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10-19-2019, 01:21 PM
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#1
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: south east BC, close to the Canadian/US border
Posts: 2,265
Year: 1975
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: 8 window
Engine: 454 LS7
Rated Cap: 24,500
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block heater off house batteries?
a block heater typically draws about 3 amps on 110v power - any reason I couldn't use house batteries through the inverter to run the block heater for an hour or two?
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10-19-2019, 02:13 PM
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#2
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Rapid City, SD
Posts: 993
Year: 2001
Coachwork: Blue Bird
Chassis: CS RE
Engine: ISC 8.3 L 260 hp
Rated Cap: 36
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As long as the house bank will handle the load it should be fine.
Ted
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10-19-2019, 02:18 PM
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#3
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,775
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will be 30A off 12V, very heavy load like over 10 fridges
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10-19-2019, 02:20 PM
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#4
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: south east BC, close to the Canadian/US border
Posts: 2,265
Year: 1975
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: 8 window
Engine: 454 LS7
Rated Cap: 24,500
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Quote:
Originally Posted by john61ct
will be 30A off 12V, very heavy load like over 10 fridges
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best I use my generator then
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10-19-2019, 02:48 PM
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#5
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Moved to Zealand!
Posts: 1,517
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas
Chassis: Freightliner FS-65
Engine: 7.2L Cat 3126 turbo diesel
Rated Cap: 71 passenger 30,000 gvwr
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Bush pilots drain their oil into a coffee can. When they're prepping for take-off they heat the oil over a stove and then return it to the crankcase...
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10-19-2019, 04:23 PM
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#6
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: south east BC, close to the Canadian/US border
Posts: 2,265
Year: 1975
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: 8 window
Engine: 454 LS7
Rated Cap: 24,500
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Quote:
Originally Posted by banman
Bush pilots drain their oil into a coffee can. When they're prepping for take-off they heat the oil over a stove and then return it to the crankcase...
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I've used a tiger torch before - flame directed through a tin chimney with a 90 degree bend to the bottom of the oil pan - temps were off the end of the thermometer and the dogs had chewed off the wire to the block heater - made it to the race on time - - lol
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10-20-2019, 03:09 AM
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#7
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 3,856
Year: 2002
Coachwork: Thomas Built Bus
Chassis: Freightliner FS65
Engine: Caterpillar 3126E Diesel
Rated Cap: 71 Passenger- 30,000 lbs.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sleddgracer
a block heater typically draws about 3 amps on 110v power - any reason I couldn't use house batteries through the inverter to run the block heater for an hour or two?
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I am glad you askedthis question. Our bus is equipped with a block heater and I was considering the same ... just in case we needed it.
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10-20-2019, 07:31 AM
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#8
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: arkensas
Posts: 1,076
Year: 1997
Coachwork: bluebird
Chassis: chevy
Engine: 3116 catapillar
Rated Cap: 71 now 2 humans 1 cat
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Native
I am glad you askedthis question. Our bus is equipped with a block heater and I was considering the same ... just in case we needed it.
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remember as stated above it will be about a 30 (not 3) amp draw on the batteries. also inverters use (lose)juice to convert it. i would prefer to heat my oil
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10-20-2019, 08:36 AM
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#9
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: MONTANA
Posts: 471
Year: 1995
Coachwork: AMTRAM
Chassis: INT
Engine: DT466
Rated Cap: Big Girl
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3 amps on a block heater at 110v? I thought must I have seen are 1000W, mine is a factory installed job, and I am pretty sure it's 1500W.
Yes if you have a gen set to use, I would totally do that, unless you were in a emergency and your battery bank is all there was.
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10-20-2019, 09:04 AM
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#10
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,775
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With a 1500W block heater, you would deplete a 100Ah bank to 50% in 25min.
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10-20-2019, 10:46 AM
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#11
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: south east BC, close to the Canadian/US border
Posts: 2,265
Year: 1975
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: 8 window
Engine: 454 LS7
Rated Cap: 24,500
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one way to warm the motor/oil in extreme temperature when off grid, would be to throw packing blankets over the motor and stick a propane powered catalytic heater under the bus - wouldn't be as efficient as a block heater, but it would get the job done in a pinch - I wouldn't need to buy one as I already have one for my small workshop
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10-29-2019, 06:03 PM
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#12
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Claremont, NH
Posts: 480
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Bluebird
Chassis: International 3800
Engine: DT466E (195hp, 520tq)
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We plugged the block heater into our 110v grid for 30 minutes a week or so ago. It drew 100amp (12v) and dropped our battery bank from 13v down to 12.7v over that time. We have 920ah of batteries so I don't think it made a big dent into it.
__________________
Dave
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10-29-2019, 07:14 PM
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#13
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Bus Nut
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Lebanon, Indiana
Posts: 911
Year: 2000
Coachwork: Winnebago
Chassis: Ford F53
Engine: Ford Triton V-10
Rated Cap: currently 2
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I'm a big fan of Wabesto type heaters. They can thaw an engine block or keep it warm enough to turn over without issue and draws a lot less electrical power to do it. Uses a little diesel fuel in the process so unless your fuel gels also shouldn't be left stranded.
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10-29-2019, 07:32 PM
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#14
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: south east BC, close to the Canadian/US border
Posts: 2,265
Year: 1975
Coachwork: Chevy
Chassis: 8 window
Engine: 454 LS7
Rated Cap: 24,500
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sehnsucht
I'm a big fan of Wabesto type heaters. They can thaw an engine block or keep it warm enough to turn over without issue and draws a lot less electrical power to do it. Uses a little diesel fuel in the process so unless your fuel gels also shouldn't be left stranded.
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I think that's the way I'm going to go - no worry about the bus being warm enough to be comfortable, and no separate block heater needed
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11-02-2019, 05:03 PM
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#15
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Sandpoint, ID
Posts: 533
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Girardin Microbird MB-IV
Chassis: Ford E450
Engine: 7.3 Diesel
Rated Cap: 25
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Back in the day, I had a VW Vanagon which I put a little woodstove in to take up skiing. When I went to start it at the end of the day it became apparent those air cooled engines didn't like cold or altitude. I cranked up the woodstove and opened the engine hatch in back(under the bed). After a couple of hours, it fired up and I headed down and went shopping for a Ford van.
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11-02-2019, 06:03 PM
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#16
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Bus Geek
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,775
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Drove '61-67 veedubs skiing through the Alps for many years, in the 80's and 90's no problems.
Maybe the fact they were maintained by German-speaking mechanics made all the difference
But yes, a woodstove would've been a nice add-on
8-D
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11-03-2019, 01:33 AM
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#17
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Freedom Field, New Mexico
Posts: 457
Year: 1998
Coachwork: International
Chassis: Amtrans
Engine: 444E
Rated Cap: 84 pas
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I carry a 500W heat lamp on a flat stand that I can slide under the oil pan for the ocaisional -20 night when I don't want to idle but need it to start in the morning. About 45 minutes. Does the job as well or better than a static block heater. I run it off my solar system. I've got a pretty decent battery bank if its not yet sun up. Draws led that the coffee pot.
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11-03-2019, 06:54 AM
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#18
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Almost There
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 80
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Once you factor in inverter losses a small genny seems the best way to power a block heater. I had a installed a flat plate heat exchanger in my circuit which could heat hot water or reverse with use of a 12v circualtor (solar) could heat the engine when needed. Hot water came from a Bosh tankless (LP).
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01-24-2021, 09:23 AM
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#19
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Bus Nut
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Sandpoint, ID
Posts: 533
Year: 2003
Coachwork: Girardin Microbird MB-IV
Chassis: Ford E450
Engine: 7.3 Diesel
Rated Cap: 25
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Reviving a old thread.
My 2003 Ford 7.3 does not have a block heater and I would like to install one. I can get a 1000 watt or a 700 Watt. My first though was bigger is better, but then I thought of the house battery question which brought me to this thread.
700 Watts/120volt=5.8amps. Correct? If this block heater was powered by an inverter, would this not be viable for a short time? My battery bank will be 224 amp hours. This would old be used very occasionally when travelling if in extreme temps. Maybe I don't understand amp hours.
If is not wise, I'll go with the larger heater since it won't matter on the road.
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01-24-2021, 09:46 AM
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#20
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Bus Crazy
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Athens, TN
Posts: 1,574
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Amtran
Chassis: International RE
Engine: International T444e
Rated Cap: 76
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peakbus
Reviving a old thread.
My 2003 Ford 7.3 does not have a block heater and I would like to install one. I can get a 1000 watt or a 700 Watt. My first though was bigger is better, but then I thought of the house battery question which brought me to this thread.
700 Watts/120volt=5.8amps. Correct? If this block heater was powered by an inverter, would this not be viable for a short time? My battery bank will be 224 amp hours. This would old be used very occasionally when travelling if in extreme temps. Maybe I don't understand amp hours.
If is not wise, I'll go with the larger heater since it won't matter on the road.
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I'm going to assume your battery bank isn't 120 volts. It doesn't matter if the heater is 120V, if you want to measure the amperage draw on the batteries, you need to divide the wattage of the consumer by the battery voltage to get a rough estimate.
For a 12V bank, you will be drawing 5.8A from the inverter, but to satisfy 5.8A at 120V, the inverter will need to be drawing 58.3A (more in actuality, due to inefficiencies) from the battery bank. With a 24V bank, you'd be drawing 29.1A. A 48V bank would be drawing 14.6A, and so on. Add 3% to 12% for inefficiencies.
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