Engine block heater???

[melmapop]

I am heading south on Sat. Am and it will be about 16 deg. Over night. I have never used my engine block heater. When I plug it in will it warm the engine oil or antifreeze or block in general?. Does it stay on or is there a thermostat? Should I leave it on all night or plug it in an hour or so before I want the crank her up?
If it snows it won't matter since we will not move!
Happy New Year to all.
Steve

[GStream40]

I have done both, sometimes I plug it in about two hours before I want to start the engine and at times I have left it plugged in all night, especially if we plan on a early departure.

Ron

[melmapop]

How can you know that it is working? Temp gage? .?

[GStream40]

The engine starts like it does when the weather is warm.

Ron

[RayChez1]

I use it by throwing the on switch the night before we leave. The engine starts real smooth and quick. I have never really checked to see what it warms up, but it really works good.

[melmapop]

Thanks for the input. I was just afraid to plug it in since I saw someone had breakers pop because of the heater. I'll give it a shot Friday night before I leave. Thanks again for the responses.
Steve

[melmapop]

I plugged in the engine block heater today for a short time and it put a 14 amp draw on the power meter. So I'm going to plug it in tomorrow for 2 hours and give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes.
Steve

[howermj]

Might be a little late to need on this, but here is a discussion of engine block heaters we were having over at the Facebook Gulfstream Tourmaster forum

The good and the bad of engine block heaters

1. Block heaters are fragile. Don't start the engine with the heater energized. Pull the plug and let it cool down.

2. Block heaters wear out. Test regularly with a multimeter. "It should measure between 25 and 8 ohms which equates to between 500 and 1500 watts. If it's less then 8, its probably a dead short and will blow a fuse/trip breaker. If its more then 25 your block heater is less then 500 watts, so, I'd be curious if its still working, most block heaters are at least 500 watts." (You are probably good upto 50 ohms in a big block diesel. If you get an open circuit, then the line is probably broken/cracked/gnawed thru. (Thanks to RiceCake from Coldtown, Canada for the tip on resistance vs. wattage.)

3. You only need to run a block heater for 4-6 hours before you need to start the engine. Anything else is a waste of electricity.

v/r
MJH

[brbjhn]

Does a 2007 356 Gulf Stream Crescendo have a block heater ? It is a 300 Cat diesel . We could not find one last winter in Canada . Where is it ?
Thanks . Barb

[RayChez1]

It seems like it would have a block heater. I have the Cat engine also. The switch to the block heater on mine is on the side of the box for the bed. It has a amber light that goes on when you turn it on. The chord plug in is in the invertor compartment on the top. Mine out of the factory was not plugged in. The chord was wrapped up with a tie wrap.

I have read that some coaches do not have the switch to turn it on, but instead is turned on by a circuit breaker. And that would also be in the side of the bed where your AC circuit breakers are located.