inline heater

YanmarFever · Dec 9, 2002

I have a heater on my yanmar spliced in at the radiator hose
I plug it in about an hour before I use it,sometimes I forget to plug it in. Can I just leave it plugged in all the time in the winter? Will it hurt to leave it plugged in for a week at a time?
I also have one on the forklift that if I dont plug it in 2 hrs. before I need it ,I can forget using it or wear out my starter

Anonymous Poster · Dec 9, 2002

Doubt it would do more than use electricity.

Anonymous Poster · Dec 9, 2002

I'm pretty sure you can leave it plugged in all the time. I have known people that have left their p/u truck block heaters on all the time in the winter with no adverse consequences.

Just make sure you are using a good extension cord. I read a story about a person's car that went up in flames because the cord to his block heater shorted out and started a fire.

Anonymous Poster · Dec 10, 2002

I hate it when that happens!

kayssupply · Dec 10, 2002

One option, is to put a thermostat inline on the cord. They make low temp thermostats for hog barns etc. The heater would only come on when the temp went below freezing. It might save you a few bucks.

Anonymous Poster · Dec 10, 2002

And when it senses fire, it turns off and calls 911.

mbrule · Dec 10, 2002

I have an inline heater in the lower radiator hose on my Yanmar as well. I forget the brand name, but it can be found in most any autoparts store. Last winter I left it plugged in all the time. It cost a fortune to run! Then it burned out after about a week, I bought a second one and left it plugged in all the time and it burned out too! Now I plug it in an hour or two before use and this one is working fine.

Just had a thought I think it might be a Kats brand.

Matt

YanmarFever · Dec 10, 2002

Matt,
Thats what im afraid of, is a burning heater inside our nice shop in the middle of the night, or when we arent here.
My question is has anyone left their heater on for a month at a time? Are these units meant to be turned on for long periods of time?
And can it hurt your machine?
Thanks Ernie

gbirky · Dec 10, 2002

For those of you interested in block heaters, I got one for my YM1301D from Yanmar. The engine on my 1301D has two threaded plugs on the right (exhaust) side of the engine. The block heater threads into one of the holes. I think the rear one is more easily accessible, and I had no trouble installing it. I haven't had to use it yet even though the temperature went down to the teens. It still started with the thermostart.

I'll try to track down the Yanmar part number and post it here if anybody is interested. Its very slick - the pigtail wire even comes off so you don't have a cord hanging around.

Greg

Anonymous Poster · Dec 10, 2002

You could rig up a timer which only has the function of turning off after 8 hours. You turn it on, and even if you forget it and decide not to use the tractor, it cycles off.

normde2001 · Dec 10, 2002

These things resemble plain old 120v water heater elements, which last for years as long as they are not "dry fired". I guess it must just be a matter of quality, with everyone saying they don't last if left plugged in.

JerryG · Dec 10, 2002

I don't know about the in hose heaters. I have what is called a tank type heater and the one on my generator has been on for three years.

Egon · Dec 10, 2002

You can leave them plugged in forever. They have a built in thermostat and only get so hot. In fact, if you have the patience you could stand by and hear them cyle on and off.

Egon

Anonymous Poster · Dec 10, 2002

I was reading a manual about the option available on Yanmars for heaters that go in the block. The manual indicates 400 watts and in very cold tempuratures may take 5-8 hours to make the engine startable. Assuming that it uses 400 watts continuously (which it probably doesn't) it would use 9.6 kWatts per day or at 10 cents per kWhour almost $1 per day.

PeteV · Dec 11, 2002

The only issue I have with putting any type of engine heater on a timer is that you are creating condensation cycles. You would be amazed by the amount of water you can collect in your engine (oil and cylinders) by raising the temperature and letting it cool back down again without starting your engine and boiling some of that water off. If you do like cfoxmd says, where it is a one time deal(you turn it on and it will turn itself off) it won't be a problem, but i would never rig it up so it would go through multiple cycles without ever starting the tractor.
ps, have a yanmar blockheater and tranny heater, plug them in a couple of hours before use(or the night before), works like a charm.Tranny heater seems to help the hydr. pump, doesn't whine at all, unlike doing a cold start, where it whines for 5 minutes before things get in the normal .
thanks pete

gbirky · Dec 12, 2002

For those interested, the Yanmar part number for the engine block heater that threads into the side of the engine block is:

Part# 2358980
Description: Engine Block Heater for 135, 155, 165, 169, 180, 186, 187, 195, 220, 240, 226, 276

F15DOWNER · Dec 13, 2002

Gbirky
Do you know if this part number will fit an F15D?
I'm told that the closest model is a YM-169???
This is my first winter and I'm still a little green on cold weather starting, but I have noticed that it is very cold blooded and it hasn't even got near 0 yet.
Tom

Anonymous Poster · Dec 13, 2002

One of my manuals says not to crank the engine longer than 10 seconds. No reason why. So obviously something bad can happen. So warming the engine would be good.

Egon · Dec 13, 2002

" not to crank the engine longer than 10 seconds. "

Probably so the starter windings do not overheat.

Egon

Anonymous Poster · Dec 13, 2002

Could be, but maybe fuel going out of the cylinders becomes a risk.

Airplanes use propane powere heaters that attach to the engine compartment and blow hot air, a few use dipstick heaters.