WOW, how warm does a F 250 6.7 block heater get?

A more economical heater would be to use a small silicone rubber heater pad to keep the engine at a startable temperature. Get some black hi-temp RTV sealant and glue it to the side of the oil pan. I always glue mine to the side of the pan in case I have to use a weed burner or propane stove under the oil pan. They come in everything from 5W to 750W.

Amazon silicone heater pads

On my Ford diesel I have them on the oil pan, under the two batteries and the transmission pan. I only use the one on the engine oil pan for normal winter weather in Anchorage, but if I'm going up north and it's really cold, I'll use all of them.

Bill

LOL... Well when you need it you got it. I'm sure there are a lot of people in the big chill who wish they even had a block heater. I just took my pigtail out and used it for the first time in 2 years...got chilly here and mine is a CTD... Even with 2 batteries if you don't warm it up..it is a slug when it starts. That is even with 2 cycles of the intake warmer.

The installation instructions say it doesn't do any good after 3 hrs. the engine is warm enough in the coldest weather. It has no thermostat so leaving it on would be a waste.

As Texas guy I have zero experience with what y'all are dealing with, but with what I have read on here about block heaters, I have to ask why do you have it plugged in if your not going to use the truck anytime soon? That and I ask since your concerned about the electric bill.

I am always interested in block heater talk, since my truck has one that will prob never get used so I have to live through others.

It's minus 30 up here. I wasn't intending to drive today, so didn't plug in, but got an emergency call. Thankfully my Chevy fired right up....but in 30 below weather, everything.... suspension, shocks, tires, bearings, etc...were extremely cold and it took a long time for all components to warm up, which I do by driving slowly down side and back roads.

I sometimes wonder why I live where I do...and FoMoCo uses a northern town in my province for a cold weather, real life cold test base.

It is all about the plan...so say you have a Cummins...it has 12 quarts of oil in there...When it gets down to freezing or below...it is thick, like syrup. But, you know your driving it the next day....just plug it in the night before, and when you fire it up, you get heat inside real quick....these big motors take awhile to heat up by the way...if you don't pre heat. If you have one and have never used it, try it, even if your not in freezing temps...anything below 45f. Most will not have this option but you can install one aftermarket if you need it. Most people don't even care about this stuff, but when you drive for a living ...it matters.

I think maybe you should get it looked at, I plug mine in quite a bit up here and have never had that happen.

I would say melting snow off the hood is maybe...well maybe.. you be the judge.

Mine sits a lot so it is not plugged in normally. But if I will need it or will exercise it I plug it in the night before and use a heavy duty timer set to come on 3 hours before I need it. Starts just fine even in -0 weather, like it has been this week here. That doesn't hurt the electric bill compared to when I just left it plugged in all the time.

I plug our trucks in al least a couple hours before they are going to be started.
I feel better if the engine has some of the chill taken off it.
Be very careful where the electric cords are laying. Mine was resting on the edge of the bumper and 50ft of extension cord caused the trucks cord ro get hot enough to be cut by bumper.
Luckily I happened to go outside and saw the truck on fire.
The vinyl that covers the bumper was in flames and dripping onto the ground and the grass was also burning.
After some very calm screaming and shouting and running in circles,grabbing flash lights and fire extinguisher we got the fire out and the only damage was the trucks plug and the vinyl cover.
So pay attention to where the cord is touching and length and wire size of extension.