Update: Honda engine block heater - Page 4 - GreenHybrid

ElanC · #31 (**permalink**) 12-06-2005, 04:00 PM

[quote=gonavy]Assmuing I drive 350 miles a week, it would take about .75mpg increase in my FE to pay off the electricity @ $2/gallon. Easily achieved. QUOTE]

The block warmer is not going to improve your FE over the whole 350 miles. It will only make a difference until your unheated engine warms up, which is probably 5 out of your 50 daily miles. So by your calculation you need to improve FE by 7.5 MPG during those 5 miles to have it pay off.

AZCivic · #32 (**permalink**) 12-06-2005, 04:01 PM

Well if you want to settle the issue of power draw and consumption over time, the easy answer is to buy a Kill-A-Watt and plug your block heater into it. I have one and love it. It's the only way to know for sure how much power anything is really drawing. It shows both the instantaneous draw and also tracks total usage over time, so for example you can plug your block heater, computer, refrigerator, whatever into it and check back in a couple days to see how many kilowatt-hours you've used.

Don A · #33 (**permalink**) 12-06-2005, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9G-Man

The Honda block heater is really warming the coolant, not the block. Of course the block warms by simple heat transfer. But the block is aluminum and will insulate the warmed coolant, more than radiate it. Block heaters are a good idea in colder weather and climates. Also, the wear and tear they prevent far exceeds any electrical cost. Not to mention fuel savings and comfort.

Technically yes it heats the coolant but aluminum is much better at heat transfer then cast iron & will do an excellent job of transferring & radiating the heat put into the coolant. Check out the material used in baseboard heat used in homes and also heatsinks used in your computer. Aluminum is the most common material used for heat transfer.

gonavy · #34 (**permalink**) 12-06-2005, 06:05 PM

[quote=ElanC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gonavy

Assmuing I drive 350 miles a week, it would take about .75mpg increase in my FE to pay off the electricity @ $2/gallon. Easily achieved. QUOTE]

The block warmer is not going to improve your FE over the whole 350 miles. It will only make a difference until your unheated engine warms up, which is probably 5 out of your 50 daily miles. So by your calculation you need to improve FE by 7.5 MPG during those 5 miles to have it pay off.

Of course its only the 1st few cold miles that it makes a difference- but it can be a huge difference for those few miles. My FE needs to increase OVERALL (per tank) by .75mpg- I should have clarified that.

So if it gets me from 15mpg I got for the 1st 4 miles this morning in 25deg to 23mpg for those 1st miles, I win. My guess is it will pay off, but maybe not by much.

Add to that the increased comfort for those 1st few very cold miles... some things are worth paying a little more for.

For my wife's Explorer the gains will be far greater- all of her morning trips are <5 miles, and I know she idles it to "get it warm" even though she denies it

RIHCH · #35 (**permalink**) 12-07-2005, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9G-Man

Also, the wear and tear they prevent far exceeds any electrical cost. Not to mention fuel savings and comfort.

This is my point of having the heater. For me, it's all about the wear.