6 1/4 amps not that horrible.... Mines on all night.

Any block heater I replaced on any of my trucks were just the heating element, no temperature sensor or cycling system. Just the cord and the element. I know Cummins will sell the 1Kw version as they asked me my preference.

I`ve been looking into these heaters, can they heat the cab and the engine?
How much do they cost?

Thanks,
Scott

They are pretty spendy. I looked at one for my truck and IIRC they run between $1200 and $1400.

If the block heaters suck that much power, no wonder my electric bill has been over $450 all winter. :argh: Mine has stayed plugged in ALL the time, and power here is around .11 a KWH.

:ouch: I just got one for last month for $165 and thought that was high:argh:

damn, mine only jumped up 23 bucks a month!! course i work third shift so at night its not plugged in but as soon as i get home it is.

The block heater heats the coolant in the block giving you less wear on cold starts and heat almost instantly. Also if you turn on the defroster for about 30 sec before you shut the truck down so they stay open some of the warm air will rise through the ducting and help keep frost off your windshield.

All the Cummins Engines that cam in dodge picp-ups have the heater. It should be on teh passenger side of the block right behind the oil filter. Might have a plastic cap over it. All you need to do is buy the cord and screw it in. Dont go the dealer get it straght from Cummis, NAPA, or Geno's Garage. ALOT cheaper!

The Cummins part number is 3963564 the NAPA part number is 605-9710 Should be around $15-$20, Most Dealerships want $50 or so.

I do have the heater, but I live in a condo and can`t plug it in anywhere.
So I would like to get a self contained system, I also want a heater for my topper, That I will be camping in all year round.
So I will be in cold places when it is zero degrees out and no place to plug into.

Try going to your local Peterbilt dealer and asking about a Webaso system. It burns about 1 1/2 cups of diesel in 8 hours, and will keep a condo semi-sleeper warm in below zero weather. They are very spendy though, about 11-1200 smackers. The actual unit is about the size of a loaf of bread and uses a 12V fan to power. To use you would have to have some darn good batteries, most semis have 4 batteries and they draw down a lot using these things. I have had them pull 4 batteries down to almost no start condition in 10 hours when it is in the teens below. Throw in your heater grid to get a cummins firing in that cold and you might have a problem.... Just a thought! :pca1:

Scott39 - you are looking for a WEBASTO or ESPAR hydronic coolant heater. I have an Espar and they are the best thing since sliced bread.

http://www.webasto.us/am/en/am_auto_heaters.html

Espar - Automotive