Block heater question - help

[derekp]

I've installed, now, 2 block heaters by "zerostart" and in less than a month each has failed.
I am installing them correctly (6 oclock per mfg instructions) and when I remove the failed ones I see no evidence of them being overheated or burned, like they would be if they were heating "air" instead of water/antifreeze.
(I've seen what happens to electric hot water heater elements when they try to heat "air" so I know what it would look like!)

My questions:
 - Anyone else encounter similar experiences with block heaters in general (or specifically this brand?
 - what brand block heater do you use and has it lasted?

Thanks

[arb]

What style is the zerostat ? I've installed OEM style in the freeze plug - best, and the percolator style in-line with the heater hose. Neither had a problem, but the placement of the percolator was very important that it had no "P" trap. The water circulates via gravity so I could see it boiling off the coolant if you had that style not in a straight line with the existing hose.

[derekp]

This one is the one that goes in place of a freeze plug.
I've installed it correctly - and 2 have bit the dust one month of use each.
I've a call into the manufacturer to see what they might do for me as the company I bought this from (and a whole lot of other stuff at that too!) does not want to send me another one.

How long have you left them plugged in? the zerostat cust service people claim that overnight is ok as I've done.
And I have the "u" facing down per instructions too.

thanks!

[arb]

Sounds like they have a quality control problem... The in block should have years of service. Leaving them plugged in for entire weekends should not be a problem at all. I'm threaten them if they are not standing behind their product. Did you use a credit card for it ? If they will not stand behind it, get a refund and buy one from someone else. That is a very basic part with long life.

Maybe counter offer with - I'll send you back the bad one, you tell me why it failed so the third one you send me will be good to go.

[Vincent Waldon]

Yeah, weird... Zerostat is a quality brand, and I've seen block heaters last for decades with thousands of hours of runtime... usually the cord gives out before the heater element.

Having said that... strange to get two bad ones in a row.  Anything funky happening with the power in your neighbourhood, or that particular outlet?

Because it's running in coolant it will look a bit different than a hot-water heater element if it runs dry... but it's hard to imagine why it could not be submersed at that one particular frost plug location... assuming your coolant levels are fine etc etc etc.

'Twere me I'd probably try a different brand... and if it goes then it's gotta be something weird with the frost plug location on your block... luckly there are 3 to chose from?!

Very strange indeed. :?

[arb]

Yeah, weird... Zerostat is a quality brand, and I've seen block heaters last for decades with thousands of hours of runtime... usually the cord gives out before the heater element.

Having said that... strange to get two bad ones in a row.  Anything funky happening with the power in your neighbourhood, or that particular outlet?

Because it's running in coolant it will look a bit different than a hot-water heater element if it runs dry... but it's hard to imagine why it could not be submersed at that one particular frost plug location... assuming your coolant levels are fine etc etc etc.

'Twere me I'd probably try a different brand... and if it goes then it's gotta be something weird with the frost plug location on your block... luckly there are 3 to chose from?!

Very strange indeed. :?

Good point - Do you have a quality DMM to measure your true RMS line voltage at your plug ? I ask because last winter I noticed the high end UPS I run my web and email servers on would chirp every so often. I checked and I had a line voltage of 99 volts rather than the 110 - 120 it needs to be. I checked at the main breaker and one side was 99, the other 149v - 160v !!!   (Here in the US we have 220v running to our house and most plugs feed from one side of this to ground to get 120v.) It turned out the ground feed on the utility pole at the street had a bad connection - something they called a "Floating Ground" - Edison cut all 3 lines and reterminated them to give me clean 120v on each side. Maybe you have a high side too ?

[starrd]

So how did you check they were burned out?  Did you use an ohm meter at the plug? or the terminals at the element?  Like Vincent said, the wires in the cord just beyond the plug usually crap out due to constantly moving in the wind when driving.  I have never had an element fail and I leave mine on all the time at work and home.

[derekp]

I checked them (both) at the terminals actually on the element with a meter (yes, the meter works too! )  ;-)

[arb]

I checked them (both) at the terminals actually on the element with a meter (yes, the meter works too! )  ;-)

Did you check you line voltage ? Is it an RMS meter ?

[derekp]

I'll have to take a peek at the line voltage on both 120V sides.
Its certainly worth looking into...
I'm getting tired of changing these things esp since I dont have a garage and gotta do it outside!
thanks all for the hints.

[arb]

I'll have to take a peek at the line voltage on both 120V sides.
Its certainly worth looking into...
I'm getting tired of changing these things esp since I dont have a garage and gotta do it outside!
thanks all for the hints.

:-D  I know the feeling up here in Frozen wind-swept Michigan...