question for the "northerners"

[raggdoll]

Do most of you guys plug your truck in at night?

Will plugging it in turn the heater on in the DEF tank and keep it from freezing?

 

[Timsdually]

Don't know about the DEF tank, but I think I only plugged mine in once and that was just to make sure it worked.
Other than that, never had any problems down to single digits.

 

[jpin9b]

I'm right by the US/Canadian border and we've had well below freezing temps all winter this year so I just keep mine plugged in. I don't know that it does anything for the DEF but I never have to wait for the engine to warm up.

 

[BWL]

It doesn't keep the def from freezing. There is a heater that does that while the truck is running and it will run without it for the time it takes to thaw. At least in theory as it doesn't always when it gets down deeper in double digits. It does have a lower freeze point than water 12f/-12c so it thaws fairly quickly. If it's colder than that you'll want to avoid short trips that don't allow it to thaw or risk the dreaded limp mode. We started putting heat pads on our tanks to plug in in the winter to help with that.

 

[GTyankee]

DEF Tank Heaters: Storage and Beyond

What do you do with your DEF in transit? Or worse yet, what do you do when your engine isn’t running. We have the answer with out DEF tank heaters.

www.powerblanket.com

Believe it or not, as cold weather sets in, it does not really freeze anything, when the sun goes down the chill settles into the ground.
About 3 AM the ground begins to release that chill & things begin to freeze up. Laying cardboard like what appliances come in onto the ground does not allow that freezing chill to enter things like radiators & engine blocks, so it should work under DEF tanks as well

 

[crash68]

Do most of you guys plug your truck in at night?

Usually any time it drops below freezing, but I also use a smart plug (can schedule it with my phone) to turn it on for a couple of hours before I'm going to leave.
The block heater is not really required until -17°C(0°F) but the truck warms up faster, diesels like to be warm.

 

[Frankthetank]

I was up in Tahoe a few weeks ago and it got to about 5F at night. I woke up to a frozen fuel system and couldnt start my truck for 2 days. I blasted it with 911 fluid and anti gel but it took time. Going forward, I’ll make sure to add anti gel before going into those climates. Good lesson. I’m worried I dry started the engine 7-8 times but I’m sure it will be fine. I hope.

Of course, living in CA my truck didn’t come with heater block cord so I was screwed. Not like the heater block would have helped my fuel system problem anyways.
I bought a heater block cord and I’ll install that this summer, which I heard is a pain in the ass to install.

 

[BWL]

I was up in Tahoe a few weeks ago and it got to about 5F at night. I woke up to a frozen fuel system and couldnt start my truck for 2 days. I blasted it with 911 fluid and anti gel but it took time. Going forward, I’ll make sure to add anti gel before going into those climates. Good lesson. I’m worried I dry started the engine 7-8 times but I’m sure it will be fine. I hope.

Of course, living in CA my truck didn’t come with heater block cord so I was screwed. Not like the heater block would have helped my fuel system problem anyways.
I bought a heater block cord and I’ll install that this summer, which I heard is a pain in the ass to install.

Had a similar problem a few years back when we bought 10 new excavators built in the US. They came with summer diesel in them and were shipped to us in the winter. Some melt down, new fuel filters and some tarps and heaters later we got them running again. There's a reason for summer and winter fuel. Slight temperature difference between northern Alberta and north carolina.

 

[Frisk]

I have to park outside and we have long spells of -20 to -30 C weather. I plug in my 5.7 whenever it is below -15 C. Just makes the startup so much easier. I run a timer so the block heater is only running for 3 hours and I also use a heated battery blanket. On startup my coolant temp is usually +25 to +29 C.

 

[Scottly]

I'm in Florida, so....I know: : "F^%$ you, Scott"

 

[leroys73]

I was up in Tahoe a few weeks ago and it got to about 5F at night. I woke up to a frozen fuel system and couldnt start my truck for 2 days. I blasted it with 911 fluid and anti gel but it took time. Going forward, I’ll make sure to add anti gel before going into those climates. Good lesson. I’m worried I dry started the engine 7-8 times but I’m sure it will be fine. I hope.

Of course, living in CA my truck didn’t come with heater block cord so I was screwed. Not like the heater block would have helped my fuel system problem anyways.
I bought a heater block cord and I’ll install that this summer, which I heard is a pain in the ass to install.

I live in Texas, Dallas area, I ordered my RAM with Snow Chief package to include a block heater for that very reason. I may just want to go to very cold country in the winter. I did get a funny look. LOL

 

[Tracy in IL]

My truck is garaged, but I still plug it in if its below freezing in the garage. Now to remember to unplug it before starting/backing out, that's a different challenge.

 

[turkeybird56]

WELL, in the middle of TX, so normally cold not a factor. BUT that friggin -5F freeze last Feb 2021, was a challenge. I was lucky, my RAM turned over well and ran. Good things I have Falkens on the ride and 4 X 4 worked well, or I would not have gotten out of the driveway. WAT did freeze was my WW fluid reservoir. SO I waited till it got warmer, than dumped 91% Isopropyl in the fluid which lowered the freeze temp to -20/-30 F and also sprayed out all of the "diluted" fluid and filled with fresh fluid, no dilution.

 

[RedRam55]

My truck is garaged, but I still plug it in if its below freezing in the garage. Now to remember to unplug it before starting/backing out, that's a different challenge.

Use an extension cord and drape it over the drivers side mirror. I wrapped a microfiber towel over the cord folded in half and shove it in the exterior door handle. Can't open the door without moving it.

 

[Summit1]

My 2017 Ram has seen five winters in central NY and I have plugged it in fewer than a dozen times, mostly just to speed the warming process. The coldest temperature it has seen is -18° F.

The DEF, as others have posted, is not heated when connected to AC power.

 

[Elvira]

I am in Ontario we get our share of frigid days and nights. I have never needed to plug them in and they always started. Keeping my battery up to par is the biggest secret i think too. Although a block heater does initiate a better start and faster oil circulation. i am retired also, so I don't use my truck daily, that is also a good sign of having a good battery when it starts those arctic days. I built a single garage to keep my truck inside, not heated, it keeps the weather off the truck. When the temperatures are cold, i just don't go out.

 

[VanLaar]

I have a 2015 Ram 2500 6.4 L gas engine. I live up in Western Canada and we get stretches of really cold weather. Because of this, I'm a real fan of plugging in my vehicle. I've done this for my past two vehicles and both had over 300,000 Km when I eventually sold them. I truly believe that plugging in your vehicle to avoid as many cold weather starts as possible is the right thing to do.


When I'm at work, if the temperature is less than -5 Deg C, then I plug it in. If I'm at home, and the temperature is less than -8 Deg C, then I plug it in. It's not that I'm concerned that the truck won't start, it's just that starting a cold engine causes a lot of wear on tear. Granted, now that I run with Pennzoil Ultra 0W–40 synthetic oil, I'm not as concerned about cold weather starts and the associated wear and tear.

When you start a vehicle that has been plugged in, it just starts so much easier. As soon as you start the vehicle, the block is already around 30 Deg C. When the vehicle warms up to ~ 50 Deg C, the heater starts to blow out warm air. The inside of the cab will warm up quicker. The oil pressure comes up right away which means that you have good oil circulation.

The only draw back to plugging in your vehicle is the associated cost with electricity usage. Lets assume that you plug in for 12 hours every night, that you have a block heater that draws 400 watts, and you pay 15 cents/KWHR. This works out to be around 72 cents per night. This can easily add up over time. If a person was to install an inline timer, you can get away with just 4 hours of block heater plug in time.

However, I believe this extra electricity cost is offset by folks who start their car and let it warm up for 15 minutes before they drive off. They want to get into a warm car before they drive away.

I simply start the engine, let it idle for about 60 seconds, and then drive away ... slowly. I try to let the engine warmup as I drive out of town.

Since I’m not allowing the engine to idle for 15 minutes, I’m saving on gas. Where I live, gas is currently selling at an all time high of 165.9 liter ($7.53 per imperial gallon). Ouch!

The way I look at it, paying around 72 cents for electricity is cheaper than allowing the engine to warm up for ~ 15 minutes.

 

[BWL]

Use an extension cord and drape it over the drivers side mirror. I wrapped a microfiber towel over the cord folded in half and shove it in the exterior door handle. Can't open the door without moving it.

Not a bad option, but if you don't tie the cords together or around anything on the truck it should come apart before you hurt anything if you do forget.

 

[star_deceiver]

Have your cord stored where you will see it. Drape the cord over the mirror and unplug it from the truck BEFORE you start it. Route the block heater cord on the truck somewhere convenient and easily accessible.

I only plug it in when it’s going to be below -15C.

Remember: If you drive away with the cord still attached to the truck, the only dumb-a$$ you’ll have to blame is yourself.

 

[bcbouy]

Use an extension cord and drape it over the drivers side mirror. I wrapped a microfiber towel over the cord folded in half and shove it in the exterior door handle. Can't open the door without moving it.

i use a seatbelt pad on mine,over my drivers mirror.i plug it in in october till late april.central British Columbia.coldest this winter was minus 42 c. also, a battery tender is much cheaper than a new battery.i love how the seat warmers and steering wheel heater come on when i remote start it.