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Author Topic: Block Heater plug without ground prong?  (Read 9973 times)

Offline Shnak

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Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« on: February 23, 2006, 10:35:24 am »
Well my gf forgot that the block heater was plugged a few weeks ago and caused the ground prong to be bent quite badly. With pryers, I tried to fix the prong, but the metal used is so freaking strong I couldn't unbend it very much, and it actually broke inside of the plug.

I checked with my dealership and they don't replace the plug... and replacing the whole cord would take a few hours of labor... it'd be actually very close to buying a new block heater (257$) and having them install it then having them replace only the cord with a new one... that's rediculous IMO.

Anyways, can I just rip out of the ground prong and continue using the block heater without it? The other 2 prongs are fine... Can that cause any damage to my car?
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Offline mrthompson

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2006, 11:15:12 am »
Cut off the damaged plug and wire up a new 3-wire plug.
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mdxtasy

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2006, 11:28:32 am »
Quote from: mrthompson on February 23, 2006, 11:15:12 am
Cut off the damaged plug and wire up a new 3-wire plug.

Exactly.  Crap Tire sells a good solid plug for a few bucks.  Shove it in. 
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Offline articsteve

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #3 on: February 23, 2006, 11:57:19 am »
The ground is to protect the person, not the car.  Surely you can install a new cord yourself?  or splice a new one in if your not to keen on a replacement plug hanging out the front which are a little bulky.
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Offline Shnak

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #4 on: February 23, 2006, 12:01:00 pm »
bah I don't care to install that stuff myself... there's a reason I didn't become an electrician or a mecanic...  :P

So steve, you're saying that using the plug without the groung prong will work just fine? Or do I really need to replace the plug?
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Offline ktm525

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #5 on: February 23, 2006, 12:06:45 pm »
Schnak. Losing the ground will probably have no effect 99999/100000 but then again  plugging in a high amp  unit while standing in a salty puddle of melt water off dripping off  of your car could be the last thing you ever do. :o.
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Offline ovr50

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #6 on: February 23, 2006, 12:09:35 pm »
Quote from: ktm525 on February 23, 2006, 12:06:45 pm
Schnak. Losing the ground will probably have no effect 99999/100000 but then again  plugging in a high amp  unit while standing in a salty puddle of melt water off dripping off  of your car could be the last thing you ever do. :o.

 :iagree:

I might use a plug in without the ground plug for lesser applications, but I think with a block heater that draws a lot of power, I would want the ground plug there. It'll work without the ground but it is dangerous.
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mdxtasy

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #7 on: February 23, 2006, 12:14:08 pm »
Quote from: Shnak on February 23, 2006, 12:01:00 pm
bah I don't care to install that stuff myself...

Wanna shock yourself?
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Offline Shnak

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #8 on: February 23, 2006, 12:15:53 pm »
hmm yeah... that's kind of what I thought too... but a friend of mine had told me about not needing the ground at all... maybe he's not such a good friend afterall!  :rofl:

I guess I'll go to a small shop and ask them if they can do it... my VW mechanic simply didn't want to replace the plug itself... it was the cord, or the block heater completely. And really, he told me that VW doesn't want them to replace the cord either, even though it's a VW block heater!! That's a bunch of crap as I'm sure it's not a very big job...
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Offline Shnak

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #9 on: February 23, 2006, 12:16:55 pm »
Quote from: mdxtasy on February 23, 2006, 12:14:08 pm
Quote from: Shnak on February 23, 2006, 12:01:00 pm
bah I don't care to install that stuff myself...

Wanna shock yourself?


I'll look for another option than installing a new plug myself... and until then, I will not use my block heater... it's getting warmer anyways, so no immediate need for the block heater anymore...

Thanks for the help everyone!
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Offline mrthompson

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2006, 12:29:23 pm »
Just curious...do you plug your block heater into an outdoor GFCI outlet?
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Offline articsteve

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2006, 12:29:32 pm »
Quote from: Shnak on February 23, 2006, 12:01:00 pm
bah I don't care to install that stuff myself... there's a reason I didn't become an electrician or a mecanic...  :P


bah I don't care to install that stuff myself... there's a reason I didn't become an electrician or a mecanic...  :P

Give it 20 years Shank and you'll end up both.  ;)

So steve, you're saying that using the plug without the groung prong will work just fine? Or do I really need to replace the plug?

You could use a portable ground fault interrupter on the supply side of the cord.  I use one anytime I'm using power tools outside any place regardless of how good the wiring is, grounded or not.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2006, 12:31:28 pm by articsteve »
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Offline Shnak

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2006, 12:54:42 pm »
Quote from: mrthompson on February 23, 2006, 12:29:23 pm
Just curious...do you plug your block heater into an outdoor GFCI outlet?

No idea what GFCI means, but I (used to) plug my car in a outlet that sits in a big gray box with a little cover... I assume it's designed for outdoors use.
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Offline mrthompson

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2006, 01:03:10 pm »
Jeez....do you pay someone to wipe your bum too?   :rofl2:

Ground Fault Interrupter Circuit.  It will have a reset button if it is a GFCI outlet.
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Offline articsteve

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2006, 01:28:42 pm »
Quote from: Shnak on February 23, 2006, 12:54:42 pm
Quote from: mrthompson on February 23, 2006, 12:29:23 pm
Just curious...do you plug your block heater into an outdoor GFCI outlet?

No idea what GFCI means, but I (used to) plug my car in a outlet that sits in a big gray box with a little cover... I assume it's designed for outdoors use.

Don't assume, LOOK, many aren't ground faulted.  However it could be ground faulted in the service panel.
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Offline mrthompson

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #15 on: February 23, 2006, 01:40:11 pm »
Artic, he'll have to pay someone to do that for him.   :rofl:
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mdxtasy

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #16 on: February 23, 2006, 01:45:18 pm »
Quote from: mrthompson on February 23, 2006, 01:03:10 pm
Jeez....do you pay someone to wipe your bum too?   :rofl2:


Doesn't everybody?  There's a labour shortage.....who wants a job?  ;)
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Offline Shnak

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #17 on: February 23, 2006, 02:17:47 pm »
Hey, I put gas and washer fluid in my car... that's about the most I can/want to do... everything else, I leave it to people that know what they're doing. I certainly won't start splicing electric cords, plug it in, and wake up in the middle of the night with my car on fire...  :P
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Offline articsteve

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #18 on: February 23, 2006, 03:02:09 pm »
Well thats a good point.  Your insurance adjuster would find that too probably and void your policy.
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Offline barrie1

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Re: Block Heater plug without ground prong?
« Reply #19 on: February 23, 2006, 06:58:02 pm »
I wonder who changes light bulbs in your house as changing out a plug is a very simple task. Even my 5 year old Grandson has been taught already how to do it. The wires are coloured coded and very easy to do. Just how helpless are you in the world of repairs?  :( :)
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