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Old 01-04-2025, 12:33 PM   #1
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Any harm in leaving pre-heat on for 24 hours?

With the cold weather forecasted to hit DFW over the weekend, is it OK to leave the electric engine pre-heat on for about 24 hours?

I need to drive it to the shop Monday morning after the lows are forecasted to be around 20°F.
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Old 01-04-2025, 12:38 PM   #2
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Just plug it in Sunday Night then come Monday morning unplug & start engine

Overnight is enough
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Old 01-04-2025, 12:51 PM   #3
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Just me, and not knowing the status of your batteries, I would not leave it on 24 hours unless plugged to shore power. Engine preheat takes a lot of amperage. Can pull your batteries down pretty good and you may not have enough power to start.
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Old 01-04-2025, 12:54 PM   #4
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Just me, and not knowing the status of your batteries, I would not leave it on 24 hours unless plugged to shore power. Engine preheat takes a lot of amperage. Can pull your batteries down pretty good and you may not have enough power to start.

Aren't we talking about engine block heater.....120VAC via extension cord??
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Old 01-04-2025, 01:00 PM   #5
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Just me, and not knowing the status of your batteries, I would not leave it on 24 hours unless plugged to shore power. Engine preheat takes a lot of amperage. Can pull your batteries down pretty good and you may not have enough power to start.
The engine block preheater runs on 120 VAC only. It only works on shore power or generator. It has nothing to do with the house or chassis batteries.

It is perfectly OK to leave the block heater on for 24 hours. Won’t do any harm.
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Old 01-04-2025, 01:18 PM   #6
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All you need it on is for an hour or so, so you could just turn it on a couple of hours before you leave.
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Old 01-04-2025, 04:16 PM   #7
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While I could drive to the MH storage, which has 50A shore power, having my first cup of coffee, I don't know if you would want me on the road without a cup to get me going. I need to leave by 8:30 am or so.

Appreciate the feedback. I normally just run the the AH engine preheat for an hour or so. Have never used the 120v preheat on the dash. It does work. Just tested it; at least I know it is pulling 9A.
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Old 01-04-2025, 05:23 PM   #8
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While I could drive to the MH storage, which has 50A shore power, having my first cup of coffee, I don't know if you would want me on the road without a cup to get me going. I need to leave by 8:30 am or so.

Appreciate the feedback. I normally just run the the AH engine preheat for an hour or so. Have never used the 120v preheat on the dash. It does work. Just tested it; at least I know it is pulling 9A.

Ha, you're obviously not from a cold part of the country. I lived in Grand Forks, ND for 4 years and it is SOP that if your vehicle lived outside it was either plugged in or running for at least 3 months each winter.
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Old 01-04-2025, 05:28 PM   #9
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We left all of our trucks and equipment plugged in for weeks at a time.
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Old 01-05-2025, 10:44 AM   #10
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We always had block heaters on in winter time all the time on the boat. Kept the engine room nice and toasty always.
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Old 01-05-2025, 11:09 AM   #11
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Is the coach outside or inside? Inside will not be as could as outside. Still, since you have power available, turn the heater on when convenient even if that is days before. If you have hydronic heat also turn on the electric part of that since you have 50 amp. Then you won't have the engine trying to heat that after you start it.
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Old 01-05-2025, 11:22 AM   #12
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Does anyone have a pic of the block heater plug that plugs into the 120 cord? Reason I ask is I am trying see if already have a block heater, I have a box with a 120 plug made into it that could be plugged into 120, that has a cord on the other end that goes into the wall in the back of the storage bay & I have no idea what the cord hooks to inside the wall. This box & cord is in the storage bay where my shore power cord is stored, there is also a 120 electrical wall receptacle mounted in this bay.

The RV is a 2007 40QDH Phaeton.
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Old 01-05-2025, 11:32 AM   #13
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I plug mine in about 1-2 hours before I leave.
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Old 01-05-2025, 12:19 PM   #14
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No.
Use a block heater for that purpose.
For mild temps like 20 degrees a dip stick heater works fine. Runs off 110.
Works on a warm engine. Not enough power to heat a cold engine.
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