12vdc electric blanket data needed
- Thread starter 66788
- Start date
Help Support Van Living Forum:
- Joined
- Dec 12, 2010
- Messages
- 7,706
- Reaction score
- 56
Sternwake did a post on his withing the last month and spoke highly of it. This is the threadL
https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Electric-blanket-mattress-pad-use?highlight=blanket
Here are his postsL
I had a mattress heating pad, and the actual battery consumption would range wildly depending on the dial's setting and the ambient temperature.
Minimum was about 24AH consumption in 8 hours, maximum could be as high as 70AH.
The 12v pads do not heat up as much or as fast as household 120vac electric blankets.
I would turn mine on to high about 2 hours before getting into bed, and it would be a very nice 120F, then I would turn it all the way down, or Off.
If I did not turn it all the way down, I would wake up completely overheated and it would take a good half hour before the mattress cooled down enough.
Later on I had acquired a wattmeter to plumb inline and saw the voltage drop at the ciggy plug was extreme. Maximum amps was 6.2 amps.
When I cut off the Ciggy plug and about 3 feet of 18awg wire, and put some anderson powerpoles in place, maximum amperage increased to 7.4 amps, and it heated up much faster and got hotter and actually consumed slightly less battery power overnight. I was at the end of the second winter at this point and not long after, half of the mattress pad failed to heat up. I think it was the wires themselves just got worn out, as opposed to the extra voltage and amperage able to flow through the heating pad from cutting off the ciggy plug, but it certainly could have been a contributing factor.
I went last winter without replacing the pad, and only rarely missed it, but I am in a mild climate that rarely goes below 40f in winter
How much battery capacity and solar for it will vary pretty widely depending on your preferences/ needs.
More blankets is much cheaper, but climbing into an already warm bed when it is cold is heavenly.
= = = = = = = = = = =
I ASKED HIM WHICH MODEL HE HAD, THIS WAS HIS ANSWER:
This was my mattress pad:
http://www.amazon.com/Mattress-Electrowa...ess+heater
I'd also recommend cutting off the heater pad's ciggy plug, and hard wiring (fused) it or using Anderson powerpole connectors.
The thicker the wiring and the fewer the connectors, the quicker it will warm up and les battery will be wasted heating copper and connector before the mattress pad.
If you do not want to cut the cord, make sure the quality Ciggy receptacle is wired with 10AWG, and wrap some rubber bands around the plug so it cannot easily back out of the receptacle
= = = = = = = = = =
ONE LAST POST FROM HIM:
A Heating pad rated at 60 watts, draws 60 watts on High or Low, it just cycle on more frequently on High than when on low, at least this is how my 50 watt pad works. It does not draw 50 watts on high and 25 watts on low. It also does not mean it also draw 50 watts the whole time it is on high.
Some heating pad controllers do not like MSW inverters. I have one, a more recent one which has a government mandated timer that will not restart unless I either unplug the unit or turn the MSW inverter off for a few seconds, then back on. If it is on my PSW inverter I just turn dial off then back on
I use my older one that has no timer device, but mostly to heat my 5 gallon shower bag when I have grid power. Takes about 14 hours to take it from 65 to 110F. Too much for my batteries and charging sources alone, but I will stick the bag on my black dashboard facing south and utilize the heating pad under it, to assist the sun in getting the water as warm as possible in the time available.
This last winter without the mattress heating pad,on the coldest nights I took a 200 watt heater under the covers with me to help warm up the mattress and blankets, no more than 10 or 15 minutes though, more is not needed.
a 200 watt heater Takes over 18 amps from the batteries Via my PSW inverter. Peukert steps in an hammers total available battery capacity at that discharge rate
= = = = = = = =
Bob
https://vanlivingforum.com/Thread-Electric-blanket-mattress-pad-use?highlight=blanket
Here are his postsL
I had a mattress heating pad, and the actual battery consumption would range wildly depending on the dial's setting and the ambient temperature.
Minimum was about 24AH consumption in 8 hours, maximum could be as high as 70AH.
The 12v pads do not heat up as much or as fast as household 120vac electric blankets.
I would turn mine on to high about 2 hours before getting into bed, and it would be a very nice 120F, then I would turn it all the way down, or Off.
If I did not turn it all the way down, I would wake up completely overheated and it would take a good half hour before the mattress cooled down enough.
Later on I had acquired a wattmeter to plumb inline and saw the voltage drop at the ciggy plug was extreme. Maximum amps was 6.2 amps.
When I cut off the Ciggy plug and about 3 feet of 18awg wire, and put some anderson powerpoles in place, maximum amperage increased to 7.4 amps, and it heated up much faster and got hotter and actually consumed slightly less battery power overnight. I was at the end of the second winter at this point and not long after, half of the mattress pad failed to heat up. I think it was the wires themselves just got worn out, as opposed to the extra voltage and amperage able to flow through the heating pad from cutting off the ciggy plug, but it certainly could have been a contributing factor.
I went last winter without replacing the pad, and only rarely missed it, but I am in a mild climate that rarely goes below 40f in winter
How much battery capacity and solar for it will vary pretty widely depending on your preferences/ needs.
More blankets is much cheaper, but climbing into an already warm bed when it is cold is heavenly.
= = = = = = = = = = =
I ASKED HIM WHICH MODEL HE HAD, THIS WAS HIS ANSWER:
This was my mattress pad:
http://www.amazon.com/Mattress-Electrowa...ess+heater
I'd also recommend cutting off the heater pad's ciggy plug, and hard wiring (fused) it or using Anderson powerpole connectors.
The thicker the wiring and the fewer the connectors, the quicker it will warm up and les battery will be wasted heating copper and connector before the mattress pad.
If you do not want to cut the cord, make sure the quality Ciggy receptacle is wired with 10AWG, and wrap some rubber bands around the plug so it cannot easily back out of the receptacle
= = = = = = = = = =
ONE LAST POST FROM HIM:
A Heating pad rated at 60 watts, draws 60 watts on High or Low, it just cycle on more frequently on High than when on low, at least this is how my 50 watt pad works. It does not draw 50 watts on high and 25 watts on low. It also does not mean it also draw 50 watts the whole time it is on high.
Some heating pad controllers do not like MSW inverters. I have one, a more recent one which has a government mandated timer that will not restart unless I either unplug the unit or turn the MSW inverter off for a few seconds, then back on. If it is on my PSW inverter I just turn dial off then back on
I use my older one that has no timer device, but mostly to heat my 5 gallon shower bag when I have grid power. Takes about 14 hours to take it from 65 to 110F. Too much for my batteries and charging sources alone, but I will stick the bag on my black dashboard facing south and utilize the heating pad under it, to assist the sun in getting the water as warm as possible in the time available.
This last winter without the mattress heating pad,on the coldest nights I took a 200 watt heater under the covers with me to help warm up the mattress and blankets, no more than 10 or 15 minutes though, more is not needed.
a 200 watt heater Takes over 18 amps from the batteries Via my PSW inverter. Peukert steps in an hammers total available battery capacity at that discharge rate
= = = = = = = =
Bob
66788
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2014
- Messages
- 1,035
- Reaction score
- 8
Guess I'll be using the Olympian heater more, as the electric blankets draw too much current. I have both the Wave3 and the Wave6, but the Wave 3 has worked well in my Dodge High Top down to 17 degrees F. while the snow was falling outside.
My memory foam mattress stays amazingly warm once I've been in bed for a few minutes. As long as I don't roll over to a new spot, I stay quite warm.
I might carry a 110v electric blanket just for times when I have shore power.
Thanks for the replies!
My memory foam mattress stays amazingly warm once I've been in bed for a few minutes. As long as I don't roll over to a new spot, I stay quite warm.
I might carry a 110v electric blanket just for times when I have shore power.
Thanks for the replies!
eDJ_
Well-known member
I've slept under electric blankets since I was a kid. I know the thread topic is about the electric draw, but there is more to an electric blanket than the electrical wiring.
They are made of different materials which have different thermal characteristics too. The warmest to own is
the ones made of Acrylic fiber. Even if you don't turn on the electric. They are almost too hot to sleep under
during the summer nights. But they are delightful during cold winter nights.
There are other materials these blankets are made of too and they aren't as warm on cold nights. Today you can use bed cover "Comforters" over top of the electric blanket. You may only want the electric blanket on
for 1/2 hour to get the bed warm. After that it may be too hot if you have a "comforter" atop the blanket.
http://www.electricblanketinstitute.com/what-to-look-for.html
They are made of different materials which have different thermal characteristics too. The warmest to own is
the ones made of Acrylic fiber. Even if you don't turn on the electric. They are almost too hot to sleep under
during the summer nights. But they are delightful during cold winter nights.
There are other materials these blankets are made of too and they aren't as warm on cold nights. Today you can use bed cover "Comforters" over top of the electric blanket. You may only want the electric blanket on
for 1/2 hour to get the bed warm. After that it may be too hot if you have a "comforter" atop the blanket.
http://www.electricblanketinstitute.com/what-to-look-for.html
While I can't give you any exact figures, my 12v electric blankets heat up instantly, and have 15/30/45 minute timer on them. I keep mine set for 15 minutes, and if I wake up chilly, I'll turn it on and drift right back off to sleep enjoying the warmth. I don't think I've ever used it more than 3 or 4 times in a night, even in Alaska. There is no noticeable battery drain.
I have my house battery with ciggy plugs mounted under my bed, so it is very handy to plug into. I would NEVER recommend removing the original fused plug on these. I do highly recommend the blankets though, just be sure to get one with a timer, because not all of them have that feature.
I have my house battery with ciggy plugs mounted under my bed, so it is very handy to plug into. I would NEVER recommend removing the original fused plug on these. I do highly recommend the blankets though, just be sure to get one with a timer, because not all of them have that feature.
Similar threads
