Frayed and Worn block heater cords can cause Fires.
Its that time of year again to start to use the block heaters in our vehicles. But like most of us, you probably haven’t given much thought to the condition of the cords that supply the up to the 1500 Watts of power necessary. On the whole, the block heater itself is quite safe but the cords just might be in pretty bad shape. And if, like others, you forget occasionally to unplug your vehicle before driving away, you can do some real damage to those cords.
Another problem is using an extension cord that cannot handle the amount of electricity necessary to operate your block heater. They use a lot of power and if the cord is too small, it can over-heat, melt and cause a fire. So you need a cord that is rated for a block heater.
Vehicles are surprisingly flammable and once they get started they can take anything around them – like your house – up in smoke with them. Its a good rule of thumb to ensure that your vehicle is a minimum of 3 meters or 10 feet from your home.
So today, before you forget, go out and check the cords that carry electricity to your block heater. Over the years the insulation can crack and expose the wiring underneath them or, if your driven away while still plugged in, inspect the extension cord plugs. With the sealed units we have today, it is difficult to see if the wire has been stretched causing a possible short. When in doubt, replace the extension and block heater cords. If you come out in the morning and find the area around the plugs warm, that’s a bad sign. Time to replace those cords. Don’t use it again. Better to be late for work than put your family at risk by continuing to use a cord you fear is faulty.