# block heater question!



## baddboygeorge (Oct 20, 2002)

i have a block heater on my ford f250 an its a 90 model truck. the question i have is there any way that could catch on fire ! i am leary if it even works , just trying it out due to the temps dropping tonite an its a hard rascal to start in cold weather! any help would be great thanks George


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## baddboygeorge (Oct 20, 2002)

*anyone know???*

bump bump bump


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## scuba875 (Dec 22, 2004)

George I was just thinking this same thing. I looked on another site for ford trucks and didn' see anything about fires caused by block heaters.

Personaly I think there would need to be a short in the electrical cord for something like this to happen. If that is the case it should trip the breaker long before that would be a concern but who knows.

I plugged my truck in just in case we have to go out in the am. I will keep an eye on it over the next hour feeling the cord ect to make sure it isn't getting hot.

Maybe someone else has better advice, this is my first winter with this truck.


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## baddboygeorge (Oct 20, 2002)

*scuba thanks*

it just worries me being an older truck an if the block heater was bad it could short out an catch a fire! i usually dont plug it in i just use a little ether an she fires up fine. i am gonna go back out there an she if the cord is hot or not. my friend told me if it works you should be able to go out there an turn ignition over where the accessories come on an turn the heater blower on high an you should get heat , i dont know if he is right or not ! let me know thanks george


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## WALKERS (Nov 1, 2006)

George
You should not have any problems just make sure you have a 14 or 12 guage cord and that its not rolled up or coiled up that is what could catch fire. You will not have warm heat coming out of the vents the motor will crank easier is all. I plug mine in whenever it gets below 30 degress.


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## baddboygeorge (Oct 20, 2002)

*walkers thanks*

how bout when its like 20 degrees an ya get back from plowing , is it ok to plug it back in to keep it warm! let me know thanks George


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## framer1901 (Dec 18, 2005)

Oh man am I glad mine starts in the cold - never been plugged in................


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## WALKERS (Nov 1, 2006)

George
Yes you can plug it back in when you get back it is designed to keep your block fluids 
a certain temp for easier starting just remember about the cord dont coil it up when it is plugged into the truck.


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## baddboygeorge (Oct 20, 2002)

*ok guys thanks alot*

when a problem arises i know plowsite crew is always there for help THANKS George


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## WALKERS (Nov 1, 2006)

No problem George thats what we are all here for.:salute:


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## doh (Sep 23, 2003)

I would be surpised if it still works, being 16 years old and never used. Listen for a "hissing" sound coming from it after you plug it in it means it's working tymusic


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

baddboygeorge;349318 said:


> i have a block heater on my ford f250 an its a 90 model truck. the question i have is there any way that could catch on fire ! i am leary if it even works , just trying it out due to the temps dropping tonite an its a hard rascal to start in cold weather! any help would be great thanks George





baddboygeorge;349351 said:


> it just worries me being an older truck an if the block heater was bad it could short out an catch a fire! i usually dont plug it in i just use a little ether an she fires up fine. i am gonna go back out there an she if the cord is hot or not. my friend told me if it works you should be able to go out there an turn ignition over where the accessories come on an turn the heater blower on high an you should get heat , i dont know if he is right or not ! let me know thanks george





baddboygeorge;349377 said:


> how bout when its like 20 degrees an ya get back from plowing , is it ok to plug it back in to keep it warm! let me know thanks George


Plug it in.. I have a 74,truck with a 32year old block heater and it works fine. 
No, you will not get any heat or maybe just a little as the water pump is not circulating any fluid to the heater core so the heat stays in the block. If you had a tank heater then you would get some heat and you may hear a hissing sound or something. But you don't you have a block heater.

You should not hear any hissing! If you do you have a coolant leak. You can hold your hand to the block by the heater if you want to be sure it is working.

Yes, you can plug it in at any temp and it will not hurt the heater or engine.


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## spittincobra01 (Nov 14, 2005)

this is one of the many reasons I decided to go V10gas instead of diesel. Roughly the same power, no starting problems reguardless of the temps outside. I do have a block heater, just never use it. that being said...

your block heater should be fine even if it hasn't been used in years. It is a very basic heating element, and as long as the cord is not dry rotted there is VERY little that can go wrong with it. I will restate what WALKERS said, just make sure you use an adequate extension cord, and that it is not coiled at anywhere along it's route from the source to your truck. Keep the extension cord as shot as you can (use a 25' or less if you can) and at least a 14 guage... I would use 12 g.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

[ ???

Up here in MN it gets kind of cold now and then. That being said.

People plug there vehicles in quite often. You will see many of folks running well over a 
100 feet of extension cords out to there vehicles.
Any good extension cord will work just fine even if there short, long, coiled up or strung straight out.

The heater is only 500 to 1500 watts no big deal.


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## Mark Witcher (Feb 21, 2004)

YES. Block heaters can short out and cause a fire. My neighbor had one on his tractor do just that a couple years ago. Tractor was totalled.


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