Drove away with block heater cord still plugged in.

Hey everyone.

Yesterday I was running late for work and forget to unplug the block heater from the extension cord as I backed out of the driveway. From what it seems it didn't pull the cord all the way out. I would think there is some slack because this I'm sure has happened before. It's just a little longer then what it was the day before. Is there a way that I check to see if the block heater still works? It doesn't look damaged(the cord) but I don't know where it goes into the block from the top of the engine. The sliver clip is now attached to the bottom grill.

Any help would be appreciated. I am going to go and check it again today when it's light out.

I done that a week after I made my block heater extension cord. Just heard a pop and realized that I forgot to unplug it. No damage; just broke one of my tie-wraps. I did up the extension cord because my block heater cord failed on the second winter; shorted out at the strain relief close to the plug end. Replaced under warranty. Mod is here (so it wouldn't fail again):

http://micra-forum.com/showthread.ph...Extension-Cord

I put up a picture (not a great one) of the location where it goes into the engine block here:

http://micra-forum.com/showthread.ph...tion-on-engine

Hope it helps you out.

one would assume if you have any continuity between the two prongs on the cord, it could well work.

GET AN EXTENSION CORD,(in engine compartment ) so your not stress'in the original block heater cord.

Yep. If continuity is there then it should be OK. Check the wire though just in case sharp metal edges may have damaged it. Just for fun, I plugged mine into a Kill-a-watt meter to see what it uses. 376 watts; not a lot of power to keep engine warm.

Attachment 4398

geez...that seems like a ALOT of power to me....does it cycle on and off?...or does it constantly use 376 watts

live in Vancouver so first blockeahet i have ever had!!

I don't know for sure if it cycles on and off. My guess would be no, that's why a lot of people will put them on timers. I just plug it in when I get home. It's nice to get into the car at -20C and have the engine already at +18C just after starting.

It will not have a thermostat, so it will use a little more than 1 kw every 3 hours. Electricity in Ontario 13.2 cents per kWh. When you leave it plugged in for 10 hours overnight it is costing you about $15 per month. A small timer set to turn on a couple of hours before you plan to leave will save you $ and have your car ready to go.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tomcj2

It will not have a thermostat, so it will use a little more than 1 kw every 3 hours. Electricity in Ontario 13.2 cents per kWh. When you leave it plugged in for 10 hours overnight it is costing you about $15 per month. A small timer set to turn on a couple of hours before you plan to leave will save you $ and have your car ready to go.

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I never really thought about it until now. Must look into it.

tomcj2-you are a mathematical wizard....a temperature sensing timer that turns on X hrs before Y time imputing z (thermal capacitance). deg C/watt .

The rate of coolant temperature
increase was most rapid during the first
two hours of block heater operation with
equilibrium temperature being reached after five hours.

looks like someone already did the study
http://www.csbe-scgab.ca/docs/journa...4_1_15_ocr.pdf



honestly you figured out what i was wondering, thanks!


I do use a timer....i guessed 3 hrs! (its vancouver)

In Vancouver you'd be fine with 2 hours, max.

300-400 watts isn't a lot for a block heater. They go up to 1500w.

But you do need to manage it with a timer. Or if you're not on a regular schedule, you can get a remote switch so you can turn it on from inside.

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To keep from driving away with the thing plugged in , loop the extension cord around your driver's mirror when you plug it in.

I've almost pulled away with it plugged in once (didn't have it looped on the mirror :D ), started moving then remembered at the last minute: "Oh @*#&!"

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MetroMPG

In Vancouver you'd be fine with 2 hours, max.

300-400 watts isn't a lot for a block heater. They go up to 1500w.

But you do need to manage it with a timer. Or if you're not on a regular schedule, you can get a remote switch so you can turn it on from inside.

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To keep from driving away with the thing plugged in , loop the extension cord around your driver's mirror when you plug it in.

I've almost pulled away with it plugged in once (didn't have it looped on the mirror :D ), started moving then remembered at the last minute: "Oh @*#&!"

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"
But you do need to manage it with a timer"

do you mean you can't plug it in for too long or you risk overheating? or do you mean what i think you mean (ie, make sure you give enough time for the block heater to do its work in warming up the engine, prior to driving )?

Answer "B".

You could leave it plugged in forever if you want. As long as it conducts heat away from itself, it won't harm it.

I just meant more than 2 hrs is a bit of a waste - at that point the engine won't get any warmer & it's just heating the air around the engine. It'll be up to (or very close to) equilibrium of energy in -> heat lost to the surroundings.