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Originally Posted by cosmic_kid
With a 300W block heater and 800W coolant heater installed, how long do they need to be on before you notice the difference?
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With ambient around freezing, an hour is fine for my little engine.
Follow these 2 links for more detailed info:
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Does the car need to run more than 30 seconds to warm up after started?
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Define "warm up"
. With 30-60 minutes of heating, I start the car and drive away. See the above links for detailed measurements.
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Have you calculated electricity costs of this method? How much are these two heaters, and how much to install?
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I didn't calc electricity costs - I'm not doing this to save money. I'm doing it primarily to have a warm car. The increased fuel economy and reduced engine wear are just bonuses. But I've seen other studies that demonstrate cost savings, provided you don't leave the heater plugged in for too long.
I forget what they cost (might be in those links), and I installed them myself.