12-15-2010, 08:29 AM
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#1
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GX Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 8
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Block heater
since I got married, My 2000 Pontiac grand am..sits outside in our Minnesota winters...while the wife's work car...has the garage 
So, the factory block heater...
Can it be left plugged in, does it have a thermostat/ shut off that would keep it from running around the clock...
and if it does run continuously...will I have to take out a loan to pay for the electricity, or is it a low watt heater
Only have a problem when the temps are below zero, which in Minnesota...is about 4 months  |
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12-15-2010, 11:03 AM
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#2
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GLS member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: New Prague, MN
Posts: 2,481
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I used to leave mine plugged in for 12-18 hrs at a time without an issue. I never looked what the electric bill was. It couldn't be much, I am pretty sure it is a very low wattage element. Where in MN are you? I am in New Prague, which is about 45 min south of the cities.
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12-15-2010, 01:19 PM
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#3
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Premier V.I.P. Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Oxbow SK
Posts: 1,385
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i just dont plug mine in. starts at -40. and if it's that could i dont want to go anywheres anyways
__________________
2002 Alero w/ 2.2 ecotec 5 speed
power window conversion, heated leather seats, 16" rims, high & low hids, auto dimming rear mirror, speedbuilt front and rear sway bars, poly bushings all around.
2005 Silverado 2500HD w/ 6.0l Vortec 4L80E
Tuned 6.0l, exhaust, intake, with 450000km on the odometer. Tow Rig
1985 Pontiac Trans Am GTA w/ 5.7 Vortec 700r4
mild vortec 350 with 4 speed auto. performance suspension. factory gold color. project car
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12-15-2010, 03:17 PM
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#4
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GLS member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Grand Forks, ND for school; Langdon, ND home
Posts: 2,632
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^yea mine would always start no matter what temp also, but they warm up much faster and start easier if they are plugged in.
OP: you can leave it plugged in over night if you want, it won't hurt anything. What I do is just plug mine into a timer and have it turn at at like 4 in the morning so it isn't on all night but still warms up plenty by the time I start it for work or school. You wont notice much of a difference if any on electric bill just having one car plugged in, when I lived at my parents still we always had two plugged in and it was nbd.
__________________
2001½ F150 XLT Crew Cab- true dual glasspacks with x-pipe, AEM intake, SCT X3 with VMP custom tunes, full stereo system, HID 55w heads and 35w fogs, 35% tint front and 20% rear, Lightning tail lights
04 F6 Sno Pro Team edition- MBRP race can, ODS clutch kit
01 YZ125- bored out to 144, PnP cylinder and head, Pro Circuit WORKS suspension, many other mods
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12-16-2010, 11:59 AM
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#5
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GX Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alerored04
I used to leave mine plugged in for 12-18 hrs at a time without an issue. I never looked what the electric bill was. It couldn't be much, I am pretty sure it is a very low wattage element. Where in MN are you? I am in New Prague, which is about 45 min south of the cities.
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We live in the country..half way between Kenyon and Medford (I-35)
plugged it in yesterday, was going to go to town today...but the forecast 1/2" of snow...has turned into 6 inches...and it's still snowing... 
thanks for all the replies, wonder why mine won't turn when it gets zero or there abouts, Use Castrol 5- 30  |
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12-16-2010, 01:29 PM
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#6
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Premier V.I.P. Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Oxbow SK
Posts: 1,385
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but to answer your original question, i do believe a gm mechanic told me that the block heater will not turn on unless it is a certain temperature,
so all in all... leave her plugged in
__________________
2002 Alero w/ 2.2 ecotec 5 speed
power window conversion, heated leather seats, 16" rims, high & low hids, auto dimming rear mirror, speedbuilt front and rear sway bars, poly bushings all around.
2005 Silverado 2500HD w/ 6.0l Vortec 4L80E
Tuned 6.0l, exhaust, intake, with 450000km on the odometer. Tow Rig
1985 Pontiac Trans Am GTA w/ 5.7 Vortec 700r4
mild vortec 350 with 4 speed auto. performance suspension. factory gold color. project car
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12-16-2010, 02:02 PM
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#7
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GL Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Grafenberg, Germany
Posts: 826
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Can someone direct me to the part numbers or an offer for an engine block heater?
__________________
Thanks Julian
1979 350SB Chevrolet Camaro Project Thread
1995 Chrysler Stratus LX
1999 3.4L Oldsmobile Alero ( resource page)
2002 Nissan Primera with CVT
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