Thomas]

I have heater wire to time clock with bypass works fine over the years.