GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

How many watts does the the Block Heater use?I want to use a digital timer that is rated for 1200 Watts but says it should be used for lights only. The block heater timers have crappy displays/controls or are mechanical with no battery backup. Thanks A

how ironic, i just went through the same thought/process 2 days ago. i have a digital timer i used for lights but it didn't say 'for lights only'. Unfortunately, it's a few years old and the AA battery that was in it corroded and so the contacts aren't great (a slight nudge resets the time!). In the long run, my friend told me that the block heater is somewhere between 50 - 100W. SO i just plug it in all night. It's the same as having one light bulb on all night...i don't think it'll drastically increase your hydro bill or destroy the planet (used during off peak hours!)

I don't know for sure...but I was just on Subaru's site today and their block heater is 400 watts. Anything that produces heat is going to be heavy on the watts. Example...a hair dryer is usually adjustable for anywhere between 500-1500 watts.