Block Heater FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions

I'd imagine that just swapping the coolant and potentially installing a block heater would be good enough, even if there were differences. Like purchasing any other vehicle, though, it certainly wouldn't hurt to have it inspected, and make sure that it runs without issue prior to purchasing it

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Why are AC adapters (wall warts) designed to block adjacent AC outlets?

Another solution (along the lines of @JohnGB's answer but with no supplemental cables needed) is to use a newer type of power strip that can accommodate large AC adaptors without blocking other outlets. One novel design is the Quirky PowerPivot that bends not only to accommodate large power "bricks" but also to fit in your space neatly:

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What is the reason for a fuse next to a thermostat?

The thermostat regulates the temperature within the normal working range. The fuse protects against exceeding that range. You have also already noticed that while the thermostat controls only the heating coil, the fuse powers down the entire appliance.

Their jobs are complementary, not mutually exclusive. They're like a regular brake and an emergency brake

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Infrared LED and Photodiodes

Without giving you the actual numbers here I can tell you from my own experiences with such IR circuits that the IR light is reflected from your body and that your body does not emit enough IR itself to fail this type of circuit. But sunlight IR is a big problem that you need to consider

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How often do I need to change my oil in a VW TDI?

I would do the oil change every 7500 miles. A TDI is a very technical engine and with the turbo I would use only fully synthetic 5w30. Im on a 7.5k interval and am hitting 200k miles on an 05 and it has always pulled very well. On original internals also.

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Workplace is extremely cold: what options are there?

According to me the best option would be make a combined effort to change the cooling/heating system.If the issue is regarding money then you can try getting donations for your organization.

I think the working environment should be perfect for a productive job.

So If nothing works quitting should be the last resort left as health is more important.

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Why does my kitchen faucet have low pressure after the water heater was replaced?

It was the aerator for me. I had removed the dishwasher hook up from below the kitchen sink and put in a stopper in place. To do this I had to turn off the water at the multi turn valve, which pushed some debris into the faucet aerator.

Once I cleaned the aerator, the flow came back to normal.

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Blocked water flow in engine?

I fixed the Same problem by taking off the Heater Hose on the Passenger side then put a tall but sizeable funnel into it an fill slowly through the hose..it basically back feeds the water to the block an what not. Once it's full it will be full at the radiator cap. hope that helps ya out man. #Subaru.

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VW Golf heater won't blow hot air

Had similar issue in Skoda Felicia (which is much like an older Golf) I own. Check these steps:In such a case that is a broken wall inside salon heater core, so instead of going through the core the coolant was just short-circuited to out. Had to replace the heater core and all went back to normal.

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Is it feasible to use the exhaust heat to warm the engine block?

It is not feasible. Possible, yes. Feasible, no. You would spend too much money for too little gain in heat. Just a suggestion, you might consider a block heater. This would allow you to keep the block warm on those very cold nights. This would allow for quicker warm up in the morning

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Can I block large open vent in basement

Be careful. CO is lighter than air at 70 F, but heavier than air at 32 F. Where you place the CO monitor will depend on the room temperature. Maybe use two monitors, one located at an outlet 12" off the floor, and one at the ceiling level.

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Refrigerator is warm but freezer stays cool

three main points come to mind (in this order):As noted in the other answer, but amplifying it a bit further, make sure that if the unit has a defrost tray that it has water in it - it is possible the ductwork is bloxked by plastic debris or mold/food. Make sure all tubing is free and clear

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unknown component in mini cooler

My guess is that the device is a thermal limit switch. The device opens the circuit up once a temperature level has been reached. The main purpose of it is to ensure safety and prevent a possible fire.

The photo below is a thermal limit switch commonly found in your furnace

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Very effective sound-proof room

To make acoustic environment soundproofing is necessary. Acoustic wall helps to prevent the outer noise to enter in the house as well as maintain privacy in conversation. Other choice is wall absorbers, it helps to enhance room acoustic. You can use green glue for insulation.

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Why heater blocks on hotends?

I think the idea is to not change the temperature fast. You want it to maintain a certain temperature so you have consistent flow. The extra mass at the hot end provides the mass which is needed to maintain the heat. If you don't maintain the heat while you print, you'll have inconsistent filament flow, which will screw up your print

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Can a washer and dryer be next to a water heater?

There should be no problem locating two gas burning appliances close together as long as you have proper ventilation. The reason your manual says not to put two items is a closet is that they may create excessive heat when used together. As long as you have good spacing, good venting and a source of combustion air, you will be fine.

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Subaru Forester XS overheating

Ended up being a cracked radiator caused by blown headgasket. This was verified from pressure tests done at two different shops. Repair quotes at $3300 and $3500. We ended up trading it in for a new vehicle, as at 197,000 miles the price to repair was coming close to the cost of the vehicle.

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Sound made in Ford Focus when plugged in

As the comments described, you probably plugged in the block heater. Perhaps the heater warmed up the entire engine compartment over time, including the battery. Batteries deliver less current when cold, so it might have been just under the current required to turn the engine. Guess you'll find out if it starts again tomorrow!

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What is the purpose of coating around heating element in soldering airgun?

Mica sheets are used as electrical insulators for heatsinks , heater guns and microwave ovens , maybe (salvage) from old toastersIt prevents the body plastic from melting and is rated by thickness. The heater coil also has high AC voltage on it.Looks like you cooked it maybe by blocking the intake air or cheap quality inadequate thickness.

Good luck.

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Should I start and idle the car for some time if I don't drive it on cold weather?

Cold temperatures are bad for batteries. They lose their charge very fast.The ideal options for you are to get an electric blanket for your battery, or keep it on a trickle charger.As far as the rest of the car, I think you'll be okay not starting it. Just keep an eye on your fluids

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What is coming out of these water pipes?

were you drinking at the time? if not, perhaps a subdural hematoma?seriously though, i have no idea. it could have been trapped air or some other gas that caused refraction in the fluid column. it could have appeared dark if it refracted the light the right way.

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Is there a type of car heater that starts immediately?

Another option that you could look into is getting an engine block heater fitted. Essentially, you plug those into a wall outlet and they warm up the coolant which both helps with cold starts if you're in a cold climate, and you should get warm air out of the heater fairly quickly compared to a car without a block heater

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Circuit analysis / understanding the control board for a heater

R7 and R9 are cosmetic (their value is of no importance). They allow to de-couple the very sensitive OP AMP input nodes from the wires attached to them. They are matched to mutually compensate offset due to OP AMP input currents.

Note that the dots on pins 2,3 are incorrect

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Do I NEED block heaters for winter?

I also live in Canada, southwestern part. I would suggest simply paying attention to the weather / forecast. If it is going to be below -10C, be prepared to plug in. Vehicles will probably start down to the -20C's, but cold starts are damaging. Probably need to watch the weather more than January and February depending where you live

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Sniffing into a Boiler's LED panel (Central Heating)

You might want to see the answers to a similar post in the Arduino Stackexchange:short answer: use an optocoupler in series to the LED. Using an LDR/photodiode/phototransistor would be too much sensitive to the environment light.

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Jeep Wrangler - Coolant Leak

I replaced the water pump on my car last Fall and the seal started leaking again almost immediately. I read that 90% of seal failures on new water pumps are due to impurities in the coolant. Gates recommends you aggressively flush the radiator, heater, and engine block separately with copious amounts of water.

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How tight a fit for a chimney liner?

I think you'd have one heck of a time trying to get an 8" into that hole. Unless incredible care was taken with the inside joints, there's very likely some point where a bit of mortar is poking out that will block the liner, or an offset between blocks at a "slight bend" will, given only 1/4 inch of clearance

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How to get consistent and accurate readings from thermocouples?

It sound like you just have a defective thermocouple. But, I just did a google search for "Why are thermocouples inaccurate" and found this article on identifying bad thermocouples and preventative maintenance. I never thought of a lot of the tips in the article, but I haven't had such drastic temperature errors either.

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What is causing Mazda 3 overheating and cold heater?

In addition to what SteveRacer noted about the coolant analysis, you have all the symptoms of interrupted coolant flow. Usually its a broken water pump but in your case it could also be a clogged cooling system from driving with a leaky head gasket for a prolonged period of time

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E3D V6 nozzle seized into heater block

Try to, First, remove the heat block from the extruder/heat sink. Then heat the hot end to 230 'C. Then try to unscrew the nozzle while holding the heat block with a wrench or plier. Be extra careful with the heat block and with the plier.

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Ford Ranger no heat

Your air conditioning system has a valve that operates when you turn the AirCon on. The valve blocks hot coolant going through the cars interior heating system making the AirCon evaporators work(cooling) unaffected by the interior heating(heat). The fault will be amongst: AC switch not feeding the valve, wiring damaged or disconnected, valve failure closing off heater permanantly.

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Why aren't electric forms of heating used in internal combustion engines

First question - where do you get the electricity from? The electricity we use comes from other sources hydro, geothermal etc Combined with losses of conversion mean that using other fuels that are directly available coal etc to provide heat has been effective. Now, with global warming then we are moving away towards renewables

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Trouble starting car, cold weather. MB A140 W168

A car battery's power will drop with temperature. It would be my first port of call.Since the car ran fine when you had it jumpstarted with the help of your friend, I would have the battery tested to make sure that it can deliver sufficient juice to the starter

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Any harm in leaving a block heater running after starting the engine?

From the second link you posted, the manufacturers literature on the third page, second question reads as follows;Do not run your engine while the engine heater is plugged in.This will create an air bubble around the element which will then cause the element to burn out prematurely.That seems to be a pretty conclusive answer.

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Efficient and easy way to thermally insulate the heat block of the hotend?

I am using high temperature RTV. I just load it up and smooth it out like frosting a very small cake. I leave the top of the heater block clean and cover it with a piece of cotton insulation. I don't care about power consumption, I just want it to stay hot when the workpiece cooling fan comes on.

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automotive: 2 relay circuit with extra double pole switch

Relay coils are very reliable, the most usual failure mode of a relay that's switching an inductive load is for the contacts to "burn" and fail open-circuit.In the case when the relay nevertheless fails closed you still have the protection of the engine's over-temperature alarm system