Pro tip: A frozen job site in Fargo taught me to always pack a second block heater

Got sent out to a construction yard in Fargo last January. It was minus 20, easy. The main generator for the site lights was a big Detroit 8V92. My usual block heater cord was plugged in, but the outlet on the pole was dead. Found out the crew had overloaded the circuit the night before. I was stuck. My boss had to drive 45 minutes to bring a portable propane heater so we could even get the oil warm enough to turn over. Lost half a day of work and the whole crew was standing around. Now I keep a spare 1500-watt magnetic block heater in my service truck, along with a 50-foot heavy-duty extension cord. It cost about $120, but it has saved my butt twice since then. What's your go-to backup for a dead cold start when the usual setup fails?

3 comments

3 Comments

susan64925d ago

Honestly, that just sounds like extra gear to haul and forget. If the site power is dead, just have the crew chief call the utility first thing. A good site should have that backup power sorted, not the mechanic.

milacraig24d ago

Tell that to the crew stuck waiting for the utility truck.

christopher94322d ago

But what if the utility truck is hours out? @milacraig has a point. A small generator on the truck is cheap insurance. It lets the crew work while they wait. Calling the utility doesn't get the job done now. That backup power is the mechanic's job to think about, not the site's. It's about not wasting a whole day.