Heater plug and cord

[Warhorse]

My 2001 Excursion's 7.3L diesel has a 115V heater to keep it warm in the winter. I am unsure what type of heater it has in it.

Anyway, this morning the wire shorted out at the plug and burned. Should I just wire a regular plug onto it, and wrap the heck out of it with electrical tape to seal it from the weather, what is the proper fix?

[dieselcrawler]

Block heater is 1000 watt, if I recall correctly. Yes, you can just replace the cord end with any standard 115 volt 15 amp 3 wire (grounding) cord end. The factory cord is flat, the center wire is the ground (green wire, or green screw), the side with the ribs is the neutral (white wire, or silver screw), and the smooth side is the hot (black wire, or brass screw)

Another popular option is to get a fixed mount male plug, drill a hole in the bumper to mount it, and then no more dangling cord end... check out the general 7.3 page and do a search for block heater cords, something should come up... "merinco mod" maybe?

[AgTires4295]

Originally Posted by Warhorse

My 2001 Excursion's 7.3L diesel has a 115V heater to keep it warm in the winter. I am unsure what type of heater it has in it.

Anyway, this morning the wire shorted out at the plug and burned. Should I just wire a regular plug onto it, and wrap the heck out of it with electrical tape to seal it from the weather, what is the proper fix?

If you're going to wire a plug onto it, I'd use this stuff: Heat Shrink Tubing : Heat Shrinkable Tubing : ElecDirect.com

It's just the first website that popped up with it. Make sure you put the size you want on BEFORE you solder the the plug on (been the guy who realizes afterwards that I forgot to put the wrap on FIRST). Then heat it with a blow dryer and it will secure itself. After secure, to make it all the more weather-proof, I'd crimp it.

[benzo]

I put a plug on mine last week when the wire broke,if you look on "fleabay" the complete wire and plug is not expensive.

[ZMANN]

better yet do the Marinco mod

it will self unplug when backing out if you forget

TheDieselStop.Com - www.thedieselstop.com

[ninty7pwrstroke]

I just repaired mine too. the PO had let the cord drag on the ground for so long it had exposed all wires. So I went our local hardware store (Jerry's) and purchased a dishwasher cord. It matched perfectly as a 3 wire flat cord. I soldered and heat shrank tubed the splice. Works great.!

[Sticker Monster]

Originally Posted by ZMANN

better yet do the Marinco mod

it will self unplug when backing out if you forget

TheDieselStop.Com - www.thedieselstop.com

I like that

SM

[Stroking]

Buy a new cord off ebay, like 30 bucks and do the marinco mod, best mod i have for the winter right inside the grille

[Warhorse]

Thanks for the replies.

I cheeped out and just replaced the plug, used crimp spade terminals, mastic pad to seal the connection, and applied shrink tube.

[AMSOILdealer]

Mack also has a nice plug that is stainless steel or chrome. I had one awhile ago on another truck. These heaters all need to be disconnected prior to starting. If an air pocket hits it while powered up it will short out. I learned the hard way, needless to say I had to purchase two block heaters.