old people keep unplugging my truck

[mattpresley]

Yeah my block heater. I was told by someone today that its not 1 but 3 old people that have ganged up against me...guess they don't like my truck.

Whats a block heater? keeps your truck warm?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Whats a block heater? keeps your truck warm?

Helps keep your engine block and oil warm so it's easier to start the truck in cold weather. It's primarily used on diesels (since they fire by compression rather than spark plugs), but it can help a gasser start easier when it's really cold out.

 

[EnglishDan]

Can you not pull your truck up close against it so it is awkward for an old fart to reach?

 

[-Nathan-]

hey guys...to answer a couple questions....it is NOT an old folks home, but rather a condominium building which happens to be teh residence of many elderly folk. The block heater is used to heat the fluids of teh engine, and keeps it a warmer temperature which allows for easier start up, as well as reaching normal operating temperatures sooner (due to the warmth).

I think i may have a solution...i may just put a timer on the plug, so the old folks think its not drawing electricity all the time....however i will just make the timer irrelavent so that it turns on/off within a minute hence allowing electricity all the time haha!

the reason i need it plugged in is that my schedule is extrememly erratic, hence i do not know when i will be coming/going. I need to keep it plugged in so that in teh chance the temp plummets it is still functional if i need it.

 

[babytruck]

gotcha! i was thinking about it and thought heck he might be the maint. guy or something my bad. timer might work do they think your drawing a massive amount of power like dimming the grid or something?

 

[EnglishDan]

Where are you that it is that cold?

 

[-Nathan-]

Im in saskatoon, saskatchewan, canada...it routinely gets to -50 *C or colder. A couple weeks ago we had a 2 week spell where it was between -40 or -50 every night. It gets cold enough that the fluids in teh axles/tranny get thick and slow the vehicle down.

 

[babytruck]

how long do you let your truck warm up before you drive?

 

[igiveup]

Hello

The general rule is 1/2 hr /L. So for a 4.0l it takes 2 hrs to warm up. Plugged in.

igiveup

 

[-Nathan-]

Hello

The general rule is 1/2 hr /L. So for a 4.0l it takes 2 hrs to warm up.

igiveup

I DO NOT have 2 hours to let my truck warm up...hence the block heater. If its been plugged in for a couple hours, and I go and start it, the heater blows warm air. MUCH better than starting cold and not being able to allow it to warm up properly.

By the way, here is the tech article I wrote up for my install if any of y'all are interested:

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?p=596154

 

[Dweano]

Im in saskatoon, saskatchewan, canada...it routinely gets to -50 *C or colder. A couple weeks ago we had a 2 week spell where it was between -40 or -50 every night. It gets cold enough that the fluids in teh axles/tranny get thick and slow the vehicle down.

Saskatchewan FTW...expect yeah-50*C sucks...especially when you work outside...also how can anyone not like your truck? That concept I do not understand. Also yeah when its that cold I can tell the truck is working harder just to keep moving, all the fluids stiffen right up. Keep us updated in the Nathan and his ranger vs elderly energy savers battle

 

[02RangerXLT]

Hello

The general rule is 1/2 hr /L. So for a 4.0l it takes 2 hrs to warm up.

igiveup

2 hours? Say goodbye to 1/4 to 1/2 of a tank of fuel!

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Im in saskatoon, saskatchewan, canada...it routinely gets to -50 *C or colder. A couple weeks ago we had a 2 week spell where it was between -40 or -50 every night. It gets cold enough that the fluids in teh axles/tranny get thick and slow the vehicle down.

Ahhh ok, I was about to say I usually don't have problems with mine starting until about 20 -30 below. I plug it in for good measure some days when i know I'm not gonna drive around alot but for the most part when I start it warms up by the time I'm done.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Saskatchewan FTW...expect yeah-50*C sucks...especially when you work outside...also how can anyone not like your truck? That concept I do not understand. Also yeah when its that cold I can tell the truck is working harder just to keep moving, all the fluids stiffen right up. Keep us updated in the Nathan and his ranger vs elderly energy savers battle

Another good way to coundter this is to swap over non engine fluids (and engine fluids for that matter) to synthetic. Sure it may be kinda expensive but synthetic fluids do wonders in cold weather because they don't thicken up nearly as bad if at all. So it gets things lubricated faster, preventing wear.

2 hours? Say goodbye to 1/4 to 1/2 of a tank of fuel!

Yeah A vehicle does not need half an hour to warm up (per liter), generally start it up and go is actually the best thing for your engine. not pushing it of course... Start up and drive easily will get you where you need to go while warming up your entire truck that means everything not just coolent and oil. Either way its running and with a slight load it helps the converter out alot by providing hotter gasses to it.

 

[bigcountry]

get a can of mase and spray the cord. so when he/she goes by to unplug it the stuff will be frozen and when their hands get warm and start to sweat the stuff is going to burn and if your lucky they will rub their eyes or face and boom they will think twice before they reach down to unplug it again