Adding Engine Block Heater

[zombie]

I’ve been meaning to look up the draw - which tender do you suggest?

There is no draw on your battery for a block heater, the block heater plugs into an extension cord plugged into your house.

The item I linked is not a trickle charger, it's a timer so that your block heater isn't pulling power the entire time it's plugged in.

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[redone17]

There is no draw on your battery for a block heater, the block heater plugs into an extension cord plugged into your house.

The item I linked is not a trickle charger, it's a timer so that your block heater isn't pulling power the entire time it's plugged in.

Yeah, whoops. Got my wires crossed. I’m planning my trickle charger setup at the same time. Had my truck shut down the other morning due to lack of charge.

 

[zombie]

Yeah, whoops. Got my wires crossed. I’m planning my trickle charger setup at the same time. Had my truck shut down the other morning due to lack of charge.

If it's a vehicle that's being driven regularly, that is a bit unusual. Might need to have the dealer check your vehicle charging system or battery.

If you still want a trickle charger I'm currently using a NOCO Genius 5A trickle charger to keep my Mustang topped up over the winter, but any decent brand should work fine.

 

[redone17]

If it's a vehicle that's being driven regularly, that is a bit unusual. Might need to have the dealer check your vehicle charging system or battery.

If you still want a trickle charger I'm currently using a NOCO Genius 5A trickle charger to keep my Mustang topped up over the winter, but any decent brand should work fine.

It only happened once - but, my commute is so short (1.5 miles) - and I’ve read that the draw from the starting system, lights, etc is so much that if you don’t drive a significant amount - it’s wise to keep the battery topped off in the colder months (perhaps always?). In the summer I’m driving around a lot more - but, if I’m just work and back a few days a week without a good haul…figured it can’t hurt to keep it topped off.

With the Noco - can you swap in ring terminals for the alligator clips? Assumed so - but couldn’t confirm. I’m sure they have them in their accessories.

 

[zombie]

It only happened once - but, my commute is so short (1.5 miles) - and I’ve read that the draw from the starting system, lights, etc is so much that if you don’t drive a significant amount - it’s wise to keep the battery topped off in the colder months (perhaps always?). In the summer I’m driving around a lot more - but, if I’m just work and back a few days a week without a good haul…figured it can’t hurt to keep it topped off.

With the Noco - can you swap in ring terminals for the alligator clips? Assumed so - but couldn’t confirm. I’m sure they have them in their accessories.

Yeah the NOCO has a quick-release at the output end so you can swap the aligator clips with ring terminals (but they don't include it in the box, I think the ring terminals were something like $20 on Amazon)

 

[redone17]

Yeah the NOCO has a quick-release at the output end so you can swap the aligator clips with ring terminals (but they don't include it in the box, I think the ring terminals were something like $20 on Amazon)

Ah. Figured. I like their products too. Found a good deal on the 4A one from Battery Tender that has more functionality and came with the rings for $65.

And you know the dealer deal: “could not recreate” - especially after a 35 min drive to them.

 

[redone17]

Anyone out there with a 2.3L that can shoot some pics of where the wire is routed?

There are all of these body mounting clips and other contraptions that I’ve never seen before.

I guess it may be more obvious where they connect and their function once I have it routed - but, that’s pretty much left up to the imagination.

I have the service manual info on installing the heater itself - but, not the cord. Gonna check that now.

 

[tmallon78]

Yeah it got forgotten on my 23, with 2.7. I will have to buy it and install, my 22 has so I can follow routing that way.

 

[redone17]

I put this off for the past two winters and my short commute may have been the culprit for my failed catalytic converter. I was severely misquoted at $130 to install the block heater…$210/hr and 3+ hours…I got them down to $500. Next time I’ll get the quote on paper. Lesson learned. But, it’s done. So, that’s great. Seems like it was a pain to route the cord with all of the clips in the factory locations. I was trying to dig into the service manuals for that info. I’m glad they got it done. But, $100 from factory vs $800 after the fact…

 

[redone17]

Alright, it’s low 20s here in NY tonight. Just got my Govee Smart Plugs in the mail today. Perfect timing because I want to test this pre-heated <2 mile commute. I already had a Govee thermometer to monitor our walk-ins at the shop. So, setup was super easy since I had the app/account. I’ll plan to setup daily timers for 2-3 hours before I plan to leave in the morning. With my Noco dual port I’ll also be topping off my battery with a battery tender. Just need to connect the block heater to the Noco over the next few weeks.

Overall my goal is to have less stress on the components on days that I’m literally just driving back and forth to work. It barely gets up to temp in the warmer months. Now I just need to plan out power to my parking spot at the shop.

 

[redone17]

Ok, I got the block heater installed. Who uses one regularly? My coolant temp after 3 hours isn’t even a single block and my oil temp is only 10° warmer than ambient temperature. Doesn’t seem right. When y’all get in after a few hours - I expected it to be at nearly operating temps.

Dealer that installed it said that they’re getting readings of 140°F with an infrared thermometer.

I have it on a schedule using a smart plug. Perhaps it’s not powerful enough? It’s rated for 120v 60Hz 10A.

I’m gonna run the extension cord direct instead of the smart plug and see what happens.

FWIW - if you didn’t get it installed from factory - do it yourself. I got incorrectly quoted at $150 for install (parts were $300). They wanted to charge me over $600 for labor. I knew $150 was too good to be true and should have gotten it in writing. I got them down a bit, but it was almost 3 hrs of labor.

 

[Brian_B]

have it on a schedule using a smart plug. Perhaps it’s not powerful enough? It’s rated for 120v 60Hz 10A.

I don’t know what the rating of the heater is — but if your smart plug isn’t powerful enough either it will trip (like a blown fuse or popped breaker), or it will break/melt/catch on fire.

Smart plugs can’t regulate how much goes through them, only turn it on/off. The heater is going to pull whatever it wants to pull, and either you have a big enough outlet, extension cord, and smart plug / timer to support that, or whatever the weak link is is going to break

 

[redone17]

I don’t know what the rating of the heater is — but if your smart plug isn’t powerful enough either it will trip (like a blown fuse or popped breaker), or it will break/melt/catch on fire.

Smart plugs can’t regulate how much goes through them, only turn it on/off. The heater is going to pull whatever it wants to pull, and either you have a big enough outlet, extension cord, and smart plug / timer to support that, or whatever the weak link is is going to break

Yeah, weird. Nothing seems to be “breaking” - just not doing the job I guess.

Govee Smart Plugs

 

[Brian_B]

It’s just a heating element? No recirculation pump?

I haven’t owned a vehicle with a block heater but I’m very familiar with big industrial engines and we use them there all the time (little bit different scale though)

 

[redone17]

It’s just a heating element? No recirculation pump?

I haven’t owned a vehicle with a block heater but I’m very familiar with big industrial engines and we use them there all the time (little bit different scale though)

It’s just a heating element, but a little research shows that it’s drawing nearly 1000W! No shit. The Govee is rated for 1100W. So, not sure what’s up.

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