So I figured out how to install my block heater

Oh you have that problem too?

jay

 

I'm guessing I can use about 10 cents of electriciy per day to save 50 cents of gasoline.

I probably pay more than double the Canada pricing for electricity, but it is much warmer here too, so I'm expecitng I wonl't need quite as much heating time, more like 30 min to 1 hour.

Definitely seems to save even for temps like up to 50 degrees F, but this would depend on your warm up time like how fast you can go starting out, up hill or down. I spend a lot of warm up time at lights and car stays cold normally for over 10 minutes typically.

 

small computer unit that fit's above the glove box and hooks up to the MFD and displays the data on the screen. It hooks up to the OBD11 connector under the dash to get the information from the car. Still in developement but getting close to release. I'd guess about an hour to install and your on your way learning about the Prius.

 

just checked it and with a warm engine block it measured 34 ohms. Best thing about my block heater was it was a dealer installed option and I got the car at dealer cost. Don't think they made much money off me. They and Toyota just wanted it out of inventory.

 

Well I did it!!! Installed today and I have to say my first time out was great. I gained much higher MPG graphs, all be it at mid day and 61 F. I was in full hybrid mode before I left my development!! We will see how it goes in the am. My only question is should I put the car on the time when I am on call and may have to rush in at night, or should I put it on the timer?

 

interesting question! your going to have to weigh the amount of times that your called out per time your on call. If it's only one time out of 10, I'd just plug it into the timer, and take your chances, if it's 8-9 times out of 10 I'd just plug it in. As it seems to regulate at about 47-48C means it has it's own thermostatic switch. So your never going to use 375-400 watts for 8-10 hours that it's plugged in. But I don't know how often it cycles on and off in an 8 hour period to say exactly how much current it's using. Other times I'd just plug it into the timer, starting about 3 hours before you normally go to work. Henry your turning into a Prius Geek!

 

Measuring a resistive heater when cold will always be less than when it's hot. Measuring it when it's cold is unreliable. What you can do is measure actual current (inductively or measurning the voltage drop across a known resistance in series), and the voltage across it, then using E=IR or R=E/R you can figure out the operating resistance.

 

Hi - Picking up my new Prius today. I'm wondering if a block heater is necessary? I've never had one for my "regular" cars - but I do live in MN. The car will be stored in a garage. Thanks for the information -- this website forum is AWESOME!

RMNPrius

 

welcome to the nut bar division of PriusChat were people keep their car engine warm to try and get the best mileage possible for the least amount of money spent. Were other wise a pretty normal bunch of people. If your garage is heated probably no real advantage to a block heater but if it's unheated and cold IE: 0F or below I'd investigate your electricty cost and start figuing out the difference in mileage that it can give you. If you do this you'll probably be in the Geek club pretty quickly.

 

Evan, wasn't there a thread on the old site about a guy in Japan that blocked most of his radiator to get better mileage. This would also possibly attenuate the ICE's need to run to provide heat for the heater in colder WX too. A coolant temperature would be ideal for knowing just how much to block. Im gonna search the old site.

 

Thanks Frank! Q: If your 15year old son calls you a nerd...are you also a geek?

Anyway - I'll have to get used to the car first before I think about tinkering with it...but the car is pretty "groovy" so far - already put 60 miles on it

 

Groovy.......... it's been years since I've heard that expression!

 

Dan:

Technically correct, but in the real world we still measure cold.

I have a lot of industrial process control experience, and have had the misfortune to have to troubleshoot large 3-phase industrial electric resistance heaters. The application is a vaporizer to vaporize liquid CO2 for use in an industrial process.

The resistance heaters are plates that are sandwiched together. The failure of a plate can either cause the failure of an entire vaporizer - if series wired - or poor process performance.

To measure actual operating current and voltage, I let the MCC (Motor Control Center) worry about that. My job is way easier since most of my clients switched to the Rockwell/Allen-Bradley IntelliCenter MCC.

The IntelliCenter MCC uses DeviceNet to network all the 3-phase starters and overload relays, so no more individual wire runs from the control room to the MCC. The E3 solid state relay reports on: overload, underload, stall, jam, motor thermister output, phase angles, per-phase current RMS, voltage per-phase, etc.

Most of the larger +60 KW vaporizers are sequenced with 2-4 stages of heating. That prevents tripping overload relays in startup and also prolongs the life of the vaporizer elements.

It would be very dangerous to take the protective covers off a 3-phase industrial vaporizer during operation. The surface of the heating plates can become very hot, there is a chance for accidently touching a live wire spade, a safety valve could jam and expose you to a blowout, etc.

Actually it's strict company policy to NOT work on those units "live." I have to make sure the technicians know that too, wait until the thing is cold and power is locked out before checking the heater plates. A quick and simple resistance check is used for good/bad.

I have to drive out to the hobby farm this weekend, so what I can do is measure the heater resistance at the plug as soon as I pull the car into the garage. I think I can "borrow" the AEMC Power Quality Analyzer from work to be assured of accurate resistance values.

jay

 

Thank you for the heads up on Toyota Depot and block heaters - $57.80

http://www.toyotadepot.com/product_info.ph...products_id/144

I had a block heater on my 4Runner. The block heater made a significant difference in ambient air temperatures down to -50°C.

I now live in a more moderate climate and would like to retain the good fuel economy I'm earning. I seem to recall a post that showed photographs of block heater Prius installation. Are the photographs still accessible?

 

Evan,

Great to hear you got it in without getting your arm stuck in the hole! I guess Toyota goofed on a lot of things for cold climate use. The directions make it look so simple on the Matrix.

And How did you tell it was flush? I just pushed with the one finger that could reach till it wouldn't move and it felt sturdy, but I have no idea if it is really on good enough! I'll find out when it falls off I guess.

I lucked out a bit by figuring the plug on first as the directions said to do wouldn't work, so I checked the orientation ahead. So I am very glad to hear it really doesn't fit that way! I wasn't sure, and if it worked it would have eliminated the flush issue..

I used my ramps, which were fine for getting under the car and safer than a jack, but too low to fit under on my creeper so that was a pain getting under.

I have seen "low clearance" garage jacks on the web that look like they might work for the jack point, but my old one doesn't and I have not invested in one of those low ones yet.

My radiator top cover I'm just leaving off for the winter this year, I put it on and off last year to make adjustments in the blockage!

I guess this is why the dealers here don't stock block heaters for us and we have to get them from Canada! And the directions look so simple, I didn't notice they weren'f for a Prius the first time I read them.

 

Dan:

I went out to the hobby farm this weekend to change the oil and check up on the place. After the 2.5 hour drive, I parked in the detached garage, where the inside temp was around +20C. I left the car for 10 minutes to "hot soak" while I went into the house to turn the water on, change clothes, etc.

I couldn't "borrow" the new AEMC three phase power quality analyzer we recently got at work, it's already at a jobsite. It provides very accurate resistance readings. I did get a chance to "borrow" a new factory-calibrated Fluke 189 DMM.

After I went back to my detached garage, I carefully cleaned off the block heater plug with a Dremel, then hooked up the 189. It clamed 34.6 ohms. I then did my oil sample with the Caterpillar Oil Sample Pump, and changed the oil to Mobil 1 0W-20 for winter.

Next morning, I checked the block heater resistance again: 35.9 ohms. For the purpose of calculating block heater power and current draw, the difference in readings is insignificant. I'm fairly confident in the values, as we only get Calibrated field instruments, and any instrument 12 months or older is sent off for recalibration.

Note: The block heater resistence values are academic. They include the block heater cord, which could vary widely in resistance as it ages in the hot engine compartment. The NEMA 15 moulded plug can also have different values once the blades are exposed to salted roads and corrode.

Let's not forget the extension cord you use to plug the car in with. I make my own extension cords out of 14 ga or 12 ga industrial cord, with Leviton or Hubbell industrial NEMA 15 plugs. The moulded stuff you get at a hareware store is crap, the resistance is really high.

jay

 

Doc Evan:

Oh yeah baby, I tried that factory "jack" as soon as I bought my Prius. You'd be SOL if you ever needed it at oh-dark thirty on a country road. For that matter, you'd be SOL if you needed it to change a flat in your own garage.

Canadian Tire had a sale last fall on a Michelin-branded 1.5 ton hydraulic trolley jack that has a nifty hard plastic carry case. I got it at the same time I bought the 700 amp booster box, also on sale.

It easily fits in the well with the temporary spare. It would never fit under the front of the car to jack up the cradle, but it works fine for jacking from the side to change a single tire.

Note: I also have a piece of 1/2 inch plate steel cut in a 10x10 inch square. Have you ever tried to jack up a car on a gravel shoulder or God Help You in mud? The 10x10 chunk of steel is just big enough to support the jack so it won't sink.

Note#2: If you live in a cold climate like I do, drain the fluid that comes with the jack and put in semi-synthetic or synthetic hydraulic fluid. Most of that jack fluid is rated 68 viscosity, so at 0 F or colder it won't even pump. That happened to me once on a lonely back road after a flat, at -30. Use an N22 or thinner fluid, for as often as you have to use the jack you won't hurt it.

I've got a few pieces of "mill felt" at my hobby farm that I intend to fasten in FRONT of the grille where I attached my rock/bug guard. I got ziptie with anchor brackets to make this easier.

Once again, good job but if my block heater ever quits, I'll happily pay Toyota to replace it. Or just set the Prius on fire and buy a new one.

jay

jay