Does engine block heater keep coolant warm?

Scott & Heather · October 31, 2014, 12:19:33 PM

Sorry for all the posts, but I'm in hyper bus mode for a couple of weeks before our 3000 mile trip. Just wondering if the engine block heater will cause thermal flowing of the coolant and keep it slightly warm in the radiators. Or does it just keep the block/oil warm?

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Lin · October 31, 2014, 12:42:07 PM

The block heater is immersed in the water jacket, so the coolant is being directly heated. Of course, the block itself is also being heated where there is contact. Heat energy is not stagnant. It will therefore migrate through the coolant and block. After a reasonable amount of time for your weather, your engine thinks it's Spring.

B_K · October 31, 2014, 01:48:50 PM

It will heat up the system past the engine itself over time just from the warm water warming water on down the line.
But keep in mind # 1 with no circulation pump it's going to be slow to get to other areas. Also depending on the flow of a circulation pump it could also have adverse effects on heating on if the pump circulated too fast and didn't allow sufficient time to heat up.

BK

Scott & Heather · October 31, 2014, 02:21:36 PM

Ok. Answers my question. Thanks. I have what is likely a 40/60 coolant to distilled water mix currently. I need to add more coolant but I haven't made it to wwilliams yet. So with it getting down to 26 degrees tonight (we've had snow today already) I just wanted to be sure plugging in my block heater would keep things safe. It's been plugged in all day and I'll leave it plugged in until we head south in a week and a half.

This is from today:
https://vimeo.com/110617972

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luvrbus · October 31, 2014, 02:48:06 PM

Damn a 40/60 mixture should be good down to - 10* time to leave that parking place

Scott & Heather · October 31, 2014, 02:59:03 PM

You not kiddin cliff. My sentiments exactly. Don't want a repeat of this from last winter:

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bevans6 · October 31, 2014, 04:06:05 PM

I wouldn't have anything plugged in with a 40/60 mix of antifreeze unless the electricity was free. It won't freeze, and it won't cause a problem. I pay around 18 cents a kilowatt, so leaving my bus plugged in for ten days would cost me around seventy bucks Ain't going to happen...

Brian

John Z · November 01, 2014, 10:58:39 AM

Jeez, 50 - 50 is good to -40! No way would I be plugging that in until a few hours before I was leaving.

luvrbus · November 01, 2014, 02:06:57 PM

The 40/60 will cool better than a 50/50 mix fwiw

PP · November 01, 2014, 06:25:50 PM

I don't like leaving my block heater plugged in overnite unless I'm moving early in the AM. After a 4 or 5 hour stint the cord leading to the heater gets so hot you can barely handle it. Sure does heat up the engine though.
Will

Scott & Heather · November 01, 2014, 06:55:05 PM

Good to know. My
Electric is free where I'm at. Actually, we've never had to pay electric where we've parked. But, don't want to waste it either. I'll unplug her until showtime.

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Oonrahnjay · November 01, 2014, 08:57:36 PM

Quote from: PP on November 01, 2014, 06:25:50 PMI don't like leaving my block heater plugged in overnite unless I'm moving early in the AM. After a 4 or 5 hour stint the cord leading to the heater gets so hot you can barely handle it. Sure does heat up the engine though.
Will

Will, that *must* be too small a cord! Is there a larger gauge wire power cord available?

PP · November 03, 2014, 10:31:36 AM

Oonrahn, that's the short cord that is wired into the side of the block. I have an outlet in the engine bay for plugging it directly into, but the short cord, which I am assuming is the factory cord for the block heater, gets really warm after more than 4 or 5 hours. Of course, by then when I hit the starter, the temp gauge actually moves up a notch or two also when the warm water hits the sending unit and the engine doesn't miss a beat. It acts like an engine that has just been shut down. It's all good, I just don't want to start a fire while I'm sleeping directly above it, if you know what I mean.
Will

dukegrad98 · November 03, 2014, 11:42:12 AM

Quote from: bevans6 on October 31, 2014, 04:06:05 PM
I pay around 18 cents a kilowatt...

Whoa. I'm locked in at barely over a nickel. Three cheers for deregulation.

Cheers, John

Oonrahnjay · November 03, 2014, 01:52:06 PM

Quote from: PP on November 03, 2014, 10:31:36 AMOonrahn, that's the short cord that is wired into the side of the block. I have an outlet in the engine bay for plugging it directly into, but the short cord, which I am assuming is the factory cord for the block heater, gets really warm after more than 4 or 5 hours. Of course, by then when I hit the starter, the temp gauge actually moves up a notch or two also when the warm water hits the sending unit and the engine doesn't miss a beat. It acts like an engine that has just been shut down. It's all good, I just don't want to start a fire while I'm sleeping directly above it, if you know what I mean.
Will

Yeah, I'm really big on not setting fire to my bus, too! It sounds as if your heater is working really well but I still don't think that the cord should be getting (very) hot! I wonder if someone has mixed up a 1K cord with a 1.5K heater plug or something. Do you have a manufacturer's name to google and get customer service?