Elecric Blankets and Mattress Pads

[Optimistic Paranoid]

There have been a number of mentions of using 12 volt electric blankets here in various threads. It came up again in the thread on venting your heaters:

Instead of heating the air, I suggest you heat the areas in which you'll be sitting/laying. A 12 volt heated blanket in your bed (above the sheet, under a quilt/comforter) will warm up your bed nicely. Turn it on about 15 minutes before you clime in and turn it off when you get in.

There are 12 volt heated chair pads that you can use for the same purpose.

Of course both require electric, but there is no need for venting, the risk of fire is almost not with mentioning (you'd have to circumvent the blanket's/pad's fuse to risk a fire) and they don't produce poison gas. Plus if you get a solar setup (even a small one) you don't have to use any fossil fuels!

I have no personal experience with them, though I DO remember hearing that you are not supposed to lay on TOP of an electric blanket.

I decided to research it a bit. I found the following helpful site:

The Electric Blanket Institute

It turns out that they make special electric mattress pads for use under you, and yes, you shouldn't try to sleep on top of an electric blanket. They'll explain why.

Their FAQ section was particularly interesting.

They mentioned that 50% of dog owners and a much higher percent of cat owners allow their pets to sleep on the bed with them, but the manufacturers ALL advise against this when electric blankets or pads are in use. Too much danger of their claws or teeth breaking the internal wires.

On the subject of using an AC model with an inverter in an rv, they say that it is no problem with a pure sine wave model, but that most blankets will fail if you try to use them with a modified sine wave inverter,

They had some interesting things to say about how much an electric mattress pad can help if you suffer from arthritis or fibromyalgia, or even just muscle soreness or an aching back, as well as several other conditions.

They say that the makers of some memory foam mattresses say not to use them on their mattresses, while other manufacturers say they are no problem.

All in all, if you are thinking about this, I would recommend you check out this site first.

BTW, Wikipedia has an article on electric blankets, and they say that British authorities report that they cause about 5,000 fires annually in the UK - mostly blamed on old, pre 2000 designs still in use. But that certainly calls their safety into question.

Regards
John

ps: In addition to the 12 volt electric blankets that are usually mentioned here, I see that Amazon also sells a 12 volt electric mattress pad -
http://www.amazon.com/Mattress-Elec...6745&sr=8-8&keywords=12+volt+electric+blanket

 

[highdesertranger]

thanks paranoid I have often thought about the safety of electric blankets. after all you are sleeping on a short circuit basically. highdesertranger

 

[SternWake]

Half of my mattress heating pad failed last year. I need to get another as it is quite nice crawling into a warm bed. Usually id turn it off or way down once in.

I might try and see where my old pad failed, but doubt I could fix it, safely

 

[concretebox]

Food for thought Optimistic. Our difference of opinion may come from differences in experience.

I've never slept in an enclosed space with a heating device that produced poison gas or heated up to 700+ degrees. I have used electric blankets since I was a kid and I've never once been shocked or seen any evidence of fire. I now sleep with a dog a use a plain ol' (not a pure sine wave) inverter and haven't seen any damage to the blanket.

Based on my experience, and admittedly only what I "hear" about gas-powered space heaters, the blankets seem far less risky to me.

 

[akrvbob]

I think there is a consideration here you aren't considering.

Staying warm at night while you sleep is no big deal, most of us aren't in extreme temperatures much but even if you are a few simple things can keep you warm. I've slept for weeks at a time at -30 and stayed warm. Wear the right layres and have a good sleeping bag and you stay warm.

But during the winter there are at least 14 hours of darkness and in some parts of the country there are more. If we sleep 8 hours, that leaves 6 hours of cold and dark when you aren't sleeping. What are you going to do then?

If you live in the city you can go and hang out for much of it, but then you aren't living in a van, you are sleeping in it, it's just your bedroom. That's fine of course, but that isn't what I want. I live in my van and I've made it habitable for 24 hours a day 365 days a year.

If you are a boondocker you're going to spend those 6 hours of cold and dark in your van. What are you going to do all that time? The same things you did in your house but your house has heat. Turn off the heat to your house and see how much you like setting around in it at night. You will quickly turn the heat back on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes you can wear a hat and bundle up. But let me tell you what you can't do, you can't keep your nose or your fingers warm and some people can't keep their feet or butts warm.

For me that's no way to live. I'm going to sit in my house and have light and have heat and enjoy life and not endure it.

But, to each his own! My way may not work for you at all.
Bob

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I'm not suggesting this has to be an either or situation. It's quite possible to have a heater running while you are awake, and to feel safer sleeping with it off.

Personally, I like to sleep well bundled up in a cool room. And while I could do just fine in a good rectangular ( never a mummy! ) bag, I'm intrigued about their claims about how helpful an electric mattress pad can be for those with arthritis.

There is rarely only one right way to do anything.

In any event, I thought this would be a good site for people considering their options.

Regards
John

---

Food for thought Optimistic. Our difference of opinion may come from differences in experience.

I've never slept in an enclosed space with a heating device that produced poison gas or heated up to 700+ degrees. I have used electric blankets since I was a kid and I've never once been shocked or seen any evidence of fire. I now sleep with a dog a use a plain ol' (not a pure sine wave) inverter and haven't seen any damage to the blanket.

Based on my experience, and admittedly only what I "hear" about gas-powered space heaters, the blankets seem far less risky to me.

Sorry if I gave the impression I was disagreeing with you. Yours was merely the latest post on that particular subject, and the one that gave me the idea to do a little serious research on the subject.

Regards
John

 

[concretebox]

I hadn't considered that Bob, but you're right!

Thanks Optimistic for clearing that up. In my imagination you started a new thread as a response to me. Obviously I let my imagination run wild on that.