block heater on cummins

[HD4Mark]

Our block heater has a wall switch where the EMS is. The outlet is in the electric bay where the shore power cord is. Since the RV is rarely anywhere cold enough for its use we sometimes plug party lights into it instead of the block heater so they can be turned on/off from inside.

If you are going from warm to cold climes or have left over fuel from summer to winter a bottle of anti-gel is a cheap investment.

[Chuck Linn]

thanks to all who responded.
I will turn on the block heaters (found the switch in the bathrroom by the circut breaker box) and will also go get some anti jelling. We do occasionly get into the teens late at night but never stay there all day or for more then a couple of hours. Course with global warming shouldn't have to worry about that.

[Cat320]

Originally Posted by HD4Mark

Our block heater has a wall switch where the EMS is. The outlet is in the electric bay where the shore power cord is.

My coach is basically the same. There is an outlet and a cord (male end) in the bay with the power cord and the switch is in an inside closet opposite the outlet.

I called Cummins, they said to use it when the temps got under 40 and that one hour was long enough to heat it.

[JBDISCOVERY]

Hello, looking for some information regarding this thread. I have a 275hp ISB Cummins diesel which has a block heater which appears to have a short in it. If I wish to replace the bock heater, what problems are likely to happen? Will removing the block heater drain the coolant? Please advise.
Regards.
JB

[Cat320]

Originally Posted by ottffss

To turn on the outlet that the block heater is plugged into requires that you turn the block/engine heater switch on INSIDE the RV. That turns that outlet on and thus the block heater on.

That's the way mine works. Plug in the eng heat to the AC receptacle in the basement section where the power cord is located, then turn on the switch inside the coach in the rear closet adjacent to the power cord section of the basement.

I called Cummins, they said to use the preheat when 40 degrees or lower for about an hour. When going on a trip, I set a timer to turn the eng heat on a couple of hours prior to departure.

[dwcjwerfner]

I have a 1998 AE does anybody know where the plug for this one is? I do not have a switch on the dash and I can't seem to find a plug in the power bay or the engine bay.

Thanks in advance
Dwayne

[denochs]

Have you looked under the bed? Ours is an 03 and is under the bed.

Dave

[dwcjwerfner]

Well I didn't find it under the bed or in the power bay so I called AC (and as usual their customer service is top notch even on a 14 year old unit)the rep did tell me it should be in the power bay so I will check closer and make sure it is not tucked away somewhere. Also I asked them for a complete wiring diagram as the one in the owner's manual is fairly vague and somebody had replaced the inverter with a converter at some point and I have a bunch of capped wires I would like to know where they go. He said that the files weren't in the data base but they would have somebody pull the hard copies and get a copy sent to me in the new year due to the holidays.

[CD]

Originally Posted by JBDISCOVERY

Hello, looking for some information regarding this thread. I have a 275hp ISB Cummins diesel which has a block heater which appears to have a short in it. If I wish to replace the bock heater, what problems are likely to happen? Will removing the block heater drain the coolant? Please advise.
Regards.
JB

Altho I don't know for sure, I would bet that if you removed the block heater with out draining coolant you would have a mess on the floor.

[FormerBoater]

Originally Posted by dwcjwerfner

I have a 1998 AE does anybody know where the plug for this one is? I do not have a switch on the dash and I can't seem to find a plug in the power bay or the engine bay.

Thanks in advance
Dwayne

Dwayne, on our 98 Eagle the cord and receptacle are in the power cord bay. There is one 3 pronged plug and one single outlet receptacle that it plugs into.

Yours should be the same I would think.

The "switch" is actually a circuit breaker that is located in the breaker panel where all of your AC breakers are located . The breaker on my coach is strangely labeled "roadside patio receptacle" or "outside patio receptacle"

Once you plug in the 3 pronged plug, you flip the breaker and voila your block heater has power. Make sure you turn it off prior to starting the engine.

It will warm your block in 3 hours or so.

Hope this helps!

[dwcjwerfner]

Yes thanks for the info. It was right there with a label on the wall for it. I did not see it last night with a flashlight as it was right behind my spare water hose. Kind of embarrassing really as I have personally replaced the turbo, exhaust manifold, alternator, and done all the other fluid flushes and samples and yet I couldn't find a cord even after looking where it was
I haven't figured which breaker it is yet but I do have one labelled something patio receptacle so I will test and confirm that, but it was on as it warmed up and started in 2 hours at -2 C (~28 F)

[Mekanic]

Originally Posted by RustyJC

Your mistrust is well placed. The block heater is an integral part of the cold weather starting system on the Cummins diesel. If it weren't meant to be used, Cummins wouldn't spend the money to install it.

Rusty

X2 on that!!



I will tell you this all 3/4 and 1 Ton diesel pickups have 110V block heaters as standard equipment since they were puting diesels in pickups from he factory.
All the diesel in Fords, Gm truck have/had glow plugs. The dodge trucks with the cummins engines have grid heater.
both the grid heater and glow plug systems GREATLLY help cold starting.
Some Cummins engine Did not come with a grid heater from the factory.
The 5.9L in my Ford is that way. The book that came with it says for cold starts below 40F' to use a starting aid (starting fluid)or plug in the block heater.