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Block heater & Battery blanket question

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Hitzy

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
When I bought my Jeep, dealer told me that all Canadian Riots come with block heaters and battery blankets and showed me the plug under the hood, and the thin wafer looking blanket around the battery.
Now that I looked into this on the Mopar site, both seem to have plug in's, but there is only one plug under my hood. It doesn't go to the blanket, so I assume it's for the block heater.
So what's the score on the blanket? Is it just some cheapo gimmick affair.....can't be too effective if it doesn't plug into anything? Or am I missing something?
 
#3 ·
where exactly is the block heater plug? I never knew our Pat's came with them.
 
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#5 ·
thanks! I'll go take a look when I get off work now :)
 
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#6 ·
I do not know of any "battery blanket" Hitzy. I have that thin plastic, but I am not sure I would call it a "battery blanket".

I will take a better look and let you know what I find.
 
#8 ·
Yes, I just checked and I have the same thin plastic.

If it does provlde any benefit, it is likely small. Ottawa can get a little cold, perhaps not as much as Alberta. Perhaps we should get that blanket eh?
 
#9 ·
No, it is not a true battery blanket, just more plastic. the plug is for the bolck heater, i had the option added when i ordered mine, since like Canada is get's cold in Fairbanks Alaska where i am heading. I had a battery blanket when i live in Alaska in 98 on my car, and it helped out, then again i did not have a block heater, just a little magnetic heater slapped to the bottom of the oil pan.
 
Discussion starter · #10 · (Edited)
I have never had a "battery blanket" and never had a problem starting my cars/trucks even down to -30......block heater seems to do the trick all on it's own :)

Has anyone tried running the plug down (and tying it up of course) to the lower front fascia openings below the rad? Or some other usefull location?
I hate leaving them out flapping against the side of the vehicle all winter.....and it's a pain in the butt to put it back under the hood every day after use.
 
#11 ·
woohoo.... found the block heater plug. I'm sure I'll use it in our winters.
 
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#12 ·
I ran my block heater cord down the front of the Rad and AC cooler and tied the plug on with some cord. You can tuck it in behind the front bottom grill. It's a tight fir but you can do it. I've been through the tocuchless wash and it stays there.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Tips from the second coldest capital city in the world

What your riot likely came with is a battery jacket, a battery blanket is a different animal.

You plug a battery blanket into an outlet to keep the battery warm so that it can provide optimum cranking power in the cold.

I don’t know why people love block heaters yet snub the battery blanket.

They do two different jobs.

After the car starts all the wonders of the block heater come into play but if you want the car to spark in extreme temperatures than a warm battery may help.

Lets consider that a battery sitting at just -20 degrees may be running at half power or much less depending on the Cold Cranking Amperage capacity or rating.

Lets factor in the fact that our computer system needs to draw 9 volts to start the fuel injection, if your battery is fully charged it can deliver a higher % of power, spark and ignition.

A battery blanket has been called the automotive version of a heating pad. By raising the temperature of the battery it can deliver optimum power to the starter, ignition system, spark and computers.

Batteries that have been partially or fully discharged can and do freeze in these climates.

Remember whenever you are idling and running all the electrical bells and whistles that a typical winter driver has running, you are discharging the battery, the alternator factors in when the engine speed increases.
Part of the reason I started to wince when I found I couldn't turn off the headlight delay, or stop them from coming on when I use the keyless unlock feature.
Hello?

A battery blanket or trickle charger may just be the :pepper: that your car needs some far too frosty morning down the line.

Cheers
 
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#15 ·
BarryB said:
I always thought those battery insulator jackets were to shield the heat in the summer.
Click to expand...
You're right!, I was checking that too! In the user manual it's called a «thermowrap» and is a heat protection component «Failure to reinstall can result in evaporative loss of battery fluid» also mentioned.

BTW anyone knows specs and group of OEM battery in Patriot???
 
#16 ·
OEM battery

My oem battery is rated 525 CCA, with RC (reserve capacity) of 100 AmpHr. I'm not sure about the rating for Trail-Rated MK, since they have a more bigger alternator.

The OEM battery seems to be average, compared to the after-market availability.

Funny, the folks replying to this battery thread are mostly Canucks. Maybe its the climate in the Great White North.;)
 
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