M35a2 block heater

[Valence]

I chanced it and got the 600W version:

http://www.amazon.com/Kats-11619-Wa...im_auto_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0QKMD48PAC991TW6AYGX

But it did NOT fit as I had far too much cast iron in the way that a simple filing wouldn't fix... and dumb me destroyed the Kat's frost plug in the process. There goes my self Christmas present. Now to scrounge and try the 400W as several of the Amazon reviewers report the same issue I had said it fits.

 

[andy3]

Who has one of the 400W units? What temperature do you think it's helpful down to? I am in Georgia and don't expect it nearly as cold as the great White North.

 

[JasonS]

Who has one of the 400W units? What temperature do you think it's helpful down to? I am in Georgia and don't expect it nearly as cold as the great White North.

How "cold" does it get in Georgia? I doubt that you will need one for a properly running multi.

 

[andy3]

How "cold" does it get in Georgia? I doubt that you will need one for a properly running multi.

We typically have about a week of single digit temps, a couple weeks of teens. The winters are usually mild, can be freezing overnight and in the 40s most days.
So when would you consider a heater helpful? I have a 24v trickle charger I can leave on to keep batteries in prime condition. On the standby generators I used to manage we kept block heaters on them year round in Ga, NC, Mn etc.

 

[JasonS]

I have never lived outside of SD so it is fascinating to hear that it can get that cold in Georgia. IMHO, it doesn't get difficult to start a diesel until you drop below 15-20°F. Unless you NEED to run the deuce during the really cold days, I'd let it rest and wait until it warms up. On the farm, we'd always use a frost plug heater or 1000W tank heater and let it operate overnight.

 

[andy3]

I could be wrong with the amount of days but I would say it's less than three weeks of the year on average. It's hitting 28 here tonight and you'd think the world was ending.

 

[JasonS]

We had an actual -36F without wind chill last year (at least according to my outdoor thermometer).

 

[rustystud]

We had an actual -36F without wind chill last year (at least according to my outdoor thermometer).

Well if this cold front continues, you might see it again ! Here in Woodinville, WA. we got down to 24F last night ! That's cold for us here in November !

 

[ICAT]

Just bought a block heater at autozone, Kats 11409 400W for $40.00 yeaterday and they had it on the shelf

 

[nchittendon]

This is a write up I did on my circulating heater install. Feel free to critique/correct! http://deucetruck.weebly.com/coolant-heater-recirculating-type.html

 

[rustystud]

This is a write up I did on my circulating heater install. Feel free to critique/correct! http://deucetruck.weebly.com/coolant-heater-recirculating-type.html

Good write up. The only thing I would do different is to use brass fittings instead of galvanized steel.

 

[Katahdin]

I have a seek thermal camera on order, should be here by the end of next week. Once I get it, I'll take some pics of the engine block warmed up with the water pump heater for ya'all. I'm kinda curious myself what it'll look like.

 

[rustystud]

In the first picture you can see I used a 90 degree ST-ELL (stainless steel) then the brass fittings. The valve without a hose is for my auxiliary cab heater. The third picture shows my block heater mounted where the fuel water separator filter used to be. Picture number 9 shows where I remounted the starter relay, since I used that area to mount my coolant valve for the intake of the block heater. Picture 10 shows the two valves for the auxiliary heater (top one is the pressure, the bottom is the suction ). Picture 2 shows my coolant filter. Pictures 5 & 6 show how I routed the heater hoses to the modified cab heater.

 

[nchittendon]

Good write up. The only thing I would do different is to use brass fittings instead of galvanized steel.

Thank you. How come? Corrosion issues?

 

[rustystud]

Thank you. How come? Corrosion issues?

Yes. The galvanizing doesn't hold up well on cooling systems. I don't know why either. You would think the galvanizing would last a long time. After all most all Welch plugs ( Freeze plugs) are galvanized . Though most lately are going to brass. Over the years I have seen systems that used galvanized parts and they all where trashed ! Rusted really bad. Must have something to do with some electrolysis effect. Maybe some of the engineers on this site can help explain this phenomena . To get back to the question, I always use either brass or lately stainless steel parts ( for the strength ) in my cooling systems. The Industrial truck and buss industry are going more to stainless steel also. The latest Cummins engines "EGR" valves are all made out of stainless steel (The stupid systems are so delicate that if any air is trapped in the cooling system it will burn out the "EGR" valve in minutes ! and it takes over 4 hrs to replace !) . Sorry about the rant Anyway that is why I would not use galvanized parts.

 

[silverstate55]

Who has one of the 400W units? What temperature do you think it's helpful down to? I am in Georgia and don't expect it nearly as cold as the great White North.

I encounter similar temperatures as you described & my 400W works perfectly.

I also have a Kat's battery wrap that works for very cold temps, wasn't expensive at all on Amazon.

 

[silverstate55]

I chanced it and got the 600W version:

http://www.amazon.com/Kats-11619-Wa...im_auto_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0QKMD48PAC991TW6AYGX

But it did NOT fit as I had far too much cast iron in the way that a simple filing wouldn't fix... and dumb me destroyed the Kat's frost plug in the process. There goes my self Christmas present. Now to scrounge and try the 400W as several of the Amazon reviewers report the same issue I had said it fits.

I had the same issue on one of my Deuces, and I used a brass close nipple & coupler to extend the 600W frost plug away from spinning impeller on water pump...works great!

 

[Katahdin]

Good evening, my seek thermal camera arrived today and I've been playing around with it. Here is one of my first pictures of my dog in front of our woodstove. As you can see, the camera is able to confirm that dogs have cold noses.



Now lets turn the attention to my LDT-465 that has a waterpump heater installed. Here in Southern Maine its in the high 20s.


The camera does have the ability to report surface temperatures, but the readings I got weren't accurate IMHO. The camera software seemed to think the block temperature was in the 40s, my Harbor Freight temp gun said the block was 27 degrees. I'm inclined to the believe the Harbor Freight gun, it matches my outdoor thermometer and I took the reading at 10:30pm, way after any heat collected from the sun beating down on the hood had dissipated. Lets just focus on the images the camera produces.

Here's a thermal picture of the waterpump before the heater was plugged in. As you can see, its just ambient noise. The block temp is believed to be 27 degrees.


Here's a second picture taken immediately after the waterpump heater was plugged in. You can see the heater has started to work.


I will take another picture and post it in 30 minutes or so. By then the heater will have been plugged in for an hour.

 

[Katahdin]

These are the thermal pics I took after the water pump heater was just plugged in for one hour.


Passenger side of the engine. You can easily make out the water pump and a valve I installed for a future cab heater hose.


Driver side of the engine showing signs of warmth.


Top of the engine, I'm standing on the front bumper and holding up the hood to take this picture.


And yes, some warmth is escaping from the radiator, but the most of the heat seems to be collecting at the top of engine at this time.

Very cool stuff! I'll take some more pictures in the morning after the water pump heater has been working for 8-10 hours or so.

 

[andy3]

Katahdin, which heater are you using? Wow.