# Battery to Run a block heater.



## fedspunisher (May 13, 2008)

Okay so heres the deal. My truck is very cold blooded. I only live about 8 block from where i work and dont really like having to sit and let my truck warm up for 5 minutes to drive it 2 minutes. I have a block heater that runs on 110v it is 250 watts. Is there a way that i can wire it to be used AC/DC current to operate it and switch between the 2? Another Question is if i can get it to run off the battery how long would a standard say 650 cranking amp battery last running the 250watt heater?


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## MAR4CARS (Oct 6, 2005)

Why not a remote start or aftermarket block heater?


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## fedspunisher (May 13, 2008)

It has a block heater, that is what im trying to wire up to a battery. And remote start wont work because it takes about 5 tires to start it when its cold and you have to keep your foot on the gas so it doesnt die.


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## fedspunisher (May 13, 2008)

How about something like this? If i installed a second battery for the soul purpose to run this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Engi...2-Volt-DC_W0QQitemZ370096842495QQcmdZViewItem


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## fedspunisher (May 13, 2008)

Well to answer my own question i asked the Electrical Engineer here at work and he said a standard 650CCA battery would last little over 4 hours with a 250watt heater and 10 with a 80 watt heater. So now my question is how would i wire up another battery to isolate it for just the heater/plow and still charge when the truck is on?

Is this all i need?

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200343388_200343388


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## RichG53 (Sep 16, 2008)

That's going to be hard on your battery .... 8 blks will not charge up the battery...enough...


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## fedspunisher (May 13, 2008)

On the battery and the alternator?


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## RAZOR (Dec 19, 2001)

How about you carry a a spare deep cycle battery and connect it up to the heater when you need it. Take it home and charge it up when it is not in use. Would that work?


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## Rc2505 (Feb 5, 2007)

I'm thinking more like fill the bed of your truck with spare batteries, hook them all up in series, so you still have 12 volts only comming from them. Then hook your ac/dc converter to them. I figure it will last close to a week if you have 48 or so batteries installed. You know you won't have to add any ballast then for the season. 

Come on really. Why don't you just plug your truck in like everyone else has to. If it is not possible then I guess you'll have to deal with the cold starts and forget about it. Maybe walk to work. If it's only 8 blocks then it should be no big deal. There is no reliable, easy fix to running a block heater off of batteries and makeing it work. Besides the fact if you can't plug your truck in the how are you going to run a charger out to keep a charge on them. I am sure it would take 20 hours of sunlight a day to make a solar panel work, so even that is out of the question.


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## Doakster (Aug 15, 2008)

Rc2505;645143 said:


> I'm thinking more like fill the bed of your truck with spare batteries, *hook them all up in series, so you still have 12 volts only comming from them*. Then hook your ac/dc converter to them. I figure it will last close to a week if you have 48 or so batteries installed. You know you won't have to add any ballast then for the season.
> 
> Come on really. Why don't you just plug your truck in like everyone else has to. If it is not possible then I guess you'll have to deal with the cold starts and forget about it. Maybe walk to work. If it's only 8 blocks then it should be no big deal. There is no reliable, easy fix to running a block heater off of batteries and makeing it work. Besides the fact if you can't plug your truck in the how are you going to run a charger out to keep a charge on them. I am sure it would take 20 hours of sunlight a day to make a solar panel work, so even that is out of the question.


You have this backwards. Series hook up will add voltage, parallel hook up will keep voltage the same as long as you are using identical battery voltages.


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## theonlybull (Oct 17, 2004)

sounds more like you need someone to fix the choke, or put a hand operated choke, so the truck will start when it's cold, and be drivable


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## 02powerstroke (Nov 7, 2006)

why not put it on a timer or get a tempature activted switch? Or both then its only on if its needed.


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## murphyslaw (Oct 2, 2005)

250watt block heater?

never heard of one so small, I have a 1250 Watt block heater, still takes bout 3-4hrs to warm up the truck. I leave it pluged in all the time below 20*'

When I am out of town on work and dont want to leave the truck running I have a honda EU2000 that I plug the block heater into and a small cab heater, that will run for 8hrs on a cup of fuel. that way I can sleep all nice and warm and have a warm engine too.


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## fedspunisher (May 13, 2008)

Thanks to those people who actually contributed to my post. I am looking to changed the carb on the truck as it needs change anyway and hopefully this will help.

For those how felt it necessary to be sarcastic next time i have a question i will just trouble shoot it myself because that would be way more productive than posting on this site with people like you on here.


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## Milwaukee (Dec 28, 2007)

is this diesel?" or it gas? 350?

easy way is block your radiator to get hot quick but keep eye on temp gauge.

Did you change coolant? I learn hard way when have too much coolant and little water it get very hot but less coolant with more water it never get hot enough in winter.


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## Doakster (Aug 15, 2008)

Milwaukee;649781 said:


> is this diesel?" or it gas? 350?
> 
> easy way is block your radiator to get hot quick but keep eye on temp gauge.
> 
> Did you change coolant? I learn hard way when have too much coolant and little water it get very hot but less coolant with more water it never get hot enough in winter.


Ever heard of 50/50 mix in summer 60/40 mix in winter.....that helps.


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## 02powerstroke (Nov 7, 2006)

fedspunisher;649780 said:


> Thanks to those people who actually contributed to my post. I am looking to changed the carb on the truck as it needs change anyway and hopefully this will help.
> 
> For those how felt it necessary to be sarcastic next time i have a question i will just trouble shoot it myself because that would be way more productive than posting on this site with people like you on here.


I dident know your truck was gas. I had the same style truck in highschool and I put a new manual choke carb on it and it was night and day. I used to be in the same boat with letting it warm up just to drive it. Deff reaplace the carb you wont beleve the diffrence a new carb can make.


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## fedspunisher (May 13, 2008)

I believe its the original quadrajet. If anything im sure it needs a rebuild. I have a newer edelbrock on another engine that i think im going to pull off. Didnt these old trucks use to have a metal pipe that ran from the manifold to the breather?


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