Block heater stupidity

[RyRoRyan]

Jayco hooked up the cab speakers and the house speakers together, the onan generator is tied to both the house and the engine batteries to charge them both, why did they not create a switch to run the engine block heater off the existing 50A connection or Onan? Instead I have to do this...really????

[Grumpy]

It is already setup that way from FREIGHTLINER. Nobody connects the block heater to the house system.

[Seann45]

Not very many people camp at times they have to use the block heater.. and you really want your block heater going in July?

[SloPoke]

Originally Posted by Seann45

Not very many people camp at times they have to use the block heater.. and you really want your block heater going in July?

Sure want it connected RIGHT NOW!

Ryan... you forgot to mention that they put a water line heater on the Ice-Maker water line going up the back of the Fridge...

[RyRoRyan]

I understand that the plug is there before Jayco gets it. All I am saying is that Jayco did integrate other things from the coach to the house. It's not hard to grab 110 from an outlet, run it through a switch / relay setup on the dash and power that heater. This is a super common setup on Diesel Pushers, just not sure why on diesel super C's that they don't incorporate this setup.

[Mountain Cajun]

Y'all are lucky! My Seneca doesn't even have a block heater. The bracket to hold it under the driver door is there but no plug or heater. Questioned the dealer and got BS. Said block heaters cook the oil and the newer Cummins doesn't need it. Does everyone with a Seneca have a block heater? I have to say, 15 degrees in Golden last winter and it cranked right up.

[norty1]

My old 97 PSD had a block heater, the 06 did not...It is a option that is not needed everywhere.

I have never needed one so I was not bothered that it did not have it down south.

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Mountain Cajun

Y'all are lucky! My Seneca doesn't even have a block heater. The bracket to hold it under the driver door is there but no plug or heater. Questioned the dealer and got BS. Said block heaters cook the oil and the newer Cummins doesn't need it. Does everyone with a Seneca have a block heater? I have to say, 15 degrees in Golden last winter and it cranked right up.

My 2014 has it.

[Mnwelsh]

My 2015 has it. It would have to be below Zero before I ever used it. My Seneca has started many times just fine when it was in the 20's F.

[SloPoke]

Originally Posted by Mountain Cajun

Y'all are lucky! My Seneca doesn't even have a block heater. The bracket to hold it under the driver door is there but no plug or heater. Questioned the dealer and got BS. Said block heaters cook the oil and the newer Cummins doesn't need it. Does everyone with a Seneca have a block heater? I have to say, 15 degrees in Golden last winter and it cranked right up.

Oh my... the difference is more than I expected... my buddy Ron is the Fleet Service Manager for a large Construction / Trucking company - they have over 100 over the road trucks and over 150 pieces of yellow Iron (Earthmoving Equipment). Ron told me that Every one of their trucks are plugged in overnight, and they are required to idle in the yard 30 minutes to warm up before leaving the yard so they are adequately warmed up. He said that I should have my Block heater plugged in 24 hours before starting our ISB and wait until the temp is over150 before heading out - WHEN the weather is below freezing. He said that it will make a huge differernce in how long the cold Weather affects our engines.

[TWP723]

My son has a Ram Cummins and plugs it in starting in January. We live in the NE and gets pretty damn cold here during Jan. & Feb. If he forgets and doesn't plug it in, it's a bear getting it started. But if plugged in over night, cranks right over.

[jvteach77]

Originally Posted by Mountain Cajun

Y'all are lucky! My Seneca doesn't even have a block heater. The bracket to hold it under the driver door is there but no plug or heater. Questioned the dealer and got BS. Said block heaters cook the oil and the newer Cummins doesn't need it. Does everyone with a Seneca have a block heater? I have to say, 15 degrees in Golden last winter and it cranked right up.

My 2017 Seneca has a block heater.

[Dustdevil]

My 2006 with Duramax has a block heater, but I doubt I'll use it here in Ca. Possibly if we take a winter trip or three up north into Idaho, Utah, or Colorado.

[RyRoRyan]

So what would you guys consider the right temperature to use the heater in? I plugged in for about 30 min when the temp was about 27 outside. I prob did not need it to start, but I bet doing it helped the oil thin out a little.

[NVGun40]

Originally Posted by RyRoRyan

So what would you guys consider the right temperature to use the heater in? I plugged in for about 30 min when the temp was about 27 outside. I prob did not need it to start, but I bet doing it helped the oil thin out a little.

We have a common rule up here in Alaska, surprisingly it applies to gasers as well (at least those gas engines so equipped).

"plug in at 20"

The state environmental and emissions groupies highly recommend block heaters and remote starts be installed on all vehicles and when the temps drop below twenty, plug them in.

[RyRoRyan]

Being from Alaska, I will consider you a subject matter expert on this topic

[bansai]

My last ford with the crappy 6.0 diesel lost 2 injectors the one time I forgot to plug the truck in overnight in 10 to 15 degree temps. The truck started, but it died about 15 minutes into the commute.

It was still under warranty then, but I lost another injector shortly out of warranty and sold that piece of $@$%@ shortly after. Plugged in or not, probably wouldn't have saved that motor, but I also lived by the plug it in if it's under 20 rule 99% of the time.

[TCNashville]

Originally Posted by RyRoRyan

I plugged in for about 30 min when the temp was about 27 outside.

Most diesel engine block heaters need 2-3 hours to properly heat. Usually they don't heat the oil directly but heat the antifreeze in the area around the block where they are installed thus indirectly thinning cold oil.

[314BHDS]

Originally Posted by SloPoke

Oh my... the difference is more than I expected... my buddy Ron is the Fleet Service Manager for a large Construction / Trucking company - they have over 100 over the road trucks and over 150 pieces of yellow Iron (Earthmoving Equipment). Ron told me that Every one of their trucks are plugged in overnight, and they are required to idle in the yard 30 minutes to warm up before leaving the yard so they are adequately warmed up. He said that I should have my Block heater plugged in 24 hours before starting our ISB and wait until the temp is over150 before heading out - WHEN the weather is below freezing. He said that it will make a huge differernce in how long the cold Weather affects our engines.

They must be making a ton of money if they leave trucks plugged in 24 hours a day and run them for 30 minutes before leaving the yard,that's alot of electric used and fuel burned.You honestly only need to plug in for a few hours before you start the vehicle,most are thermostat controlled and will only get temps around 70 deg.Most people i know with diesels just plug them in off a timer and have it turn on a few hours before and never had a issue.Im against plugging them in all night and not checking on it,its a sure way to come out to a burned down vehicle if there is a malfunction in the block heater wiring.I have a 06 duramax diesel and only plugged it in 3 times and it was below 0 and after 3 hours started right up

[SloPoke]

Originally Posted by 314BHDS

They must be making a ton of money if they leave trucks plugged in 24 hours a day and run them for 30 minutes before leaving the yard,

To each their own...

They are really saving a lot of money... considering the cost difference of having an engine rebuild at 400,000 miles - or at 800,000 miles - more than paid for the cost of the electricity. 35 years of experience