\nAs a kid in the Maritimes, I noticed people “plugging in” their cars overnight. I realized it had something to do with being able to start the car in the cold, since people only did so on cold winter nights. Electric heaters were definitely a thing in the 70s – likely more so than now – so it made sense to me that plugging in the car could heat it somehow. Beyond that, I didn’t think much about it.<\/p>\n
\nWhen we came to the West Coast, I noticed people didn’t plug their cars in. It made sense: the first year I lived in Victoria, the temp may never have dropped below minus 5°C.<\/p>\n
\nNowadays, in Campbell River, we sometimes do get nighttime temperatures below minus ten Celsius that might stay for a couple of weeks. My perception is it’s a relatively new thing, starting winter 2017. Some lifetime residents say that, back in the 70s, they had snowy winters here. Anyway, even during the last few years, I can’t recall anyone around here saying they were plugging in their car. Moreover, we have a Jeep that lives in the driveway, and we’ve never plugged it in. It’s always started, even after the coldest winter nights.<\/p>\n
\nAll that being said, the term “block heater” is one I notice every year, in promotions. Today, thinking about the coming winter (which is likely to be at least three months away, if we get one at all this year), I looked into block heaters, to find out at what temperature they become important. I found this very interesting video from River City Ford Sales Ltd., apparently from Winnipeg, on YouTube.<\/a><\/p>\n \nIn said video, the host explains that when you plug in your car, you’re plugging in a block heater. He continues that, since the block heater warms the engine, the engine oil will run more freely, so decrease friction when starting.<\/p>\n The host mentions another couple of interesting facts: one, that a car’s block heater might only need to be plugged in during temperatures minus 15°C and below. Another point, it seems, is that a block heater shouldn’t be plugged in all night. Rather, Sherwoodford.ca,<\/a> out of Sherwood Park, Alberta, seems to suggest two to three hours, or perhaps longer, depending on how cold it is.<\/p>\nJack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane,<\/a> Campbell River, BC.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Self-tutoring about automobiles: the tutor mentions the idea of a block heater. As a kid in the Maritimes, I noticed people “plugging in” their cars overnight. I realized it had something to do with being able to start the car …<\/p>\n