Anyone using their factory installed block heater on a regular basis?

[tmdata]

I have had my 2011 FFH for a month now and I’m getting ready to wire up the factory installed block heater on a timer in my garage. (The owner’s manual states that the maximum it should run is about 3 hrs)

 

 

I noticed the covered 110V plug on the top of the engine compartment rail but I don’t see any route to pop it through the grill to connect it to the house wiring. It’s not a very long connection and I’m used to seeing the block heater plugs hanging out the grill in the colder parts of the country. I’m wondering if I’m missing an easy way to push the plug out through the grille from where it sits in its clip or does Ford expect everyone to open the hood every time they connect the block heater?:waiting:

 

 

Right now I’m assuming that only way to make the plug available at the grill is to add a short extension from the plug under the radiator to the grill. I’m curious as to how the other FFH owners connect their block heaters on a nightly basis.

 

 

[MrMikeL]

I have a new FFH (one week today!) and was looking under the hood today for this very thing. I think I have a way to do it, but I don't have all the parts yet. Can't, for the life of me, find a black 3' outdoor extension cord in any retail stores here. So I found a 4' on the internet and ordered it.

 

WARNING: follow the owners manual and select an outdoor rated, 16 gauge minimum cord. And be aware that a larger gauge will actually be a smaller number. So 18 gauge is going in the wrong direction.

 

I plan on running the extension cord down and snagging it through the lower grill and using a black nylon zip tie to secure it down. I will take pictures and post them when I'm done.

[tmdata]

Yeah, I was looking for a convenient way to make use of the nice OEM covered plug w/o an additional short run of extension cord that stays with the vehicle. I found a nice 14awg wired 1,500w timer switch and now I want to limit the number of connectors in the line I install. I know I don't want my wife to have handle the hood first thing in the morning, if I were to forget to unplug it the way it is now. I found the hood to be quite heavy. Looks like we'll both be laying it out the same way. I expected that somebody had plowed this ground before!

Edited October 24, 2010 by tmdata

[Zacher]

Up here in Canada, mine hangs out for a good 6 months of the year. I haven't found a way to route it through the grill, but I also didn't try to hard last year. Last year I just hung it outside of the hood and let the hood close about 2cm past the temperature sensor. W/ the plastic covering, it never closed enough to pinch the wire. Just make sure you don't slam the hood on the temperature sensor, as it's used to not provide power to the block heater if the ambient temperature is above -15C.

[tmdata]

Interesting. The 2011 Owners manual states "The block heater system is most effective when outdoor temperatures reach below 0°F (-18°C)." But it doesn't say anything about a temperature sensor opening the curcuit when the temperature is above -15C (5F) !

 

Where is the temp sensor? In the junction in the wiring harness that sits on the top end with the plug?

Edited October 25, 2010 by tmdata

[Zacher]

Top end near the plug. I was sure it was -15C could be -18C as you mentioned.