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Circulating heaters

thedole

thedole

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Location
Norway
Hi
My block heater is dead and I live in a climate where that is a bad thing. I've been thinking about getting a circulating heater as that sounds like a good idea to me.

Something like this:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200339137_200339137

I need it in a 240V version though and I saw it mentioned somewhere that those do exist.

And ofcourse I have some overanalyzing to do about this simple thing also. I'm wondering if it would be a good idea with a lower wattage one that I have plugged in more instead of a higher wattage one that is only plugged in a couple of hours before take off. At first I thought these had a pump in them but the circulation bit is only based on convection right? Maybe a lower wattage heater wouldn't get the circulation going right?

And does anyone have any ideas about how to best install one of these?
 
I plan on getting one of these, too.

These should have a pump in them to circulate the coolant. Seems like the best place would be in line with the heater core...someone either here or the 'place' put one in along with a ball vale for some reason....can't remember why, but he said it works like a champ.
 
I dunno, guys... I've put circulating heaters in before, and won't again. Oh, they work well, but I don't think they work any better than the other ones...

They only circulate when the thermostats open, and if they are far enough away in the circuit and it's cold enough, I'm not sure they circulate all that much.

I put in 2 frost plug heaters... that way I can plug in one when it's just cold, or two when it's Alberta cold. Battery blankets help, too.

I also like oil-pan heaters... when it's really cold, the oil turns into syrup and
(a) doesn't flow too good, so you get very little oil pressure on start and
(b) makes the engine hard to turn over.

Oil-pan heaters help with that.
 
Jim, I can't remember who it was on the 'place, but he put in inline heater in with a valve to prevent the coolant from going into the radiator. I was trying to get him to send me photos of exactly how he has his setup, but it appeared that with this valve, the coolant stayed in the heater-core/block circuit, rather than the radiator.

Like I said, I'm not sure how he set it up, but he said that it was working like a champ.
 
Now I'm even more confused ;) How much of the oil would be heated by an oil pan heater, enough to really make a difference? I don't have a clear idea about how the coolant flows so I'm not clear about how such a circulating heater would fit into it. The stock heater is a frost plug type heater? I think mine has been dead since before I got the truck, I just didn't know what to expect then so I thought it just didn't make much of a difference.
 
If your frost plug heater is dead, it might just be (probably is) the cord. Test for continuity; should have some resistance between the prongs, none from the prongs to the ground pin.

Make sure the cord is plugged into the frost-plug-block heater - they can wiggle loose.

As for the Oil Pan heater, you only have to warm the oil up enough that it flows well... if it can be heated above freezing, it will turn over much faster (= easier starting)

But oil pan heaters (unless they're the big, industrial ones) don't heat your block, making it easier for the diesel to fire... water jacket heaters do that, and they come in 3 types:

- frost plug
- circulating tank
- in-line hose circulating

I like the frost plug ones the best, and suggest the use of 2 of them in colder climates.
 
Oil pan heaters are excellent in cold climates, because heat rises hits the cylinder walls and the underside of the pistons within acceptable tolerances 2frost plug heaters an oil pan heater glow pug extender, and you qualify to be out tonight in minus 42 gotta luv Aberta eh !!!
 
jbsaxman said:
I plan on getting one of these, too.

These should have a pump in them to circulate the coolant. Seems like the best place would be in line with the heater core...someone either here or the 'place' put one in along with a ball vale for some reason....can't remember why, but he said it works like a champ.
Click to expand...

That would be Me....
I have a 1500 watt heater mounted in the pass side battery box support. It draws coolant from the line to the surge tank (out of the lower radiator hose) via a T fitting made from brass plumbing parts. A 1/2 T, 2-1/2 x 3/4 hose barbs, and one 1/2 x 5/8 hose barb. There is a brass elbow to make the needed 90 degree turn into inlet port of heater. The outlet of heater is spliced into the heater core return line that is coming right into the to of radiator. when I first hooked it up, coolant would flow through the radiator instead of going through the heater core, and then onto coolant crossover and splitting into the heads. to correct this, I put a threaded ball valve (1/2 inch) between the T at the top and the radiator. with this closed, and heater on, the heated coolant flows backwards through the heater core, into the crossover, and into the heads, then down through the block and back into lower radiator hose....
 
Thanks, 94K30.

Would you do me a favor and take a sh*tload of pics of this? I'd like to set my rig up like this, but am more of a visual guy. lol.
 
JiFaire said:
If your frost plug heater is dead, it might just be (probably is) the cord. Test for continuity; should have some resistance between the prongs, none from the prongs to the ground pin.

Make sure the cord is plugged into the frost-plug-block heater - they can wiggle loose.

As for the Oil Pan heater, you only have to warm the oil up enough that it flows well... if it can be heated above freezing, it will turn over much faster (= easier starting)

But oil pan heaters (unless they're the big, industrial ones) don't heat your block, making it easier for the diesel to fire... water jacket heaters do that, and they come in 3 types:

- frost plug
- circulating tank
- in-line hose circulating

I like the frost plug ones the best, and suggest the use of 2 of them in colder climates.
Click to expand...

I measured the resistance earlier and there was plenty as in way too much, several Mohm's. So there is a (good) chance that this is just a connectivity issue? Will go ohm hunting tomorrow then! ;)
 
jbsaxman said:
Thanks, 94K30.

Would you do me a favor and take a sh*tload of pics of this? I'd like to set my rig up like this, but am more of a visual guy. lol.
Click to expand...

That would be sweet, I have a hard time visualizing it!

My ohm hunt didn't pan out today. The connections were made with some connector system and I didn't manage to pry the connector to the block heater loose, so I didn't get to measure much. I have a 240v outlet in the cab for a cab heater though and that works fine. This one comes from a Y-connector where the other branch goes to the block heater. The system looks pretty beefy so I doubt that the problem lies there. I hope it does though because it didn't look tempting to replace the heater..
 
I too have a 1500 watt circulating heater installed as per 94K30's instructions and I love it. Though it does not get that cold here, only in the teens F, I have mine on a timer and after an hour or two I start my truck with warm air coming out of the heater. The heads, crossover, and block are already warm. The transmission takes about a third of normal time for the TCC to lock up. I did not have good luck with my freeze plug heater and who knows, this thing may not last long either. So far I am very happy with it.
 
I've always been a fan of circ. heaters, they warm the entire engine and like preachermic said you have warm heater air. Dual block heaters work well too. Singles only heat one side of the engine and the other side will wear more on start up. Leo
 
How much do you have invested in this set up? And the obvious, where'd ya get the heater from? Northern? Thanks in advance,
 
I bought mine on ebay a couple years ago. Seems like it came out of Canada IIRC. I think I have about $45 US and about an hour and a half invested total. I could not figure out how to plumb it in until 94K30 listed his installation. After that, a piece of cake. The original instructions did not make much sense.
 
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