Cold Weather Questions

[Bruce1954]

[ QUOTE ]
Bruce,
This may help the drive off while plugged in. I loop the cord over the drivers mirror and sometimes lift the drivers windshield wiper. This will alert me about the cord. ( I have drove off too, with it plugged in so I started this and it has worked since 97.

Pj

[/ QUOTE ]

I like the wiper idea I will use that one
However I just replaced the dirvers mirror and would like to keep it a while [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

Bruce

[JADFPE]

I do the same thing. It is kind of hard to miss the orange cord wrapped around the mirror.

Now my wife cvan miss anything [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img] but so far this has not happened. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

John [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[JADFPE]

Not sure because I have nver had one go bad. However, plug them without coolant in the system [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] and they will burn the element out in no time.

John [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[CHPMustang]

[ QUOTE ]
Not sure because I have nver had one go bad. However, plug them without coolant in the system [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] and they will burn the element out in no time.

John [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]
The greatest fear my wife has of using the block heater is that it'll meltdown and set her beloved 7.3L Excursion ablaze [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img]

She had read a couple of the posts from last winter where some of the guys lost their 7.3L's to block heater shortouts.

[JADFPE]

I think you are missing the point. The element will short out and open when not under fluid.

The way I understand it, the cord and plug have caused the fires you are talking about. Not the heating element.

John [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[CHPMustang]

I'll assume there's a possibility that the element(if indeed going south) can cause the plug/cord to fail thus creating a fire situation when the block is full with coolant.

I use the oil preheater primarily but the wife likes to have abit of warm air coming from the vents on her commute to and from the office so I hit the block heater for the 20 degree and less nights [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

We just wanna avoid the Excursion Carbeque [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[JADFPE]

I guess that could happen but most of the time there is a corrossion problem with the cord or plug. Corrossion creates resistance; resistance creates heat and melt down occurs with 120 Volts AC present. Result can be a fire. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] When the element fails, it just opens creating a no working element but no heat. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bleh.gif[/img]

Hope this helps,
John

[CHPMustang]

[ QUOTE ]
I guess that could happen but most of the time there is a corrossion problem with the cord or plug. Corrossion creates resistance; resistance creates heat and melt down occurs with 120 Volts AC present. Result can be a fire. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif[/img] When the element fails, it just opens creating a no working element but no heat. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bleh.gif[/img]

Hope this helps,
John

[/ QUOTE ]
The explanation/further detail is clear and re-assuring in this case [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Thank you for following up on this John [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Bill