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Old 04-16-2019, 06:23 PM   #1
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Temperature to use engine block heater

How cold should it be before you use the engine block heater?
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Old 04-16-2019, 06:35 PM   #2
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Hi mtmsfx,
I think the heater has its' own thermostat somewhere in the 40s range. One can contact Newmar Customer Support to verify. Make sure you provide the year of your coach. My coach is an 05 and that is what I was told for my coach.
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Old 04-16-2019, 06:38 PM   #3
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I use mine anytime ambient temp is below 45F
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Old 04-16-2019, 06:42 PM   #4
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I used 40° when we had our DSDP. It did not have a thermostat on the block heater.
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Old 04-16-2019, 07:35 PM   #5
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40 degrees for me.
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Old 04-17-2019, 04:48 AM   #6
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My first thought was I don't mine and have successfully started the main engine at about 10 degrees(how be it with Battery boost engaged). I dont have electricity at the storage location and would have had to use the gennie for several hours. I admit to having access to heated garage which I prefer to barrow in extreme conditions.
So, is the block heater
A. Not really needed (or was I lucky)
B. Better to be used as the oil/block maybe warmed a little
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Old 04-17-2019, 05:07 AM   #7
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I've always used 40 deg. Don't know where I got that. I've only used it once. Turned it on when we went to bed, engine started up normal in the morning.

If no AC available I would probably start the genny when I woke up, 6ish, turn on the engine heater, and go at 10 am.

I avoid really cold weather.
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Old 04-17-2019, 05:40 AM   #8
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Quote:
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I've always used 40 deg. Don't know where I got that. I've only used it once. Turned it on when we went to bed, engine started up normal in the morning.

If no AC available I would probably start the genny when I woke up, 6ish, turn on the engine heater, and go at 10 am.

I avoid really cold weather.
How do you snow ski then?

I don't know where I got the 40 degrees either, it just seems to be a easy number to remember, and seems to work well for us. I know if I turn on the engine preheat during really cold weather, the bed stays warmer!
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Old 04-17-2019, 05:43 AM   #9
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OK thanks everyone. I've never used the engine block heater before, but there have been only a handful of days where I started the engine at or below 40 degrees.
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Old 04-17-2019, 06:03 AM   #10
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A typical 1000W block heater will only cost 10-20 cents an hour to run (1kW heater x whatever the marginal $/kWh electric rate is), so there's no real down side to using it. And of course, if the engine won't start at some low temperature, then you really have to use it, as the days of squirting starting ether into the air intake seem to be long gone.

Back in the day, we always plugged the trucks in when there was frost on the ground. Warmer than that, and they'd start without block heat. Usually. Dirt machines got ether if they struggled, though, as they weren't anywhere near electric power. I don't think any of them even had block heaters. Heck, we were lucky if they had a cab and glass. Cold was how we rolled.
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Old 04-17-2019, 06:10 AM   #11
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Back when I lived where it was cold and drove a dump truck for a living, we never turned on the block heaters until it was going to be in the low 20s or below. They didn't really seem to be NEEDED until close to zero degrees, but did start easier with the heater on.
Note that these were engines that worked hard all day every day, so there would have been residual heat in the engine always. If I were living in cold weather places now with an RV, I'd probably start thinking about turning on the engine heater at somewhere around 30 degrees, the night before I wanted to leave.
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Old 04-17-2019, 06:38 AM   #12
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A typical 1000W block heater will only cost 10-20 cents an hour to run (1kW heater x whatever the marginal $/kWh electric rate is), so there's no real down side to using it. And of course, if the engine won't start at some low temperature, then you really have to use it, as the days of squirting starting ether into the air intake seem to be long gone.

Back in the day, we always plugged the trucks in when there was frost on the ground. Warmer than that, and they'd start without block heat. Usually. Dirt machines got ether if they struggled, though, as they weren't anywhere near electric power. I don't think any of them even had block heaters. Heck, we were lucky if they had a cab and glass. Cold was how we rolled.
I can remember the days we used to build small fires under the dozer and scraper engines to warm them enough so would turn over and start!

You are correct about ether days being long gone. Today's engines have intake heaters (the wait to start light) that are glowing to heat the intake air. If you use ether with those babies glowing you could loose all of your facial hair or worse!
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Old 04-17-2019, 08:54 AM   #13
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For those with the oasis hydronic heaters, it is very easy to add in the loop to engage the oasis preheat function. I did this myself on the 2019, and newmar did it for me on my 2013. The added feature of extra heat in the bathroom, especially over the engine cover means I use it more frequently.
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Old 04-17-2019, 05:24 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by redbaron73 View Post
For those with the oasis hydronic heaters, it is very easy to add in the loop to engage the oasis preheat function. I did this myself on the 2019, and newmar did it for me on my 2013. The added feature of extra heat in the bathroom, especially over the engine cover means I use it more frequently.
+1...

I followed his lead. The Oasis preheat feature is an amazing way to warmup the engine. I installed it just last month. We took a trip earlier this month to Tennessee and Kentucky...it was in the twenties in London, Ky...so, I actually used it. My only regret is not tracking the performance on the LBCU by selecting engine temp for one of the fields. Might have to wait for next winter to track the preheat performance. It works!...and I didn't have to go to the aft compartment to plug something in. There's a bonus for those that boondock too...you don't need a generator or shore power to do it. Just diesel fuel and 12vdc.
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