Electrical socket for engine warmer

[Piwoslaw]

I'm thinking about putting an electrical socket on the side panel of the engine bay, so that I don't have to open the hood when plugging in the engine heater.

It should be small and low profile (preferably silver colored), installable in a plastic side panel and flush with it when closed. It should be rated for 230VAC @ 3A, so nothing fancy.

Any ideas?

[NachtRitter]

Probably a bit overkill, but I used a shore power socket (such as Marinco) for the block heater in my car; it will handle 250V / 50A:


Then a pigtail adapter can be used to adapt to your standard wall plug:


This is what it looks like on my car... it is the car's "nose":


This location was best for wire routing and it allows me to remove the bumper without needing to disconnect the block heater wiring.

[Cobb]

I routed my cord to the windshield wiper area out the back of the hood, which is out of the direct air stream. Never had any problems.

[2000mc]

similar thinkin here. when i set up my block heater, i stuck it out the front, where i thought it was within a high pressure bubble well enough to not affect aero

[jeff88]

Originally Posted by NachtRitter

This is what it looks like on my car... it is the car's "nose":

This. Is. Awesome!!! I love how it's totally camouflaged into the front of the car. It reminds me of those cars from a few decades ago where the gas cap was in the emblem on the back of the (muscle) car.

[NachtRitter]

Thanks! In fact, I was going to find a VW logo sticker to put on it.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

I'm thinking about putting an electrical socket on the side panel of the engine bay, so that I don't have to open the hood when plugging in the engine heater.

It should be small and low profile (preferably silver colored), installable in a plastic side panel and flush with it when closed. It should be rated for 230VAC @ 3A, so nothing fancy.

Any ideas?

Commonly the heater cord gets routed so only the very end of it sticks out through one of the panel gaps, no opening the hood required to plug it in.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by NachtRitter

Probably a bit overkill, but I used a shore power socket (such as Marinco) for the block heater in my car; it will handle 250V / 50A:


This is what it looks like on my car... it is the car's "nose":


This location was best for wire routing and it allows me to remove the bumper without needing to disconnect the block heater wiring.

Wow! That's exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks