Titan-P5 Circulating Engine Block Heater
1000W to 2500W with a built-in 900 L/h pump. Plug in 30–60 minutes before startup and your engine is at operating temperature before you turn the key. In production since 1998 — the first engine block heater with an integrated circulation pump.
Why a Pump Changes Everything
Most block heaters rely on thermosiphon — hot coolant rises, cold coolant sinks, and the whole process crawls. It works, but it heats unevenly and it heats slowly.
The Titan-P5 pushes coolant instead of waiting for it. A built-in magnetic pump moves 900 litres per hour through the block, so heat reaches the cylinders, the coolant passages and the oil sump at roughly the same time — not just the metal nearest the heater.
There is a practical consequence that owners describe well: a properly warmed block often feels cold to the touch, because the heat is spread evenly instead of concentrated in one spot. Uneven heating feels more dramatic and does less work.
Which Power Rating Do You Need?
Larger engines hold more coolant and take longer to come up to temperature. A 1000W heater that works fine on a pickup will not move a 15-litre diesel. Pick by engine displacement, not by price.
| Engine displacement | Power rating | Voltage | Typical application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 3 L | 1000W | 110V or 230V | Pickups, compact tractors, small gensets |
| 3–6 L | 1500W | 110V or 230V | Heavy-duty pickups, mid-size tractors, delivery trucks |
| 6–10 L | 2000W | 230V only | Semi trucks, construction machines, standby gensets |
| 10–15 L | 2500W | 230V only | Class 8 tractors, large generator sets |
| Over 15 L | 3000W (built to order) | 230V only | Industrial engines — contact us |
One limit to know before you order. On a 110V supply the Titan-P5 is built up to 1500W only. That is not an arbitrary cut-off — a 1500W heater draws about 12.5 A, which already fills most of a standard 15 A circuit. If your engine needs 2000W or more, you need a 230V supply.
What’s in the Box
The most common complaint about circulating block heaters has nothing to do with the heater. It is the plumbing. Owners on tractor and diesel forums routinely report that the brass tees, barbs and clamps needed to splice the unit in cost more than the heater itself — and that a “15-minute job” turns into an afternoon.
The Titan-P5 ships with the fittings. Two tee fittings, hose clamps, a mounting bracket and the power cord are in the box. It ties into your existing 5/8 in (16 mm) coolant hose — no freeze plug to pull, no drilling into the block.
Unboxing the Titan-P5 — every fitting shown above comes in the box.
Inside the Titan-P5
Ten parts, one job. Coolant enters at the base, passes the copper-plated heating tube, and the built-in pump pushes it back out to the engine. Dual ceramic thermostats sit on the element side: one cuts power at 149°F (65°C) and heating restarts at 113°F (45°C). The second is there so that a single failed thermostat cannot leave the element running.
Built for Engines That Smaller Heaters Can’t Handle
The Titan-P5 is sized for heavy-duty pickups, semi trucks, tractors, off-road construction equipment and large diesel generator sets.
Standby generators are the case where cold starts stop being an inconvenience and become a liability. A generator that needs several minutes to reach operating temperature is a generator that underperforms in the first minutes of an outage — exactly when it is being asked for full load. A block heater keeps it at temperature so it starts and takes load immediately.
For trucks, the same logic applies to idling. Running an engine just to keep it warm burns fuel, accumulates hours and puts you on the wrong side of anti-idling rules in a growing number of jurisdictions. A block heater does the warming with the engine switched off.
Also see: truck block heaters · tractor block heaters · need a smaller unit? Titan-P3 diesel engine preheater
Installation
Most installs take 45 to 90 minutes with basic hand tools. Four things decide whether it runs for years or fails in a week.
Step-by-step install. The procedure is identical across the whole Titan series — the unit in this video is a Titan-P1.
1. Mount it low, outlet up
Mount the heater about 20 cm below the coolant tank with the outlet pointing up, and keep it 10–15 cm away from fuel lines. Outlet up lets trapped air escape on its own instead of collecting inside the pump.
2. Bleed every bubble before you plug it in
This is the one that kills heaters. An element that is not fully immersed in coolant overheats and burns out — which is also why you must never bench-test the heater by plugging it in dry. Fill the system, run the engine to circulate, and bleed until no bubbles come out. Only then connect power.
3. Return it to the block, not just the heater core
Splice into the coolant hoses so the warmed coolant returns to the engine block. Plumb it into the cabin heater loop alone and you will warm the heater core while the block stays cold.
4. Use distilled water in your coolant mix
Tap water leaves mineral scale that builds up inside the pump and reduces flow over time.
Full engine block heater buying and installation guide →
Specifications
| Model | Titan-P5 |
|---|---|
| Power ratings | 1000W / 1500W / 2000W / 2500W — 3000W built to order |
| Voltage | 110V (up to 1500W) or 230V (all ratings) |
| Heating element | Copper-plated heating tube, rated 8,000 hours |
| Circulation pump | Built-in magnetic pump, 900 L/h, rated 5,000 hours |
| Thermostats | Dual ceramic — off at 149°F (65°C), restart at 113°F (45°C) |
| Hose interface | 5/8 in (16 mm) |
| Dimensions | 8 × 3.7 × 3.2 in (202 × 95 × 82 mm) |
| Net weight | 1.4 kg (3.1 lb) |
| Warm-up time | 30–60 minutes |
| Certification | CE and RoHS certified |
| TÜV Rheinland testing | EMC conformity certificate AE 50378728 0001 (Directive 2014/30/EU) · safety tested to IEC 60335-1, CB report 50073775 001 |
| Warranty | 12 months |
| In production since | 1998 |
Why Buy From the Factory
Vvkb has built engine heaters since 1996. The Titan-P5 went into production in 1998 as the first engine block heater with a built-in circulation pump — and the same core design is still in production today, which is not a claim most heater brands can make about a product line.
You are buying from the factory, not a reseller. The specification you see is the specification we build, and technical questions get answered by the people who make the part.
For European buyers: the Titan-P5 carries CE and RoHS certification, and TÜV Rheinland has tested it both for electromagnetic compatibility (conformity certificate AE 50378728 0001, Directive 2014/30/EU) and for electrical safety to IEC 60335-1 (CB report 50073775 001). Those report numbers are quotable in your own technical file — ask us and we will send the documents.
View all Vvkb certifications →
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I run it before starting the engine?
Plug in 30 to 60 minutes before startup. The thermostat shuts the heater off at 149°F (65°C), so you do not have to time it precisely. Do not cut it short in deep cold — running a heater for only half an hour at -25°F leaves engine oil still too stiff to pump, and that does more damage than a cold start.
Can I leave it plugged in overnight?
We do not recommend it. The thermostat cycles to hold temperature, so overnight operation is mostly wasted electricity, and it removes the safety margin of an unattended heater. Use a timer set for 30 to 60 minutes before you need the engine.
Why did my previous block heater burn out right after installation?
Almost always trapped air. If the heating element is not fully immersed in coolant it overheats and fails, sometimes within a night or two. The same thing happens if you bench-test a heater by plugging it in dry. Bleed the system completely before connecting power.
How do I know the pump is actually circulating?
Feel the hoses after 20 to 30 minutes. If the upper hose and the coolant lines are warm, coolant is moving. A faint vibration or hum from the pump when it is plugged in is normal, not a fault.
The block does not feel hot. Is it working?
A block warmed properly often feels cool to the hand, because the heat is distributed evenly through a large mass of metal rather than concentrated at one point. Judge it by how the engine starts, not by surface temperature.
Which power rating do I need?
Match it to engine displacement, not vehicle type. Up to 3 L, 1000W. Three to six litres, 1500W. Six to ten litres, 2000W. Ten to fifteen litres, 2500W. Above that, contact us for a built-to-order 3000W unit. One limit to know: on a 110V supply the Titan-P5 is built up to 1500W only — everything above that is 230V.
Do I need to pull a freeze plug to install it?
No. The Titan-P5 splices into the existing coolant hose using the tee fittings supplied in the box. No drilling, no freeze plug removal, no engine teardown.
How long will it last?
The copper-plated heating tube is rated for 8,000 hours and the magnetic pump for 5,000 hours. Install it correctly — bled properly, mounted low, distilled water in the coolant — and those ratings are realistic. Backed by a 12-month warranty.
Ready to Order?
Need a single unit? Shop the Titan-P5 on rvheater.com with worldwide shipping. Buying for a fleet, a dealership or an OEM programme? Send us the engine details and we will quote.