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Thread: Drove away with block heater cord still plugged in.

  1. #11
    Senior Member micrapolis's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
    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.

    ---

    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 ), started moving then remembered at the last minute: "Oh @*#&!"
    "
    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 )?


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  2. #12
    Administrator MetroMPG's Avatar
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    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.


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