12 volt electric blanket

NRALIFR wrote:

ggadwa wrote:
Bummer its only 36 inches wide. Seen any 12 volt ones that are wider???
GARY

Electrowarmth used to make a queen sized version. I have one and like it a lot, but I think there's a reason they don't make any larger than twin sized any longer. I suspect the larger pad was pushing the limits of the standard 12v sockets found in auto and RV use. The plug Electrowarmth uses on the end of their cord is a good quality phenolic, but plug it into a cheap socket that doesn't hold it tight enough and it will get hot. When I noticed that on mine I replaced the Elecrrowarmth 12v plug with a Marinco plug and receptacle on a dedicated circuit with 6 gauge wires.

My 12v pad in the camper works just as well as my 120v pad at home. If mine ever needs replacement, I intend to buy two of the twin size pads and sew them together to make one pad of 60"x72", which is perfect for a queen mattress. The two twin pads would be running across the width of the mattress, but that's OK. You typically want the leg/feet area to be warmer than the chest area anyway, and the head area to not be heated at all. I'll have to add another receptacle since there would be two controls. As far as I'm concerned the best things about the Electrowarmth pads are the analog control, and no expensive PSW inverter required.

When we travel in the winter, I run it on a low setting while we drive to keep the mattress over the cab from turning into a block of ice. I've also got heavy gauge charging wires running from the truck alternator, so it's able to keep up with the draw from the mattress heater.

:):)

Hey, the Electrowarmth 12 volt queen mattress pads appear to be available again! http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28164671/p/1.cfm

ggadwa wrote:
Bummer its only 36 inches wide. Seen any 12 volt ones that are wider???
GARY

Electrowarmth used to make a queen sized version. I have one and like it a lot, but I think there's a reason they don't make any larger than twin sized any longer. I suspect the larger pad was pushing the limits of the standard 12v sockets found in auto and RV use. The plug Electrowarmth uses on the end of their cord is a good quality phenolic, but plug it into a cheap socket that doesn't hold it tight enough and it will get hot. When I noticed that on mine I replaced the Elecrrowarmth 12v plug with a Marinco plug and receptacle on a dedicated circuit with 6 gauge wires.

My 12v pad in the camper works just as well as my 120v pad at home. If mine ever needs replacement, I intend to buy two of the twin size pads and sew them together to make one pad of 60"x72", which is perfect for a queen mattress. The two twin pads would be running across the width of the mattress, but that's OK. You typically want the leg/feet area to be warmer than the chest area anyway, and the head area to not be heated at all. I'll have to add another receptacle since there would be two controls. As far as I'm concerned the best things about the Electrowarmth pads are the analog control, and no expensive PSW inverter required.

When we travel in the winter, I run it on a low setting while we drive to keep the mattress over the cab from turning into a block of ice. I've also got heavy gauge charging wires running from the truck alternator, so it's able to keep up with the draw from the mattress heater.

:):)

Jfet wrote:
Costco has a queen size electric mattress pad for about $60. It is 115VAC and comes with 2 digital controls. I have not measured the current draw but plan to put it on a kill-o-watt meter one night and see how much it consumes.

If it runs about 50% duty cycle and consumes 200 watts, then that would only be around one group 27 battery charge per night. With solar as cheap as it is, that should be rechargeable during the day assuming you have 500 to 1000 watts of panel.

(I would power it using an inverter which runs at 90% efficiency and the waste heat just warms the interior of the camper anyway.)

Wow, your $60 solution got really expensive when you added the 500-1000watts of s solar, even with solar as cheap as it is.

Costco has a queen size electric mattress pad for about $60. It is 115VAC and comes with 2 digital controls. I have not measured the current draw but plan to put it on a kill-o-watt meter one night and see how much it consumes.

If it runs about 50% duty cycle and consumes 200 watts, then that would only be around one group 27 battery charge per night. With solar as cheap as it is, that should be rechargeable during the day assuming you have 500 to 1000 watts of panel.

(I would power it using an inverter which runs at 90% efficiency and the waste heat just warms the interior of the camper anyway.)

Bummer its only 36 inches wide. Seen any 12 volt ones that are wider???
GARY

I wish I have seen this 12 volt double bed mat before!

scottz wrote:

narcodog wrote:
http://www.electrowarmth.com. I'll take mine over a blanket anytime. It warms the mattress not the air above where you laying. I have two and my wife and I can use them at the same time and in the morning still have plenty of amps in the battery's. I've used mine for four nights in 20 degree weather before having to recharge. That's in conjunction with everything else. Two 110 amphr battery's.

I really can't see the advantage of one a blanket. Two having to buy an inverter. Or using 110 system.

Thanks for sharing.

I assume you bought the 12v model here.

It is cheaper, $80 at Amazon. Pretty good reviews too!

I bought the first one from them the last one I bought was from Ebay. I did buy the 12v model.

narcodog wrote:
http://www.electrowarmth.com. I'll take mine over a blanket anytime. It warms the mattress not the air above where you laying. I have two and my wife and I can use them at the same time and in the morning still have plenty of amps in the battery's. I've used mine for four nights in 20 degree weather before having to recharge. That's in conjunction with everything else. Two 110 amphr battery's.

I really can't see the advantage of one a blanket. Two having to buy an inverter. Or using 110 system.

Thanks for sharing.

I assume you bought the 12v model here.

It is cheaper, $80 at Amazon. Pretty good reviews too!

We've used one since '07! Goes under the sheet between you and the mattress (as others have said) and works great! I have two group 29's and we have never had a issue with the power draw. We have used down to -6f OAT with the furnace set to around 55. Batteries held up fine. An electric blanket on top just will not do anything for between you and the mattress, so you're still uncomfortably cold at the point of contact with the mattress. You don't really need one to cover the entire mattress, just the main torso and legs, you're noggin is on a pillow (and probably hollow anyway). I think we paid around $70-80 but it's been well worth it.

http://www.electrowarmth.com. I'll take mine over a blanket anytime. It warms the mattress not the air above where you laying. I have two and my wife and I can use them at the same time and in the morning still have plenty of amps in the battery's. I've used mine for four nights in 20 degree weather before having to recharge. That's in conjunction with everything else. Two 110 amphr battery's.

I really can't see the advantage of one a blanket. Two having to buy an inverter. Or using 110 system.