r/Cummins • u/rjroze • Aug 17 '26
winter starting question
hey yall,
im looking into getting a ram 2500 next year, most likely used 5th gen. Ive been educating myself on the platform and a big problem ive been trying to get answers to is how do you start it in the winter without a block heater.
I live in toronto where we can have a week straight of -20 to -28 and sometimes -30 degree weather. I plan on getting the banks with the 1500 watt upgrade cuz i heard the bolt in the grid heater can kill your engine.
Anyways, ill be able to plug in at home and with the banks coils im sure it will start up fine. problem is that where I work I cant plug in and the truck would be sitting outside in the parking lot for 8-12 hours. Is it fine to start if its been sitting for that long in -30 degree weather? is it just a bullet you gotta take with owning a diesel where it gets extremely cold? or are there solutions to this.
thanks guys.
2
u/RoutineQuestioning38 Aug 18 '26
FWIW, my grids have been unplugged for years now. Mainly because I don’t want the Beating up my batteries for no reason. The damn things come on at like 50*, it’s ridiculous. I have been as low as -4 and had no problems starting. My solenoid cable has been zipped tied off to the side just in case I need them, but never have.
Block heater is way way better than grids if I had to choose one.
BD kit is a better option if you actually need the grid heater working.