Leaving vehicle plugged in

3geese4me

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I just bought a new to me vehicle that I'll use as a daily driver. I am going to keep my pickup truck and only drive it 1-2 times a week. Is it safe to leave a vehicle plugged in for an extended period of time? I will be going on a vacation at some point this winter and don't want to come home to a dead truck. Would installing a timer that only supplies power to the block heater for 2-3 hours at a time be a better option?
 


Allen

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Depending on the generation of vehicle we are talking about here, there may be no need to plug it in at all. Most vehicles from 2010 on up to today are using something like a 0W-20, 5W-20 or other fairly thin engine oil, and quite possibly synthetic at that. So they start just fine even when it gets to 20-35 below. That being said, leaving it plugged in should do no harm other than to your electric bill.
 

Bacon

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Well, the block heater won’t help with keeping the batteries up. That’s what I would worry about for extended rest periods. If it’s a gasser and above zero I wouldn’t worry about plugging it in. Unless you know a couple hours before then do it. Helps but not necessary.
 

guywhofishes

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you'd waste your money heating the vehicle for 99% of the time you're gone.

The last couple hours before you get home is all that matters.

Just try to start it when you get home. Plug heater and battery charger up and wait an hour or two if it didn't start.

If it starts after 8 hours at work in sub-zero temps it's going to start when you get home after a couple weeks.
 


BrokenBackJack

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We have the battery tenders for every vehicle and toy. Leave the Trike and General plugged in most of the time when not being used and all winter. Plug 2 in for the diesel pickup about once a month when it isn't getting used and leave it on for a week or so. The car gets one every month or two for a day or two.

Darn computers in these rigs take juice especially when one isn't using them.
 
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eyexer

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The block heater has a thermostat so it doesn’t run constantly. If your truly concerned I would leave it plugged in and install a battery tender and have em both plugged in. But if you have good batteries you don’t have anything to worry about. My new duramax started at -20 the other day with no issues whatsoever and wasn’t plugged in. New vehicles start great in the cold.
 

Davey Crockett

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Block heater thermostats must be only on newer vehicles , I don't think any of mine have had thermostats. Fuel injection was the best improvement in gas engines in my lifetime , The ones I have owned will start down to - 30 without being plugged in if you have a good battery and proper oil vis for winter.
 

guywhofishes

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come to think of it - I’ve always been able to hear the sizzle/boil sound as an indicator of whether a vehicle core heater was working. So I’ve never had one w thermostat either.
 


Davey Crockett

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Yep, My indicator for plugging them in right after you shut them off is the sound of the electricity snap when you plug it in or see it flash if it's dark out. Everything that I own that has a block heater is antique though.
 

KDM

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Before I'd spend any cash on anything, I'd let'er buck and see how the new to you truck does. If you're concerned it won't start, just park your already running auto next to the truck for a convenient jump start should it bog out on you and try the truck as soon as you get home.
 

db-2

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brokenback:

I put my bikes away and more than likely, but not always, the batteries are dead coming spring so sometime in the near future I will get the batteries out which I intended to do last fall and bring in to plug in. (probably this will not get done either and this spring after trying to start the bike I will know then if I need to take the battery out, and with those little batteries will probably need to buy new)

Same with my Cummings and 1977 Olds. Will find out this spring if the battery is still charge up and in the past always has been. Main reason is I have no juice in the storage building.
By the way I did drive the wives 2019 Enclave and found out then when I come to a stop light if I pull the shift level to low the motor will keep running and then as I start out shift the level up again.
2014 Dodge 1500 sits outside with no block heater and has always started. Maybe would be better for motor when it is 20 below but never got around to putting a block heater in. db-2
 

BrokenBackJack

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Weren't the thermostats for the block heaters in the newer vehicles in the cord itself. Seems i read that somewhere a few years ago.
 


guywhofishes

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Weren't the thermostats for the block heaters in the newer vehicles in the cord itself. Seems i read that somewhere a few years ago.

right - basically the energy police don't want people warming engines needlessly at temps where it's unnecessary
 

wslayer

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Battery tender safest bet. If you have auto start, turn the power switch off. That will drain battery about as quick as the clock if sitting for extended period.
 

3geese4me

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Thanks for the advice fellas. I have an optima red top battery in it and it’s never failed to start. I guess I just got a little apprehensive letting a vehicle sit for an extended period of time. I’ll let it ride and see what happens.
 

Rut2much

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F9B06E9C-5BAD-4620-A290-3F7BDC80955B.jpg60A3077F-4416-480D-A041-451A85E9BB69.jpg
Prepped
 


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