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Old 12-22-2008, 09:55 PM   #1
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What's a block heater pull?

I know we kind of talked about this at one point, but I just plugged in the block heater for my F250 and my van and the only other thing on the circuit is a 100w bulb, having just eliminated the Christmas lights (wreath and 2 candy canes). It's a 15a circuit and keeps popping.

The only other thing I can eliminate is the 100' extension cord to the F250, but I have to takes something else apart to get a shorter one.

Are 2 block heaters too much for a 15a circuit?

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Old 12-22-2008, 10:07 PM   #2
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Since it is resistance heating, or at least that would be my assumption, could it be that after one heats up the draw will drop? then maybe the circuit could carry both?
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Old 12-22-2008, 10:13 PM   #3
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The F250 is freshly back from a 2 hour drive, so the block is hotter than the heater.
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Old 12-22-2008, 10:19 PM   #4
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And it popped again. More downgrades on the way. I really don't want to have to go through the kitchen window.
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Old 12-22-2008, 10:22 PM   #5
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that draft through the kitchen window could be bad....
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Old 12-22-2008, 10:30 PM   #6
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I could probably powershare the invertor at 15a and plug everything into the van- that way when it spikes the invertor could carry the load. I wonder what the state of my house batteries would be in the morning.

Oh well, not that desperate the F250 is the only one outside. I'll probably lightbulb the van engine and leave the block heater out of it if it pops again.
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Old 12-22-2008, 10:57 PM   #7
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Jage, have you got a freeze plug heater or a radiator hose heater? The ones that go into a freeze plug (aka soft plug) hole can draw anywhere from 400 to 2000 watts depending on the application. So even one big one could pop a 15A breaker, and two being on at the same time would easily do so. Guess you could always try the solution contained in the owner's manual for a 1956 Alfa Romeo Sprint my wife once owned - if you didn't want to use antifreeze, or had trouble starting the engine in cold weather even with antifreeze, the book suggest you simply drain the coolant every night, heat it up the next morning, and pour it back in before starting the thing...
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Old 12-23-2008, 12:03 AM   #8
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According to the Diesel Stop both the 7.3 and the 6.0L block heaters pull 1000W which is 9 amps, so both would be 18. I'm not sure why the circuit was surviving in intervals as they should be on all the time.

I also busted it down to a 60W bulb in front of the Sporto and left the 100W bulb inside and the F250 block heater plugged in. Thank goodness for the garage!
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