How long to plug in tractor in cold weather?

[cowsrus]

I have a block heater on a older john deere tractor, and unless i plug it in and warm the tractor engine, it will not start at temps below 40 degrees. my question is how long to leave it plugged in. i'm afraid to leave it plugged in too long, because i'm afraid of burning it out also it uses a large amount of power. it is also exspensive to replace. sometimes if its not too cold 3 hrs works, but if its colder i leave it plugged in all night. i'm worried about burning it out leaving it plugged longer than necessary. i was wondering what some of you guys do

 

[robert]

used to have a cold blooded JD, had the water jacket heater type and plugged it in on a time switch to come on about 4 hours before I fed every day. Have a neighbor who simply goes to the dealer and buys ether by the case!

 

[cfpinz]

I put my trucks on timers so the heaters come on about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs before I need them. Never burned one out leaving it on all night but find that 2 hrs is a plenty. Tractors run about the same in my neck of the woods.

 

[pdfangus]

My neighbor has a 5610 ford that is real cold natured.

He leaves two little magnet heaters on it all winter. He has had one or two of them melt down over the years.

I have a 3610 that usually starts pretty well which is good as i don't have power in the barn.

 

[cowsrus]

i used to have one of those external water jacket heaters on a 4010 and i really liked it a lot better than the in block heater that i have now on my 4230. I think that they actually circulate the water and warm up the engine faster.

 

[Bez+]

I have a block heater on a older john deere tractor, and unless i plug it in and warm the tractor engine, it will not start at temps below 40 degrees. my question is how long to leave it plugged in. i'm afraid to leave it plugged in too long, because i'm afraid of burning it out also it uses a large amount of power. it is also exspensive to replace. sometimes if its not too cold 3 hrs works, but if its colder i leave it plugged in all night. i'm worried about burning it out leaving it plugged longer than necessary. i was wondering what some of you guys do

Sounds like your heater is tired and needs fixing or replacing.

If you are the slightest bit mechanical you can replace that block heater for about 50 bucks. Get a jobber part not a green one - it will be less than half price of the green part and do as good a job - almost any of the larger automotive stores can fetch them in.

Or buy an in-line water heater - your dealer will know what it is. Takes about 30 minutes to install. I like them better. Just a personal thing.

The price is about 80 bucks if memory serves - I did one last year for my neighbour - I charged him a bit more than half of one of his wife's apple pies and about three cups of coffee for doing the job.

Bez+

 

[dun]

Since I don;t have a scheduled time when I might need the tractor I've alwasy left them plugged in all the time. The magnetic one on the oil pan doesn;t have a thermostat but the ones that I've had in the block did. I prefer the inside the block kind.

 

[bigbull338]

since you dont like leaving it plugged in all nite.just plugg it in about 2 or 3hrs before your ready to crank it.

 

[grubbie]

I have an old Ford 6000, put an in-line heater on it and it works great. I plug it in for about an hour before I start the tractor, 2 hours is better if I have time. Last year I left it plugged in all the time, the heaters don't last long that way. I think the heater cost about 60 dollars and took 20 minutes to install.

 

[hayray]

I have the 1500 watt percolator type heater and one with a block heater. I just leave them plugged in 24/7. We are well below zero right now every night and I might need them to start whenever. Never had one burn out for years now, they are made to last for thousands and thousands of hours, just like your heater element on your home hot water heater. In 40 degree weather probably only take you a half hour to get the head warm enough to fire.