engine block heater

[goose62075]

rv tech found my problem of kicking breaker out while hooked up to 30 amp outlet. they first thought that it would be the water heater element, after isolating it, the breaker still kicked out. they continued unhooking things with no luck. took the engine block heater out of the circuit and every thing works fine. I am not sure how to check the block heater out. just curious as to how big of a deal it is to change it and if I would lose much antifreeze in the process.
I have a 2005 H/R Scepter with a cummins 400 ISL.
Thanks in advance for your advice.

[mpierce]

Weldon wrote:
Could it be just the breaker being bad? The heater does not have to be on any more than 2 hours prior to starting the motor does it? Plug an ext. cord into the cord from block heater then to nearest 110.

I see you are from TX. If you never go into cold temps, 2 hrs is planty. However, if it is -20, and windy, you will want it plugged in overnight! LOL

[Weldon]

Could it be just the breaker being bad? The heater does not have to be on any more than 2 hours prior to starting the motor does it? Plug an ext. cord into the cord from block heater then to nearest 110.

[RayChez]

My coach has the outlet in the invertor/charger compartment. It is a two outlet plug GFI and the off/on switch is inside on the bed box. Red light means it is on. But I have never had it trip any circuit breaker even when hooked up to 30 amps.

You might not need it to start the engine, but man when it is on it starts so smooth and fast. So yes, I definitely would turn it on if needed. That is why they install the block heaters, not for looks, that is for sure.

[ferndaleflyer]

Mine is like Dennis---except the plug is in the back drivers side compartment. The switch is on the back bedroom wall....It has never failed....On another note I saw a block heater that had failed just a week ago on a big truck---looked like it had exploded.

[Two_Jayhawks]

ScottG wrote:
Unless your below about -20 degrees, you don't need the block heater for your Cummins.

-20 as in 20 degrees below zero? Good gawd that's some tough love.

[et2]

ScottG wrote:
Unless your below about -20 degrees, you don't need the block heater for your Cummins.

I run ours while charging the batteries for a couple hours with the generator while in storage when cold outside. I usually run the engine for a half hour after charging. The engine temperature comes up much faster than when not using it. Plus it helps load the generator when running.

Used to plug the diesel pickup in during winter months as well. Lot quicker warmup and less chugging when cold. Heat for the vehicle is faster than without too. It's there, why not use it?

[Ivylog]

In 20 years I have never seen a 30amp GFI breaker used in a CG but you can buy them.
You can even buy 50amp ones.

[goose62075]

Thanks for the input, I will check out what Brett suggested.
Thanks again, it is great to have a site like this, it has saved me time and money several times.
goose62075

[wolfe10]

Generally, CG's only use a GFI on 15/20 amp (regular house-type outlet).

Would be interested in hearing if others have run into 30 amp CG outlets that are GFI protected.

And, whether it tripped a 30 amp CG breaker because of a GFI or an overload, since you had the block heater cord UNplugged, I would sure check out the outlet in the engineroom into which you plug the block heater. Could be nothing more than moisture or insect nest connecting hot and ground, ground and neutral, etc. Other possibility is a screw through the wire between breaker and that engine room outlet.

5 minutes of work= peace of mind.

[goose62075]

It was the breaker at the campground when I had to use a site that only had 30 amp service. I then moved to a site that had 50 amp service, then everything worked. this happened 3 times. it was never the breaker in the m/h, it was always the breaker on the c/g post. I am sure the block heater was not turned on. I would assume that the cord hanging in the eng compartment had to be plugged in for the block heater to work. when the tech removed the wires from my breaker on the m/h, I could use 30 amp GFI breaker without it kicking out.
I'm sorry I didn't explain all of this in the beginning. I was trying to keep this brief and still get some input.
The tech talked as if the problem laid in the GFI circuit. the way I understood him was that most C/G used GFI only on 30 amp service. He said that GFI isn't needed on 50 amp connection.

[Mr_Mark1]

Executive wrote:
On my coach, that cord hanging in the engine compartment plugs into a GFCI protected outlet box inside the engine compartment. That GFCI has failed in the past and I replaced it with no more issues. My block heater switch is in the bedroom closet near the ceiling fan switch....Dennis

Dennis, we also had that on our Dynasty. Ours was a 'two' outlet box with flip covers when not in use. It was a pain to remember to plug in the block heater so I left it plugged in all the time.

I bought one of those plastic kid protectors for the other opened outlet so water, oil and grease would not get in there. No problems ever with the outlet.

Mark

[JC2]

Mandalay Parr wrote:
Have a mobile tech check it out and fix as necessary.

That usually works every time. It's never a good idea to let this go or that go as small things start to add up and can become a big annoyance/problem later on. I'm like the OP, when something breaks or quits working, get it fixed.

[Mandalay_Parr]

Have a mobile tech check it out and fix as necessary.

[wolfe10]

Yes, with the OP's second post, we "got the rest of the story".

It was not just an amp draw causing the issue, but evidently a wiring issue from breaker box to outlet in the engine compartment (since the problem persists even with the block heater unplugged).

I am not aware of standard 30 amp CG outlets being GFI, so that part puzzles me. Is it the CG breaker that kicks? Breaker for block heater? Other?

And, as standard Preventive Maintenance, I would (with all power off) open and examine the outlet box in the engine room for the block heater. It is likely in an exposed are where water, dirt, mud dobbers, etc could have "modified" it.