Kat's engine heater Problems

I have a 3400 Ford 3 cy diesel tractor. I have had Kat"s heaters in heater line for years woith no problems. I installed one about 2 months ago and worked fine 2 times and 3rd time keep tripping breaker. I replaced it yesterday. Plugged in and came back 2 hours later( thats the normal time it takes in Maine to warm the water) it was stone cold as breaker tripped. Tryed it on 2 other 15 amp circuuit and kept tripping breaker. I have a 30 Amp outlet and plugged in for 2 hours and water was nice and warm but heater got so hot it burned the paint off. Can"t fiqure out the problam. Would a freeze plug heater work better?? Thanks for any Help and Merry Christmas
 
We found out for us a block heater works better,if you can get them for the application, we used a lower radiator hose heater on our OC 46 dozer cause of ease of installation, we also have a block heater on our 706 tractor, plus 5 trucks have block heaters, 1 truck has 2 block heaters, usually on that one it takes about 1/2 hour to get warm.The other we leave plugged in for about an hour. they all start like its summer time out. Our Bobcat has a block heater too. That one is in a unheated garage, takes about an hour to warm it up for winter snow removal,when there is no more room to push with our plow truck.
Just a suggestion, block heater will probably be better for your needs. Hope this helps,
Question about the unit you have plugged in, is it with an extension cord, and are all the connections good, and how far away from the outlet? May be to far pulling too many amps with a light extension cord,causing the breaker to trip.
LOU
 
When using a tank type coolant heater you need to do several things to make it work well.

1) Install it as close to vertical as you can.
2) Make sure you have the fitting with the check valve on the bottom.
3) Route your water hoses so that they do not have an air trap in them.
4) Bleed the air out of the coolant heater water circuit before plugging the heater in. Reason being is that you can have an air pocket in the tank and that will harm the heater.

Also you need to make sure the water can thermal cycle in your system. I had a heater issue on a friend's tractor. We found the bottom hose was caked with sediment and was only allowing a small amount of water flow. It would over heat and burn the paint off the heater.

Did you get the same size as what you did have??? They make the Kat's heaters in several wattages.
 
I have found that a block heater works better also. Check to see if your Ford can use the screw in type 1" or 3/4" NPT a lot of the small water cooled diesels use this type. ( I found one for about $18.) Mine uses Kats 11407.
 
I agree with what JDS said. Paint burnt off means an air trap, off vertical installation, or over sized heater, or circulation problem. Follow the directions on the box, not the previous installer's pattern. I have a freeze plug heater, and a LR hose heater, on my ASV loader, figured I already had the AF out, so I installed both, though the LR hose heater is just a back-up, in case the plug heater fails.
 
I just replaced a Kat's in line heater in my 3 cyl diesel john deere, and it is doing the same thing as steve's. I deed get it started and plowed snow with it so it was all warmed up and then pluged it in and it did not trip the breaker. I do not like leaving it plug in 24/7. Could these heaters be bad?
 
Enginie heaters, tank type or otherwise, are not intended for 24/7 operation and will not tolerate such use.

Dean
 
I got just 3 warm ups out of a Kats 500 watt heating pad. Left on btw 2-3 hours each time.
No its DOA.
Can't return it as I bought it last fall but never needed to put it on last winter.

Pete
 

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