A system for use with a block heater connected to an engine for pre-start heating of the engine. The system includes a power source, a relay assembly coupled to the power source, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The relay assembly, when closed, electrically connects the power source to the block heater, to thereby energize the block heater to heat the engine. The temperature sensor senses an ambient temperature indicative of a temperature of the engine. The controller is programmed to selectively activate the relay assembly to energize the block heater such that the engine coupled to the block heater is heated from the sensed ambient temperature to a target temperature at approximately a target time.

A system for use with a block heater connected to an engine for pre-start heating of the engine. The system includes a power source, a relay assembly coupled to the power source, a temperature sensor, and a controller. The relay assembly, when closed, electrically connects the power source to the block heater, to thereby energize the block heater to heat the engine. The temperature sensor senses an ambient temperature indicative of a temperature of the engine. The controller is programmed to selectively activate the relay assembly to energize the block heater such that the engine coupled to the block heater is heated from the sensed ambient temperature to a target temperature at approximately a target time.

A vehicle engine heater includes a heat generator or heater portion and a heat distribution portion. The heater portion includes an external housing defining an interior air channel therethrough extending from an intake port to an exhaust port. An electric fan and heating elements are mounted within the air channel. The electric fan and heating elements are coupled to an electric power cord having a controller to control the electricity flowing to the electric fan and heating elements. The heat distribution portion includes an elongated main conduit and a base having a pair of legs includes two laterally opposed feet. The main conduit has a series of air openings extending from the central channel to a top surface. The open end is coupled to the housing of the heater portion at the location of the exhaust port.

A vehicle engine heater includes a heat generator or heater portion and a heat distribution portion. The heater portion includes an external housing defining an interior air channel therethrough extending from an intake port to an exhaust port. An electric fan and heating elements are mounted within the air channel. The electric fan and heating elements are coupled to an electric power cord having a controller to control the electricity flowing to the electric fan and heating elements. The heat distribution portion includes an elongated main conduit and a base having a pair of legs includes two laterally opposed feet. The main conduit has a series of air openings extending from the central channel to a top surface. The open end is coupled to the housing of the heater portion at the location of the exhaust port.

An engine system for an off-highway vehicle includes a diesel engine configured to drive a driveline of the vehicle; an after-treatment arrangement configured to reduce emissions from the engine system; an after-treatment heating element configured to raise an operating temperature of the after-treatment arrangement; an electric energy storage device; and a controller configured to direct energy from the electric energy storage device to the after-treatment heating element in order to raise the operating temperature of the after-treatment arrangement.

An engine system for an off-highway vehicle includes a diesel engine configured to drive a driveline of the vehicle; an after-treatment arrangement configured to reduce emissions from the engine system; an after-treatment heating element configured to raise an operating temperature of the after-treatment arrangement; an electric energy storage device; and a controller configured to direct energy from the electric energy storage device to the after-treatment heating element in order to raise the operating temperature of the after-treatment arrangement.

An electrical load resistance includes a housing having at least one U-shaped receiving pocket, in which at least one PTC heating element is accommodated. The PTC heating element includes at least one PTC element and at least one contact plate electrically conductively connected to the PTC element for energizing the PTC element. The contact plate has a terminal lug for plug contacting the PTC element, and the PTC heating element abuts at least on opposite main side surfaces of the receiving pocket in a heat-conducting manner and projects beyond the terminal lug of the receiving pocket. The housing of the electrical load resistance is closed, and thus has no inlet or outlet openings for a medium to be heated. Also provided is a device with an electrical load resistance for reducing the starting time of an internal combustion engine, a method for reducing the starting time of an internal combustion engine, and a use of a PTC heating device as an electrical load resistance for reducing the starting time of an internal combustion engine.

An electrical load resistance includes a housing having at least one U-shaped receiving pocket, in which at least one PTC heating element is accommodated. The PTC heating element includes at least one PTC element and at least one contact plate electrically conductively connected to the PTC element for energizing the PTC element. The contact plate has a terminal lug for plug contacting the PTC element, and the PTC heating element abuts at least on opposite main side surfaces of the receiving pocket in a heat-conducting manner and projects beyond the terminal lug of the receiving pocket. The housing of the electrical load resistance is closed, and thus has no inlet or outlet openings for a medium to be heated. Also provided is a device with an electrical load resistance for reducing the starting time of an internal combustion engine, a method for reducing the starting time of an internal combustion engine, and a use of a PTC heating device as an electrical load resistance for reducing the starting time of an internal combustion engine.

A method for preconditioning at least a part of an engine system of a vehicle. The engine system includes an engine and an exhaust aftertreatment system, EATS. The method providing predicted vehicle operational information comprising a vehicle operational initialization time and predicted engine operation, determining whether or not cold-start emissions of the predicted engine operation achieves a threshold criterium, in response to achieving the threshold criterium, preconditioning at least a part of the engine system such that at least said part of the engine system is preconditioned at a time of the vehicle operational initialization time.

An engine pre-heating system includes a housing that houses a climate control heating element and a controller configured in the housing. The controller generates an energizing signal for controlling an amount of electrical power provided to multiple engine heating elements that are thermally coupled to the engines of multiple vehicles. The controller also generates a climate control signal for controlling the climate controlled heating element to maintain the controller inside the housing within a specified temperature range. The energizing signal provided to the engine heating elements is inversely proportional to an ambient temperature proximate the engines.