cyprs, I use a block heater in addition to Katts oil pads on the oil, transmission and battery. All on a 15 amp breaker. The pads are 75 watts for the oil and 50 watts for the battery.
Wolverine Heat Pad
- Thread starter Ugly3
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I have the Wolverine 250 watt pad. I ran one of those 3-foot heavy extension cords through the grill from the pad's cord.
I installed an outlet in the garage soffet. This outlet is on a GFCI and has its' own 3 amp fuse (main fuse is 15 amp in the house). Not uncommon to kick the GFCI if the plug is wet (snowing on drive home) and I have to wipe it off and replug. Not sure what happens if the plug shorts from water without the GFCI.
The 3 amp is hopefully that the truck does not burn up if the pad develops a short as 15 amp seems overkill on a 250 watt device.
All that said, I love this heater. Plug it in all the time through winter. Hmmmm, wonder if I can tap one of the streetlamp posts in town where I park? I do pay city taxes.
Also, periodically need to clean the plug (male and female ends). I just squirt with CRC Power Lube. WD40 probably fine too.
One happy Wolverine camper.
Oh yeah, have a pilot light plugged into the other outlet on the duplex so I can peek out the window and see it is on.
Don't forget to unplug before driving away!
I installed an outlet in the garage soffet. This outlet is on a GFCI and has its' own 3 amp fuse (main fuse is 15 amp in the house). Not uncommon to kick the GFCI if the plug is wet (snowing on drive home) and I have to wipe it off and replug. Not sure what happens if the plug shorts from water without the GFCI.
The 3 amp is hopefully that the truck does not burn up if the pad develops a short as 15 amp seems overkill on a 250 watt device.
All that said, I love this heater. Plug it in all the time through winter. Hmmmm, wonder if I can tap one of the streetlamp posts in town where I park? I do pay city taxes.
Also, periodically need to clean the plug (male and female ends). I just squirt with CRC Power Lube. WD40 probably fine too.
One happy Wolverine camper.
Oh yeah, have a pilot light plugged into the other outlet on the duplex so I can peek out the window and see it is on.
Don't forget to unplug before driving away!
Rugerman1, your basically telling me to use a model 9 125 Watt heat pad which is rated for 4 litres oil rather than the Model 16 which is 250Watts and rated for my 12 litre oil capacity Cummins.
I am reading between lines here, are you telling me I am better off with less heat for long period of time rather than quick bursts with the 250 watts? Is it better to keep steady lower heat on a Cummins parked in winter than the hot bursts, I am thinking condensation here. 125 watts for extended period of time is not expensive, 700 watts as my existing block heater is now is. Will these heat pads burn out quick on long extensive use?
Would you suggest same thing on my 4 cylinder NIssan motor, use the 4.5 model at 50 watts on 4 litres oil for longer extended time rather than the 9 model at 125 watts recommended for 4 litre oil sump? Oil burning is a concern to me with hot pads, I like your ideal on lower heat extended, our temps can get as low as -40F here, ambient temps around 20F to -5F winter, lots chinooks of mountains to warm us up. What do you suggest? Help here is appreciated.
thanks,
Cyprs
I am reading between lines here, are you telling me I am better off with less heat for long period of time rather than quick bursts with the 250 watts? Is it better to keep steady lower heat on a Cummins parked in winter than the hot bursts, I am thinking condensation here. 125 watts for extended period of time is not expensive, 700 watts as my existing block heater is now is. Will these heat pads burn out quick on long extensive use?
Would you suggest same thing on my 4 cylinder NIssan motor, use the 4.5 model at 50 watts on 4 litres oil for longer extended time rather than the 9 model at 125 watts recommended for 4 litre oil sump? Oil burning is a concern to me with hot pads, I like your ideal on lower heat extended, our temps can get as low as -40F here, ambient temps around 20F to -5F winter, lots chinooks of mountains to warm us up. What do you suggest? Help here is appreciated.
thanks,
Cyprs
For the Cummins,I like the small one since you can plug in your existing block heater when it gets really cold.For the Nissan,the 125 watt size seems to be the cats meow.The 125 watt size works just peachy with the 3&1/2 quart sump of my S-10.
thanks rugerman1 i called wolverine and he was nice.he said they do not make one for the oil filter,because they went into bypass when first started cold.i explained to him that if the bypass was in bottom it would work.
That 250 watt pad I am running is on a 300 cid inline six F150. The sump is 5 quarts plus a quart for the filter. When I ordered I talked direct with the guy at Wolverine and wanted the 125 watt. He told me for my area I needed the 250 watt. I measured the temp on the outside of the pan one 5 degree F day while holding an insulated glove over the back of the thermometer and after a few minutes it read around 67 F. Seems to me you may want the next bigger pad. Check the chart at Wolverin. Your capacity may come in the bottom of the range for the next bigger pad.
thanks guys, The 125 sounds good on the Nissan to me too, the 250 watts is for 5-12 litres, my sump is 12 litres so that just makes it, shouldn't be too hot.
Here is a hypothetical scenario I have, I want to run a wolverine pad on the oil pan and transmission pan, this is total of 400-500 watts depending on chosen pads. My block heater is 800 watts on this Cummins too, that is big power draw.
Why couldn't I not use the block heater and put a heat pad on radiator, man, this would give me a warm start in any weather, A 250 watt heater on my large rad and I have a total power draw of 750 watts total on oil, glycol and transmission, less watts than block heater alone. This is a theory that has been eating away at me, I know it probably wont work because someone had to think of this before. Great thing is, 750 watts for 6 hours, every thing is warmer than summer start, it takes long time to heat up rad reservoir, I plug in 18 hours with 800 watts on blockheater and oil gets no warmth. Could heating rad like this crack a block?
Also, in talking to a farmer neighbor, he told me these heat pads have to be plugged in immediately after engine has run or it will burn the oil. Are these Wolverine pads improved to point I could go out on a -40C day without the pad on plugged in and plug it in cold? Have these pads' designs improved enought they dont have to be plugged in immediately?
Cyprs
Here is a hypothetical scenario I have, I want to run a wolverine pad on the oil pan and transmission pan, this is total of 400-500 watts depending on chosen pads. My block heater is 800 watts on this Cummins too, that is big power draw.
Why couldn't I not use the block heater and put a heat pad on radiator, man, this would give me a warm start in any weather, A 250 watt heater on my large rad and I have a total power draw of 750 watts total on oil, glycol and transmission, less watts than block heater alone. This is a theory that has been eating away at me, I know it probably wont work because someone had to think of this before. Great thing is, 750 watts for 6 hours, every thing is warmer than summer start, it takes long time to heat up rad reservoir, I plug in 18 hours with 800 watts on blockheater and oil gets no warmth. Could heating rad like this crack a block?
Also, in talking to a farmer neighbor, he told me these heat pads have to be plugged in immediately after engine has run or it will burn the oil. Are these Wolverine pads improved to point I could go out on a -40C day without the pad on plugged in and plug it in cold? Have these pads' designs improved enought they dont have to be plugged in immediately?
Cyprs
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