Electric Cab Heaters Worth Anything?

[BigSix]

Thinking about switching to a dedicated, hard wired, electric cab heater. Not one of those walmart deals that goes into the cigarette lighter. But one of the larger ones they sell on eBay that require wiring to the battery. Question is: will it keep the cab warm? I have a giant alternator to deal with the electrical load - just want to clean up all the heater core related components and plumbing.

[Bullett]

Waiting for reply as well. In my case, just need something for spring and fall chilly nights, my truck is put away in the winter. I suspect I would need to upgrade my alternator though

[BigSix]

The reviews on the actual products seem fishy so I hope someone has tried them. I have a couple friends who used to be over the road truckers and now just pull daily trucks. I could send out some texts to them but I was hoping someone could comment on how they do in pickup/car size chassis.

[frankslagoon]

I've tried the smaller 500 watt jobs, they are useless. I think ya need at least 1500 watts and probably more like 2500 watts, way more if it's 0 degrees out. Watts divided by volts equals amps. If I'm wrong here someboby jump in. That means for a 2000 watt heater ya need about 150 amps just for the heater, not to mention ignition, lights, sound system and so on.

[Palf70Step]

My daughter used one in here car in Kansas during the winter a few years ago and it did not have much effect. she still had to stay heavily bundled up and it sounded like it barely did the windshield.

[patrickk1]

What do you have against using the standard method of having a heater core?

[frankslagoon]

He's just tryen to clean things up. but ya trade a couple 3/4 in hoses for a couple battery cables and still need the heating element. I used the original econo heater in my trk. all the stuff is inside the cab. no heater core box in the engine compartment. it's not as good a heater as the H/D but it still keeps me toasty at 10 degrees. below that it works but I gotta crack a wing window.

[BigSix]

Originally Posted by patrickk1

What do you have against using the standard method of having a heater core?

When I swapped in the diesel I capped the heater core lines and now I like the way it is and wish I could keep them capped and run an electric. Sounds like I will have to plumb in a heater core since the electrics are likely useless.