At what temperature do you plug in your block heater?

[Blue2Orange]

Do not think there is a thermostat on the BX block heater that prevents on at warmer temperatures. Tested the newly purchased BX's block heater a few days ago. It works. It was above freezing.

Similar to the old '01 NH. I use to plug that one in for 30-90 minutes before starting on days once the temp dropped below freezing. Even after switch from NH dino to Rotella T6. Plan to do the same with the BX. Any reason not to? Do have a timer on the circuit just in case something happens and tractor time is postponed.

 

[chim]

I'm not suggesting my method is good. Since 1990 with one gas tractor and four diesels I believe I may have plugged one of them in once. It seldom gets below 0°F here.

 

[Jsjac]

I only plug my tractor in when it is below zero

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

When it gets about 32f / 0c my diesel tractors will get plugged in.
30 min. At those temps and as much as 3 or 4 hours when closer to -30's.
All stored in an unheated and enclosed shed out of the wind.
If it was wind and expossed it would get way more.
Costs next to nothing so my thought why not. Never burnt out a block heater yet

 

[GrumpyFarmer]

I only plug mine if I plan to use it that day. (I don’t leave it plugged in). 30 or below. Not sure it’s because I need to, but it sure starts a lot easier - she seems happier.

as example if I am getting up and need to mess with the drive way, I start a pot of coffee, then go out plug in the tractor then come back in and drink some coffee. Eventually I’ll head out and play in the snow. I doubt I leave it plugged in more than a few hours. (I’d say it’s plugged in for at least 45 minutes minimum though). The colder it is the more time I spend drinking coffee.

 

[g_man]

I plug mine in for an hour or two when it gets down to 15 degrees or so. Maybe 20 degrees if it has been setting a long long time.

 

[PHPaul]

I have a remote controlled outlet that I can plug mine in to. If I'm expecting snow, I'll plug it in the night before and if I get up in the morning and need to blow snow, I'll turn it on with the remote and then spend an hour (or more, depending on temperature) slurping coffee and surfing.

I also plug a lamp into the remote outlet so I can visually verify that it's on. It's about 100 yards from the house.

 

[nbryan]

Below -20C or so it gets an hour or 2 block heater.
Without any block heating, dead cold, it has started first crank -25 - -30C after 15+ seconds glow but popped, rattled and belched smoke angrily for a few seconds before settling to normal cold diesel sounds.
They go! At least my little 26hp 3-cyl does.

 

[mdhughes]

I just got the block heater install in the L3901DT, I had it for at least 3 years, but never seemed to have the time to install it. Since I retired in June, I had time to install it.

Like PHPaul, I have an outlet that I can control remotely. The tractor always has started before without the block heater, but it sure didn't like it when in the teens. I will be turning on the outlet when it is around 30° or below and will be using the L3901DT that morning.

As a side note, when I drove my Dodge Ram to work during the winter, I had a program that I wrote that would check the temperature at different times in the morning and based on the time if it was below a set temperature it would turn on the outlet. The Cummins seemed to like starting a little easier with a little warmup in the morning.

 

[jyoutz]

I’ll have to go look at the manual again, but my Dodge/Cummins truck manual says 10 degrees or lower for conventional 10W-30 oil and -5 degrees or lower for synthetic 5W-40 oil. I would assume that it’s something similar for our tractors.

 

[CAPT Seabee]

When I used to park outside below freezing, I had the block heater run to a smart plug. Get up, tell
Alexa or Siri to turn it on for an hour. Breakfast and a thermos of coffee prepared, off we go.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Since I don’t use it every day….(or even every month) , I do exactly as @GrumpyFarmer does.

If I’m using it that day, it gets plugged in for a short while before use.


Now there have been occasions where I got caught "off guard” and needed to start it right away.

For those isolated incidents, I used the glow plugs for about a “15 Mississippi” count, and fire it up.

 

[D2Cat]

My old '66 730 Case is indirect injection so it takes a bit of heat when the engine has been idle for days. I mainly use it to feed hay, so when I need it I really need it. I installed a block heater that is 1500W so I plug the heater in and give it 20-35 minutes and it fires right off. When that much iron is cold for a few days heat is mandatory!

 

[Blue2Orange]

I only plug mine if I plan to use it that day. (I don’t leave it plugged in). 30 or below. Not sure it’s because I need to, but it sure starts a lot easier - she seems happier.

as example if I am getting up and need to mess with the drive way, I start a pot of coffee, then go out plug in the tractor then come back in and drink some coffee. Eventually I’ll head out and play in the snow. I doubt I leave it plugged in more than a few hours. (I’d say it’s plugged in for at least 45 minutes minimum though). The colder it is the more time I spend drinking coffee.

Similar.

Seat time on the tractor during the winter months is limited to more or less just snow removal. Retired. No more needing to remove snow during hours I prefer to be sleeping. And no more needing to clear the driveway entry due to being plowed in when returning home.

Heavy Lake Effect dumps requiring multiple times a day to keep things manageable have become rare. Snowfall seems to have become more dense. Supposedly our total winter time moisture has been on the rise. Perception is dryer due to less snowfall. Too many thaws and events that end up as frizzle or rain. Add a good month of less winter temperatures resulting in rain v. snow most Novembers and March.

If conditions or forecast are for measurable amounts of snowfall late in the day through the night and if I remember. The block heater is plugged into the timer. Otherwise it is plug it in before the morning coffees. Usually 3 double espresso gets me going. Block heater for the tractor. Caffeine for me. Both seem to function better with v. without.. At least at start up or wake up. Probably need to cut back to couple doubles. Home roaster since the late 90's after giving up on the few "local" roasters. But the last batch of greens had ~30% price increase. Tariffs, poor growing conditions, input cost increases. Life.