(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

engine block heater

M

Mike M

Well-known Member
So "normally" if plugging into an outlet with the ground fault circuit breaker would a block heater trip the breaker even if the heater or cord were not bad ?
I have never tried this before. Our block heater has seen very little to no use as tractor was usually in heated building. So Dad decides to plug it in because his garage is not heated and it pops the ground fault receptacles after a little bit.
 
Similar situation here with a frost plug heater on my Chev plow truck. Heater has been in the truck since 1980. I bought it new. Move into new house in 96 and the required GF outlets trip. Cut ground prong off heater cord. Heater still works to this day on any outlet. Not saying it is safe or right, but it works for me.
 
Two ideas: The heater could be OK at first, but have an element touch the heater enclosure tube as it heats. Even a barely used heater can have vibration failure. though not having electricity running through it, it heat cycles in the engine. Some GFIC breakers are super sensitive. If it is on an extension cord, that could also be a fault source. Make sure the prongs are polished shiny. Any brief loss of contact on the neutral will trip it. Jim
 
Jim brings up some good points, the first GFCI we had was so sensitive it would trip every time it got cloudy! I would definitely try it on a different one before changing the heater. My drill press will trip the GFCI when it gets abnormally humid, I didn't cut off the ground prong, but I have used an adapter that eliminates the ground, temporarily.
 
It may be a 15 amp GFI instead of a 20 amp,some are more sensitive to voltage than others,also an extension cord that is of smaller gauge will sometimes cause it to trip.
 
(quoted from post at 07:29:48 02/11/21) So "normally" if plugging into an outlet with the ground fault circuit breaker would a block heater trip the breaker even if the heater or cord were not bad ?
I have never tried this before. Our block heater has seen very little to no use as tractor was usually in heated building. So Dad decides to plug it in because his garage is not heated and it pops the ground fault receptacles after a little bit.
Click to expand...

Check between the cord's round ground prong and the flat "power" prongs with an Ohmmeter, use a the highest Megohm range, if necessary.

Meter should show "infinite" Ohms. If it reads even high Ohms the heater or cord has leakage to ground.

Of course, the true test would be to use a "megger", a test instrument that puts high voltage on the component being tested and will show "leakage" that occurs under actual voltage, rather than simply using the small voltage used by a typical Ohmmeter.
 
So it sounds as if We may not even have a problem. My Dad had a stroke 11 ? years ago and doesn't talk right and sometimes doesn't quite think right or understand what we try and tell him. Sort of like a little kid too as in he is always messing with stuff that does not need messed with.
Not sure if he totally understood when I told him to try it on a non GFCI outlet in the other buildings.
 
(quoted from post at 09:58:37 02/11/21) So it sounds as if We may not even have a problem. My Dad had a stroke 11 ? years ago and doesn't talk right and sometimes doesn't quite think right or understand what we try and tell him. Sort of like a little kid too as in he is always messing with stuff that does not need messed with.
Not sure if he totally understood when I told him to try it on a non GFCI outlet in the other buildings.
Click to expand...

I would still do the test with an Ohmmeter i mentioned earlier.

If there IS leakage to the ground prong and it gets plugged in to a non-properly grounded outlet or with a "cheater" it could make the car chassis "HOT".
 
Very common for block heaters to trip GFCI outlets. You probably cant measure the problem with a regular volt meter.
 
Rather than mutilate a good plug why not just change the outlet to a non GFI and solve the problem and the cord is unmolested then.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

F
Is my block cracked
Replies
15
Views
804
showcrop
showcrop
T
English Ford Industrial Diesel Engine
Replies
13
Views
2K
Eman85
E
Keith Williams
  • Locked
Electrical Question - Everybody loves them!
2
Replies
38
Views
3K
Keith Williams
Keith Williams
Bruce from Can.
My block heater wasnt working
Replies
19
Views
2K
caterpillar guy
C
R
Ford 8n - Backfire / Misfire
Replies
12
Views
559
Eman85
E
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top