Go BottomLeaving tractor plugged in
 | Oliver
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 210 Massachusetts 
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2007-02-19 139870
It's been cold here for the past few days and my tractor is back outside. It starts really rough but is fine when it is warmed up. I do have a block heater. My question is, how long can/should I leave the tractor plugged in? Can I leave it plugged in over night or should i just plug it in 20 minutes or so before I go to use it?
Thanks1
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 | Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada 
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2007-02-19 139871
I don't know what your definition of cold is, but up here in Cannuckistan, about an hour, two if it's real cold (read: well below about 0° F.) is lots.
We also use a magnetic heater on the bottom of the sump too to help get / keep the hydraulic fluid warm.
Best of luck. ....
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| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-02-19 139872
Oliver; there are all kinds of opinoins on time duration for pluging a tractor ot truck in. Some say leaving it plugged in all the time helps keep moisture out of the engine, probably does under certain conditions, not sure. I've allways tried to give it a couple hours for a good warm up, it won't get things much warmer with a longer time period. we hope summer gets here soon so we don't need plug ins. Frank. ....
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| Oliver
Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 210 Massachusetts
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2007-02-19 139879
So basically if I plug it in when I wake up (around 6) and leave it plugged in until I am ready to use it around 9 or 10, I am ok. Or, plug it in around dinner time and use it after the kids go to bed...
In terms of cold, it was a few degrees below zero last night and a degree or two above this morning when I went to use the tractor.
....
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| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-02-19 139883
Oliver; I think that will work just fine. I've heard of people plugging them in thru a timer so you don't have to go out in the cold to plug them in too. It may take a heavier duty timer than you plug a lamp into, I don't know much about that, better ask someone who knows more about it than I do. Yes, we have finnaly gotten out of our two week strech of below zero mornings too. Keep warm. Frank. ....
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 | earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2007-02-20 139921
I need a cooler for mine--it was 73 here today.
Sorry guys.
I'm jis' sayin' ....
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| hardwood
Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 3583 iowa
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2007-02-20 139923
EW; Yeah, rub it in, but we aren't swatting any bugs up here. Was that you pulling a float in the Marti Grais parade on TV? ....
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| earthwrks
Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 3853 Home Office in Flat Rock, Michigan
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2007-02-20 139925
No bugs today.
Was my shirt off and my manboobs showing? Wasn't me then.
Mardi Gras, FYI, is "celebrated" like Christmas around he-ah---from Florida/Alabama border to New Orleans.
People even say "Happy Mardi Gras" to you, which is code for "have 'notha bee-ah will ya wit dem beads?"
Being a "boring yankee" I find it yet another reason to get drunk and be loud (them, not me)--legally.
Last week they had a parade of floats or "Krewes" coming down a two-lane that was one-and-half-lanes wide and two decks high---I'm already riding with two wheels in the ditchbank and the a--hole float driver veers right for me because he was too high for the tree limbs. Arggggh! Danged rednecks I-tell-you! ....
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 | AnnBrush
Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 463 Troy OH
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2007-02-22 139953
My tractor has 2 heaters - 300W engine block heater and a 150W hydraulic sump heater (it's a HST). Total = 450W. At 12c/kWh thats 450W / 1000W/kW * 30*24 hours in a month * 0.12 dollars per 12c = $38.88. So nearly $40 per month just to keep the tractor warm = NO WAY. I heat it up when needed. ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2007-02-22 139956
Ann makes a very good point, but missed one other aspect in her mathematical (financial?) calculations.
If you leave the heater plugged in 24/7, you will be running it (them?) 720 hours a month, times who knows how many months a year, depending on where you live.
Like anything, a heater element has a finite life. Take my word for it, changing a burnt out block heater, definitely falls into the category of PITA. Even if it's only the magnetic or other external heater that burns out, replacing it will cost you more money.
It's easiest if you can leave it all pliugged in, but don't energize the plug, or extension cord, until a few hours before you actually need it.
As Ann so correctly pointed out, 2 heaters would cost you ~$40 a month, so for the cost of a few months of saved electricity you could easily install a switched outlet or put in a timer at least.
Best of luck. ....
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| Jonnyboyd
Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4 Williamstown Massachusetts
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2007-04-29 141629
I ran a dedicated circuit to my shed with a 3 way switch inside the house. I leave it plugged in and flip the switch when I want to heat it up. Works great. ....
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| 8x56mn
Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 167 Watkins Glen NY
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2007-05-01 141689
I often wonder when I read these post about block heaters. I can't fully understand why you need them. It gets down around zero and belowe here in upstate NY many times and my tractor always turns over and fires after turning on the glow plugs for 5-10 seconds. Am I just lucky or what? ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2007-05-01 141691
It's more often than not just being kind to the tractor, not a "have to do" thing.
A block heater, battery charger and magnetic heater on the TX to heat the hydraulic system some before use in cold weather makes for a happy tractor. :)
It is also a lot easier on things like the battery. Cold weather saps a lot of power out of a battery.
Best of luck. ....
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| 8x56mn
Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 167 Watkins Glen NY
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2007-05-01 141693
OK I understand, guess I'm guilty of tractor abuse, and I thoght she was always happy to see me on those cold mornings. ....
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| lbrown59
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2007-05-01 141699
I don't have an electric tractor. ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2007-05-01 141701
It's not merely a case of abuse, it's probably not that hard on a tractor at all, but over a period of time, and over many cold starts, the wear adds up.
Just as an example, a tractor that is repeatedly started on a cold, uncharged battery, is going to crank longer, that5 means more demand on the alternator when it does start because the batery is weaker and needs more charge, then there is the dramtically shortened lifespan of the battery itself, not to mention the savings in having an engine that goes that much farther before needing service or a rebuild. It also makes a huge difference in fuel consumption, a stone-cold engine uses vastly more fuel than does a warm engine.
Compared to the few pennies in electricity to heat it up on a cold morning, the benefits seem to matically outweigh the costs.
Just my 2 (Canadian) cents worth.
Best of luck. ....
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 | kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2007-05-01 141702
You guys will probably laugh at this but those temps I don't understand and don't want to.
Do you also use any kind of say blanket with your tractor so the heat is sort of kept in? To me a block heater would loss most of the heat in an zero enviroment about as quick at it can be heated due to the metal transferring it so effeciently. kt ....
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 | candoarms
Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1932 North Dakota 
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2007-05-11 142003
Murf,
It's a little late in the year to be responding to this message, so I'll post it for anyone else who may want this information.
I live in the far northern reaches of North Dakota, where the winter temps dip below -40 degrees on a regular basis. I've lived here all my life (Don't ask me why.)
The best way to make use of your block heater is to make sure your tractor (or any other vehicle) is parked inside, out of the wind. Any heater will work better when the heat generated is absorbed by the metal, which won't happen if it's parked out in the wind.
If your vehicle is parked inside, or even behind a wind break of some sort, it is not necessary to operate the heater for more than a couple of hours before starting.
I have a couple of outlets mounted on the exterior of my home. (great for vacuuming out the vehicles, running a pressure washer, etc.) These outlets are on a switch, located in my porch. I can turn these outlets on and off from inside my house, but I can leave the vehicles plugged in all the time, without running up my electric bill.
I simply turn on the outdoor outlets when I get up in the morning, and then unplug my vehicle before driving off.
Now, if I could only teach my daughter to unplug her car before leaving with a cord dragging behind her, I'll be happy. hehehe.
Joel ....
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| kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2007-05-11 142006
Joel, does she raise the garage door before she backs out? If so you are blessed.
Could you not shorten the cord on the car, at least it would not drag. Or if that does not work and to impress her friends, hook a bright color bungee cord to pick it up when loose. kt ....
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2007-05-11 142007
Joel, I agree on sheltering a machine in the cold weather, I do with my whole fleet.
As for the amount of time needed to heat it up, in my first post I said they only needed to be plugged in "about an hour, two if it's real cold".
As for the cord draging behind your daughters car, there's two easy ways to do it, the best one is to merely use the drivers door handle as a place to hang some part of the extension cord. If she has to move it to get in she will remember it's there.
The other one (which is better than nothing, but not by much) is to firmly afix the cord on her car, then do the same with the extension cord, afixing it to the house or some other object, but leaving only a foot or two of slack. That way when she backs up it unplugs itself, leaving the extension cord in the driveway.
Best of luck. ....
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| porterce
Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 6 Nova Scotia
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2007-05-23 142401
Hey Mr. Murf, can I say to you that I don't think I like you. By this statement I bet you can guess I looked at your pics and saw all the nice toys you have plus your big toybox. Jealously brings out the worst in me! :)
Cheers
Charles
Fm Nova Scotia
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| Murf
Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 7249 Toronto Area, Ontario, Canada
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2007-05-24 142415
Charles, I get that a lot, and from a lot closer than NS too. :)
However, in a gesture of goodwill, if you look closely at the image in Picture # 14, you will see several Alexander Keith's in beer 'cooler'. ;)
Best of luck. ....
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| pitt_md
Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 32 Pine Island, MN USA
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2007-05-30 142593
My power company gives away free timers that you put inline with the heater so it just comes on before you need it. Even if they are not free they will pay for them selves quickly. ....
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