580SK - 1993 - Inline coolant heater vs Engine block heater

Hello everyone.
I have a 1993 Case 580SK (Backhoe).
Recently, my engine blocker heater (similar picture attached for reference) stopped working.
I'm entertaining installing an "inline coolant heater" instead... For lack of better terms, a radiator hose heater. (also attached a picture for example)

Can anyone recommend/provide suggestion on:

- Whether or not inline coolant worked for you (would you recommend it?)
- Where exactly did you install it? (ps: my backhoe is old, I have easy access inside the cab to coolant lines for the cab heater)
- Make/Model for inline coolant heater along with any suggested "specs" to watch for

Even if you have done this on something other than a backhoe, might be similar approach...
Thanks in advance!
PS: will be happy to provide more info if asked

Never seen one around machinery, but I did have them in a few vehicles. Both were a lower rad hose heater. Not the type with the little pump, but as soon as you started, you had warm air coming from the heater

We used the hose type on smaller standby gensets at work. We switched out the standard high wattage units for smaller (1500w) block heaters plumbed into what would be a heater hose in a vehicle. Our mechanical dept wanted less heat in the block to help avoid gaskets drying out.

I have had both styles.
The in-line tank style is way better than the freeze plug style.
It circulates warm coolant throughout the engine and cab heater if you have one.
It has a check valve in to prevent the coolant from going the wrong way.
All that will be covered in the installation instructions.
Mounting it in the cab may position it too high to work effectively, if at all.

Make sure it's the heater that quit not just a bad wire I had to replace the cord on mine once.

A frost plug block heater is the standard, they're cheap, clean and efficient. Tank heaters are available in higher wattages, and if they're installed correctly, low enough and with the hose sloping up to the right place on the engine, they work great. Frost plug heaters are NOT thermostatically controlled, they're usually 400-600W. Tank heaters are usually 1,500W, and thermostatically controlled because they're mounted outside the engine block.

None of the ones you normally see have a pump, they all rely on thermosiphon to heat the whole engine. A freeze plug/core plug heater will thermosiphon the coolant up to the head and back down around the other cylinders, just the same as a tank type, or lower radiator hose heater.

I like the external tank type myself and have installed many. If you do install this type, mount it as low as possible in the engine compartment and make damned certain that thing is full of coolant before you plug it in or it will burn out on short order. I always install them, top off engine coolant, run the engine for a few minutes, then top off again, and finally apply power to the heater. You will hear it start to boil the coolant within 45 seconds and this is normal. At the same time the discharge hose, (top) will start warming towards the engine.

Tinkerer said:

I have had both styles.
The in-line tank style is way better than the freeze plug style.
It circulates warm coolant throughout the engine and cab heater if you have one.
It has a check valve in to prevent the coolant from going the wrong way.
All that will be covered in the installation instructions.
Mounting it in the cab may position it too high to work effectively, if at all.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. Do you mind sharing make/model that you use?

Billrog said:

Make sure it's the heater that quit not just a bad wire I had to replace the cord on mine once.

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Thanks for the suggestion. I already checked, all good there. No issue with wire

Delmer said:

A frost plug block heater is the standard, they're cheap, clean and efficient. Tank heaters are available in higher wattages, and if they're installed correctly, low enough and with the hose sloping up to the right place on the engine, they work great. Frost plug heaters are NOT thermostatically controlled, they're usually 400-600W. Tank heaters are usually 1,500W, and thermostatically controlled because they're mounted outside the engine block.

None of the ones you normally see have a pump, they all rely on thermosiphon to heat the whole engine. A freeze plug/core plug heater will thermosiphon the coolant up to the head and back down around the other cylinders, just the same as a tank type, or lower radiator hose heater.

Click to expand...

Thank you for taking the time to answer. Do you have a Make/model that you would recommend for inline heater?

1693TA said:

I like the external tank type myself and have installed many. If you do install this type, mount it as low as possible in the engine compartment and make damned certain that thing is full of coolant before you plug it in or it will burn out on short order. I always install them, top off engine coolant, run the engine for a few minutes, then top off again, and finally apply power to the heater. You will hear it start to boil the coolant within 45 seconds and this is normal. At the same time the discharge hose, (top) will start warming towards the engine.

Click to expand...

I guess I'll ask you too! Make and Model you use for inline?
I see most of you are calling it "tank type"... i'm assuming it's what I'm referring to as inline? (see pic from my initial question)

Thanks!!!

I prefer "Universal Engine Heaters" brand myself but "Hotstart" are very good also. There are many brands available. All do the same thing. Yes, an inline is the same as a tank type. These all work on the thermosiphon principle.

1693TA said:

I prefer "Universal Engine Heaters" brand myself but "Hotstart" are very good also. There are many brands available. All do the same thing. Yes, an inline is the same as a tank type. These all work on the thermosiphon principle.

Click to expand...

Here is a link:

http://engineblockheater.net/#

RPF said:

Thank you for taking the time to answer. Do you have a Make/model that you would recommend for inline heater?

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The one I have sat on a shelf in my shop for many years. It doesn't have a name on it.
The tractor came from the factory with a freeze plug style block heater and it worked quite well.
The cab never had a heater in it until recently. That is why I needed the circulation of warm coolant the tank style provides.
I have taken a photo to give you an idea of how it is installed.
I put ball valves on the motor for both the inlet to the coolant heater and the entrance to the water manifold.
I did that so I can turn it off in warm weather or in case a leak develops in the system.
The outlet on the tank heater goes directly to the cab heater and then to the motor manifold.
It works quite well.

The link in post #13 shows a diesel engine on a skid with the hot hose from the top of the heater going up to a low point on the block, that works fine, as long as the heater is low enough that the hose is close to vertical, at least slopes up the whole way. The cool water return looks like it comes from the bottom of the radiator, I wouldn't do that, because the whole radiator will be warmer than the flow back to the heater, you'll never get that engine very hot if you're losing heat through the radiator.

Tinkerer's is hooked into the heater hose near the thermostat, if the thermostat leaks, that will circulate to the radiator also, which it will do if any thermostat leaks but his goes right there so it will affect it a little worse. If your radiator is warm after running the block heater, drain a little antifreeze until the level is lower than the neck in the top tank, it won't circulate by thermosiphon, but will cool just fine for a homeowners machine in winter.

I couldn't tell you which brand is best, I bypass the thermostat on old ones and keep using them, have a bucket of old ones if I need another. They all do the same thing, turn electricity into heat, not too hard.

I've never plumbed like that either. Always circulated the coolant through the head and block only. The thing I like about the "Universal" brand heaters and the industrial "Hotstart" units are they can be serviced. They have replaceable elements. I still have both brands and spares out at the shop.

Thank you everyone for taking the time and helping me out. I'm sure others will benefit from this post. I'm only interested in heating the block for helping out in cold start, don't really care about cabin heat (home use). I'm good to go now!

What did you decide to use ?
Freeze plug style ?

Tinkerer, as you know I worked on them for many years and for simplicity and not having all the extra add on hosing I would definitely go back with a new freeze plug style, Installed many many and never an issue. I have also installed many tank type in other applications and have no problem doin so or recommending one if the if the customer so desires. The plu heaters are very effective on the CDC engine.

I was happy with my freeze plug style for many years, Mel.
But after sitting in the cab for all those years with no heater, I finally installed a nice big cab heater.
I want heat in the cab as soon as this old man gets in it in the winter.
I can't believe I waited so long to buy a heater.