Block heaters...

[thirdroc17]

Here is my post from my block heater installation on my B7500 hope it helps. http://www.orangetractortalks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12327&page=2 Alan

Awesome, THANKS! Piece of cake.

 

[lamanated]

Ive ran diesel cars for years, My vw will start in minus 25 without a block heater, I run additive in the fuel,and am running amzoil in the engine,but even a hf hr would help, go out plug the tractor in, go in,get your clothes on etc, will take up some time up,and letting the thing warm up slow is a big one.
But wear will increase at the cold temps.gear oil is as thick as molassas in the fridge at that temp,

 

[gssixgun]

Too expensive and wasteful for continuous use

Thermocube

Seemed like a good solution, but I soon realized that here in North Idaho like many other places the colder days are the days that the sky is clear
So if I used a simple freeze cube like the pump house on at 30° off at 45° it was still almost always on and if I went lower to "the on at 20° off at 30°" cube I was still getting pretty cold starts and still on quite often...

So I realized that the Thermocube was not a solution for me..



I ordered this Remote and solved all the problems, now if I were going to order again I would look for a 100' model and hope it really works that far this one works from the front porch but not the bedroom.. So I have to get up, go to the front door hit the remote, then start the coffee By the time I get dressed, I go start the tractor, come in have a cup of coffee while the tractor warms up, and then head down the road blowing snow...

I added a small Night light to the system this Winter so that I could see a positive indication that the remote switched on the power from the porch, didn't really need it but $2 at Walmart for piece of mind was well worth it

Easy as pie

 

[thirdroc17]

My tractor resides in the barn. Over 150' trudge through the snow, cold and wind. I have to put my cold weather gear on just to get there. The arthritic joints won't allow it any other way.

I have yet to see a remote that reaches 150', not to mention 150' through some walls and obstacles. I'd guess I need a minimum rating of 250' to trust it to work.

I do not have a cell phone, of any kind, there is nobody I NEED to talk to 24 hours a day, so any smart phone app is immaterial.

Next winter, I hope to have a block heater installed, still need to come up with a decent way of turning it on a couple hours ahead of time. I don't use the tractor except when it snows, so it might be tomorrow when I start it next, or two weeks from now. Sure not going to leave it plugged in all the time!

 

[Dave_eng]

A comment to the member who has the remote.
I bought a very similar one to yours at Radio shack for my car and it worked great until the outside temp got very cold and then it would not respond. The distance to the outside unit was 40 feet.

For my farm tractor, I put a 120 volt relay with a 24 volt coil to control a receptacle in my tractor shed 200+ feet from my house and then ran low voltage wire such as lamp cord on the top of the ground following a path it would not be driven over. In the spring, I coil the low voltage wire up to keep it out of the sun. A simple switch in my house allows me to turn on the tractor block heater. I used a 24 volt furnace transformer to power the relay.

Dave M7040

 

[Mani1147]

I use a "WEMO" AC110V receptacle controller to control my block heater from my iphone. Whenever I anticipate needing the BX, I turn the block heater on a half hour before. Even works from my work for a quick clean-up when I get home.
Cheers
Rob

 

[cerlawson]

Dave Eng: Now that's the way to do it Dave. It is surprising how far one can run low voltage and get some result. The only risk I see is the usual plastic insulation on wires has an additive to make it flexible, vegetable oil. It give off an odor that attracts mice and other rodents. So if some time the heater is not working, blame it on the mice. If your truck won't shift out of low some day, look for a rodent eating the insulation (and the copper) there also. I learned the hard way once.

 

[gssixgun]

A comment to the member who has the remote.
I bought a very similar one to yours at Radio shack for my car and it worked great until the outside temp got very cold and then it would not respond. The distance to the outside unit was 40 feet.

For my farm tractor, I put a 120 volt relay with a 24 volt coil to control a receptacle in my tractor shed 200+ feet from my house and then ran low voltage wire such as lamp cord on the top of the ground following a path it would not be driven over. In the spring, I coil the low voltage wire up to keep it out of the sun. A simple switch in my house allows me to turn on the tractor block heater. I used a 24 volt furnace transformer to power the relay.

Dave M7040

Funny story I was at the Co-Op last night browsing hehehe

and there to my surprise is an remote made by Thomas & Betts 150' range rated good down to -20°

Unfortunately it was only single plug so I had to add a triple plug extension cord rather than the single one I was using so I could still have my "Indicator" light

Now I actually can flip it on, from the bedroom and see into the Polebarn and watch the little night light come on so I know it worked...

$15 and life is good..

I was also thinking of a separate switched outlet, but decided to try the remotes first..

When I ran the power out to the Barn I should have run a few extra lines too but I figured the 220/240 run would do anything I wanted... Hindsight is always 20/20

 

[thirdroc17]

Now I actually can flip it on, from the bedroom and see into the Polebarn and watch the little night light come on so I know it worked...


When I ran the power out to the Barn I should have run a few extra lines too but I figured the 220/240 run would do anything I wanted... Hindsight is always 20/20

I like the idea of an indicator light for when the heater is on. It would solve my problem of, "Did I do that yet??", as well as let on know it actually came on.

Previous owner buried a phone line to the barn that I don't use. Don't even know if it's intact, but it is there. I'll have to stop at the local electronics store, have a talk with Larry about how I might use the phone line to activate something.

It's great brainstorming on forums. While so many suggestions made are totally irrelevant to ones own circumstances, every once in a while a trigger is tripped that starts with, "Hey, that just might....."

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Another easy "remote" set up is an X-10 setup, it talks threw the wires so as long as it all hooked up to power you can turn it on and off.
It works great for remotely turning on lights and outlets.
It can also be set up to work automatically.