A block heater warms an engine to increase the chances that the engine will start as well as warm up the vehicle faster than it normally would in extremely cold weather.

The most common type is one that is inserted in the cylinder block, connected through an extension cord often routed through the front of the vehicle. The block heater may replace one of the engine’s core plugs. The heater element is immersed in the engine’s coolant, which then keeps most of the engine warm. They may also be installed in line with one of the radiator or heater hoses.

Heaters are also available for the engine oil so that warm oil can immediately circulate throughout the engine during start up. The easier starting results from warmer, less viscous engine oil and less condensation of fuel on cold metal surfaces inside the engine.

The reason to use block heaters is because they are necessary to make sure your fleet is ready to start when you need them. The one down fall to block heaters is a large amount of electricity they consume. A block heater can range from 900 to 1500 watts of electricity. This is why BrightSync block heater controller was developed, to have a central solution to reduce costs associated with using block heaters on your fleet. A fleet of 40 vehicles using block heaters can cost as much as $15,000 annually in electric costs, so by utilizing a block heater control solution, you can dramatically reduce that huge electric bill up to 80% or more.