When to plug it in?

[LEB Ben]

Looks like a few nights in the 20's this week. Should I be plugging in the heater?

Hehe...southern boys worrying about plugging in their trucks always makes me laugh.

 

[Austin]

Hehe...southern boys worrying about plugging in their trucks always makes me laugh.

Well gosh. It's not like this isn't my first diesel truck or anything...

For the record, I didn't plug it in. Had a 15 second start.

 

[nobodyspecial]

15 seconds sounds not too good... What is it when its warm?

 

[Austin]

15 seconds sounds not too good... What is it when its warm?

When it is warm, it starts right up.

 

[nobodyspecial]

that just seems ridiculous. 5 seconds seems like a long time for me at -20.

 

[flareside_thunder]

You're kidding right? The factory relay stays on for around 8 seconds when you turn the key forward (with all good working GP's). 15 ain't bad.

 

[Blue Goose]

I don't plug my truck in unless it gets into the low single digits. The block heater takes something like 1500 watts so I use it sparingly. I do use 5w40 synthetic motor oil in the crank case so it starts like a gasser.

 

[raftereric]

I used to have mine on a timer and set it for a 4 to 5 hr run each morning, depending on temp. I have also had it plugged in for over 14 hours and no troubles

 

[nobodyspecial]

You're kidding right? The factory relay stays on for around 8 seconds when you turn the key forward (with all good working GP's). 15 ain't bad.

I guess my experience is with a Duramax.

 

[Blue Goose]

If my truck was cranking for 15 sec. to start, I'd be concerned.

 

[john112deere]

Cranking for 15 seconds would concern me, too...

Seems to me that the glowplugs are a key factor in the above discussion, too- I don't know enough to know much about it, just throwing it out there.

 

[nobodyspecial]

is he saying that it cranked for 15 seconds (long freaking time), or the glow plug light ran for 15 seconds?

 

[ramrod]

glow plugs and 2 seconds of cranking= start
tried block heater once just to see if it worked
1994 IDI F 350 in WV

 

[73F100Shortbed]

My friends have their dump trucks (F450 + F550) plugged in right now and it has been in the upper 20s, but they all start fine not plugged in either. Even their Duramax starts right up not being plugged in after the new batteries were installed.

 

[Mil1ion]

I don't need it plugged any longer than 1.5 hours when it is -20*C

 

[1970Custom]

Figured out that if I left my old '86 IDI plugged in over night it was an extra dollar added to the power bill each day...

The full throttle half throttle information was on the sun visor in the '86 too...

As to plugging it in, I'd only do it in the lower teens upper single digit temps mainly because it'd give me heat that much quicker when it was that cold out...

Left my dad's PSD plugged in for over a week and it had warmed out 1500sq ft shop to a nice temp... and the engine bay was toasty...

 

[DNFXDLI]

If you get in situations where you need preheat with no available power, the Espar and Webasto units work well and you can get them in both gas and diesel.

 

[Fellro]

I had to plug a tractor into a generator when my BIL ran it down the road and it gelled in sub zero temps... I was just sooo thrilled to have to deal with that.....