Block Heater Switch Location 2009 Ventana

[A6IntruderBN]

Howdy folks,

While exploring the coach I discovered a 110v AC outlet in the external electrical bay. The outlet has a cord connected which then goes back into the innards of the chassis.

I contacted NEWMAR and asked the purpose of the cord and they offered that was the power for the block heater and that the switch was in the "overhead".

I have checked every place I can think of but still unable to find that switch. Is there a fellow Ventana owner out there who might have found theirs?

Attached (hopefully) is picture of the bay with the cord and another of some of the places I have looked.

Thanks,
Norm

[Norm4015]

I don't own a Ventana, but I have owned two Dutch Stars. Newmar usually puts the engine heater switch on the panel with the water heater switches, the inverter controls, and the holding tank indicators. It is a 110-volt switch and is usually a flat paddle type switch.

I have found it is best to unplug the heater until you need it. My wife accidently flipped the switch on and we heated the engine for two weeks in a campground where we were paying electric.

[Luv2go]

A6IntruderBN, due to your excellent pictures I can guess: The only switch may be the breaker labeled Block Heater on your main breaker panel. You can confirm this by switching that breaker on and off and verifying with a test light that it controls the outlet.

Hope this helps!
Stewart

[Spikester]

Concur with Luv2Go, 2008 Ventana's did not have a switch, just plugged the cord in when you wanted to use it, pulled the plug when finished.

Spike

[Norm4015]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spikester Concur with Luv2Go, 2008 Ventana's did not have a switch, just plugged the cord in when you wanted to use it, pulled the plug when finished. Spike

WOW, guess Newmar needed top save some money, but how much does a switch cost?

[Renden]

Thanks A6IntruderBN for the excellent pics - it helped me find my connection for the engine block heater - In my DSDP 2006 I do have a switch (white) connection in the front panel.

At what outside Temp do you put the block heater ? for the 400hp Cummins DP ?

Thanks !!

[Norm4015]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renden At what outside Temp do you put the block heater ? for the 400hp Cummins DP ?

According to a Cummins engineer I talked to at a rally, use the engine heater when the temperature drops below about 25 degrees. And if you want a quicker warm up use it below about 35 degrees. Turn it on several hours before starting the engine.

I have started Cummins ISC and ISL engines at 18 degrees and they always fired right up.

[Renden]

- big help

[A6IntruderBN]

Thanks to all. Newmar went from its in the overhead to "Looks like we might have miss-directed you." I am chalking it up to another "learning experience" in the world of motor homes. :-)

But it does bring me to a couple of other questions if anyone is still listening. For several weeks I had the coach on shore power, block heater plugged in, and the circuit breaker closed. Did I hurt anything????

I have only had the machine a short while and done maybe 25 engine starts. I have never seen a WAIT light or the like. The engine starts very nicely and runs well. Is the WAIT light a thing of the past ... (I have LOTS of past behind me and always diesels had WAIT lights :-)

Thanks again,
Norm

[Route 66]

You didn't hurt anything and you will see a wait to start light when it gets cold enough.

[Romeo]

For what it's worth... in our 2000 DSDP, the block heater switch is in the overhead cupboard directly behind the passenger seat. The switch is white, wide button, wall style toggle switch, used in home as a replacement for the standard filp style light switch. It is mounted in the ceiling, adjacent to the ant-satellite cable connectors.

We, also, have the ac plug in the electrical shore power compartment.

[Robsons]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 66 You didn't hurt anything and you will see a wait to start light when it gets cold enough.

Agreed. Wait til nights get into 50's and you'll see it the next morning.