Just as a test, tonight I plugged in the block heater and

Frank Hudon · 04-26-2004, 01:25 AM

will post the results for the first 5 minute block of fuel milage. Nomally doing about 7.8-8 liters per hundred km's. Another Prius owner and I are curious to see if it takes the first block down by having a warm ICE. I'll keep you all posted here tomorrow evening if it makes a difference. 2K3 Prius. 3100Km's total mileage. The car came equipped with the block heater but we don't use them here on the west coast, too warm.

htmlspinnr · 04-26-2004, 03:05 AM

Curious how much power a block heater draws, and would that consume more energy in the end than the first 5 minutes of driving?

rdverb · 04-26-2004, 03:40 AM

I had a block heater in a V6 GMC van I used to drive and I think it drew about 600 watts. Not particularly energy efficient, but at Lake Tahoe or even more so in Canada, it sure is nice to have the heater come on quickly on a winter's morning.

Rick V.

Wolfman · 04-26-2004, 09:41 AM

The efficiency of a block heater is way more apparent during the winter in places that get extremely cold. The preheated engine will drematically reduce the strain on the starter, and the warmed oil gets flowing much faster, reducing the time that metal parts are not lubed substantially. This leads to longer engine life.

For Frank's experiment, I don't think he's going to see a huge difference.

Frank Hudon · 04-26-2004, 09:16 PM

Ok I went out this morning and checked the ICE and it was definatly warm, and fired it up and backed out of the drive way and the first thing that I noticed was that the cold light wasn't on and it did the whole trip in stealth. Then when I shifted into drive the ICE started as I was sure it would, low BSOC and it needed some juice. Then I have a 4 block run to a stop sign and I wasn't able to get it to the 3rd stage. Hung a right and up the hill for 2 blocks and a stop sign. Then a 4 block run and a stop light. Pulled up to the light and the ICE stopped. About 1/2 then normal distance to the first ICE stop. After the first 5 minute block the consumption was 6.5 so it was down a bit, normal 7.5-8 liter per hundred km's. So it was pretty close to what the wife's 2k4 does. Just wanted to do the test, and yes it's over. I'll maybe use the block heater next winter if I go up country but it never gets cold enough here on the coast.

Frank Hudon · 04-27-2004, 01:17 AM

that takes it from 29-30 US mpg up to 36 US mpg. It's a 1000 watt block heater so there is no value in plugging it in. Maybe on a timer where it only cycles on for about 4 hours.

htmlspinnr · 04-27-2004, 01:23 AM

In my area, that's more than $1 worth of electricity - I'm not sure it would save me $1 in gas, or the environment anything. The amount of energy used/wasted and the amount of pollution created in order to produce those 4 kW/h (unless it was solar, wind, geothermal, or hydroelectric) probably exceeds that of even when the Prius is least efficent warming up.

The results were interesting though none the less :-)

RobertO · 04-27-2004, 12:53 PM

It's a regional thing, out here on the Left Coast, but most of us in Oregon Washington and British Columbia DO receive hydroelectric power.

Time permitting I'll try to determine the cost foar a 1,000-watt block heater boost from Puget Sound Energy. Maybe our colleague in Vancouver can get the same info from BC Hydro.

I'm very interested because I plan to install a block heater next October.

Regards,

Bob

Frank Hudon · 04-27-2004, 08:20 PM

we pay BC Hydro 6 cents a KW for residential power. We pay Chevron 92.9 cent's a liter for regular gas. Maybe a timer set to give me a 4 hour pre-heat might just pay in the long run. Today the cold light was still on at the stop light. And the first 5 minute block was 8.0 Liter per 100 Km's. Maybe later this fall when it's cooler I just might run the test for a week and fill the tank at the start and the finish and see what the real cost is. Interesting test non the less. If nothing else got people thinking.

aarons12 · 04-27-2004, 08:23 PM

i don't actually own a prius, so forgive me if this is dumb. but didn't i read that the prius (04) has a thermal storage tank for coolant that actually keeps it warm for several days so that it's ready to warm up the ICE right away?

doesn't that sort of negate the benefit of the block heater? though i guess the heater is probably still more powerful...

04-26-2004, 01:25 AM	#1
Frank Hudon Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 4,144 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Just as a test, tonight I plugged in the block heater and will post the results for the first 5 minute block of fuel milage. Nomally doing about 7.8-8 liters per hundred km's. Another Prius owner and I are curious to see if it takes the first block down by having a warm ICE. I'll keep you all posted here tomorrow evening if it makes a difference. 2K3 Prius. 3100Km's total mileage. The car came equipped with the block heater but we don't use them here on the west coast, too warm.

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04-26-2004, 03:05 AM	#2
htmlspinnr Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ (Phoenix) Posts: 1,304 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: Pioneer #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 1	Curious how much power a block heater draws, and would that consume more energy in the end than the first 5 minutes of driving?

04-26-2004, 03:40 AM	#3
rdverb Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Monterey, California Posts: 49 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I had a block heater in a V6 GMC van I used to drive and I think it drew about 600 watts. Not particularly energy efficient, but at Lake Tahoe or even more so in Canada, it sure is nice to have the heater come on quickly on a winter's morning. Rick V.

04-26-2004, 09:41 AM	#4
Wolfman Moderator (on leave) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Paradise, TX Posts: 1,205 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	The efficiency of a block heater is way more apparent during the winter in places that get extremely cold. The preheated engine will drematically reduce the strain on the starter, and the warmed oil gets flowing much faster, reducing the time that metal parts are not lubed substantially. This leads to longer engine life. For Frank's experiment, I don't think he's going to see a huge difference.

04-26-2004, 09:16 PM	#5
Frank Hudon Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 4,144 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Ok I went out this morning and checked the ICE and it was definatly warm, and fired it up and backed out of the drive way and the first thing that I noticed was that the cold light wasn't on and it did the whole trip in stealth. Then when I shifted into drive the ICE started as I was sure it would, low BSOC and it needed some juice. Then I have a 4 block run to a stop sign and I wasn't able to get it to the 3rd stage. Hung a right and up the hill for 2 blocks and a stop sign. Then a 4 block run and a stop light. Pulled up to the light and the ICE stopped. About 1/2 then normal distance to the first ICE stop. After the first 5 minute block the consumption was 6.5 so it was down a bit, normal 7.5-8 liter per hundred km's. So it was pretty close to what the wife's 2k4 does. Just wanted to do the test, and yes it's over. I'll maybe use the block heater next winter if I go up country but it never gets cold enough here on the coast.

04-27-2004, 01:17 AM	#6
Frank Hudon Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 4,144 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	that takes it from 29-30 US mpg up to 36 US mpg. It's a 1000 watt block heater so there is no value in plugging it in. Maybe on a timer where it only cycles on for about 4 hours.

04-27-2004, 01:23 AM	#7
htmlspinnr Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Surprise, AZ (Phoenix) Posts: 1,304 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: Pioneer #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 1	In my area, that's more than $1 worth of electricity - I'm not sure it would save me $1 in gas, or the environment anything. The amount of energy used/wasted and the amount of pollution created in order to produce those 4 kW/h (unless it was solar, wind, geothermal, or hydroelectric) probably exceeds that of even when the Prius is least efficent warming up. The results were interesting though none the less :-)

04-27-2004, 12:53 PM	#8
RobertO Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Renton, WA Posts: 215 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	It's a regional thing, out here on the Left Coast, but most of us in Oregon Washington and British Columbia DO receive hydroelectric power. Time permitting I'll try to determine the cost foar a 1,000-watt block heater boost from Puget Sound Energy. Maybe our colleague in Vancouver can get the same info from BC Hydro. I'm very interested because I plan to install a block heater next October. Regards, Bob

04-27-2004, 08:20 PM	#9
Frank Hudon Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 4,144 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	we pay BC Hydro 6 cents a KW for residential power. We pay Chevron 92.9 cent's a liter for regular gas. Maybe a timer set to give me a 4 hour pre-heat might just pay in the long run. Today the cold light was still on at the stop light. And the first 5 minute block was 8.0 Liter per 100 Km's. Maybe later this fall when it's cooler I just might run the test for a week and fill the tank at the start and the finish and see what the real cost is. Interesting test non the less. If nothing else got people thinking.

04-27-2004, 08:23 PM	#10
aarons12 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: long island, NY Posts: 705 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	i don't actually own a prius, so forgive me if this is dumb. but didn't i read that the prius (04) has a thermal storage tank for coolant that actually keeps it warm for several days so that it's ready to warm up the ICE right away? doesn't that sort of negate the benefit of the block heater? though i guess the heater is probably still more powerful...