Foot Warming Pad for Unheated Storage Bays

[Pangaea_Ron]

I'm considering using one of these in my wet storage bay in the MH basement. I usually add a caged brood light in areas with water lines that are not adequately heating during freezing weather. I use a 35F switch to activate the light, but this mat seems safer?

Foot Warming Pad

I store the MH at home, usually don't winterize it, and we use it throughout the year. I keep a ceramic heater inside the MH set to low in the winter to circulate and heat the air a bit.

[westend]

For you guys wishing for temperature control for your pads and heating appliances, I ran across this temp controller for cheap. I haven't used the product but it seems well built and throwing it in a tupperware case would probably be all that's necessary besides the wiring.

Good luck guys!

[EMD360]

Interesting thread and timely as we think about how to deal with winter temps here in Colorado.
I was researching tank heaters for our new cold climate and decided to try the carbon fiber seat heating kits that are for sale on ebay for under $40. Well, prices are all over the board but the one I ordered was under $40.

I'm waiting for the kit now. They will run on DC at about 2-4 amps and have a single control switch that I'll install on the control panel and wire the four pads to the DC panel. They have a sticky side that I figure can be reinforced if necessary. I'll have to see how they hold up exposed to the elements below. Thought I might cover them with some waterproof nylon, or maybe get a rigid sheet of plastic to "enclose" the tanks--will have to experiment.
If they work, it will be a lot less investment than the tank heaters although I will have to control them myself instead of with a thermostat for below 30 degree temps.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

About 250 watts for 39" x 24" or about 40 watts per square foot. Which happens to be just about the same as a heating pad from Walmart. (50 watts). The brand name is Equate in Canada. No auto shut off.

jrnymn7 wrote:

Hey, Don.

What kinda juice do these things devour?

(I was actually going to install hot water in-floor radiant heat in my bus conversion,but only had a 6' ceiling height to work with).

Thanks

[John___Angela]

Here's another idea, We use this as a backup heat source in our wet bay in case the furnace that heats it quits. Heads up though. This one uses more power than Don's idea. It is a Magnetic block heater and will need a metal surface to attach to. It uses 2 amps (200 watts) and uses the metal it is magnetically attached to to radiate the heat. Never hot enough that you can't touch the metal though. Here'a picture, followed by a link to a supplier.



http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/ZRO0/3400017/N0653.oap?ck=Search_N0653_-1_-1&pt=N0653&ppt=C...

[jrnymn7]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Ron,

http://tempurtech.com/

They do 85 btu's per square foot--about double what other heated carpets do. It is possible to burn the floor--so make sure to put down some cheap indoor outdoor carpet under the magic carpet.

Hey, Don.

What kinda juice do these things devour?

(I was actually going to install hot water in-floor radiant heat in my bus conversion,but only had a 6' ceiling height to work with).

Thanks

[Gdetrailer]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Gde,

Try the Walmart house brand. I know we get different stock in Canada, which is where the OP and I both reside.

My new inverter is PSW, so I'm covered in any event.

Nope.

Local WM only carries heating pads which are auto off.. Had to buy a new heating pad only a few months ago to replace a rock solid 10 year old one which had no electronics in it but was showing too much wear.

Checked many other stores also but no dice.. I am thinking that there was some either legislation/rules or UL standards for the US enacted a few years ago (perhaps could even be the same laws governing incadescent lights being outlawed and the auto off is saving us from "wasting" electricity)..

Although they are cheap enough you might be able to cut the controller off and wire it the way you want but that method will "void" any and all UL approvals and not for the electron challenged folks..

[pianotuna]

Hi Gde,

Try the Walmart house brand. I know we get different stock in Canada, which is where the OP and I both reside.

My new inverter is PSW, so I'm covered in any event.

[Gdetrailer]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Ron,

That's why I like the heating pads. They are safe to use against bare skin (electrically speaking) so they are certainly water proof. You may want to get the larger version which will draw more watts (and produce more heat).

They do have an internal thermostat so over heating is unlikely.

The nice thing is that they can run on even a small MSW inverter for use during travel.

Here in the States it is pretty much impossible to buy heating pads which stay on all the time.

Now days ALL heating pads sold in the States have AUTO SHUT OFF FEATURE which will turn the heating pad off after 60 minutes.

These new heating pads also use some sort of thyristor device like a triac to perform the temp adjustment and shutoff duties. Newer heating pads most likely are not going to like being on a MSW inverter due to the solid state controller..

[pianotuna]

Hi Ron,

http://tempurtech.com/

They do 85 btu's per square foot--about double what other heated carpets do. It is possible to burn the floor--so make sure to put down some cheap indoor outdoor carpet under the magic carpet.

[Pangaea_Ron]

Hi Don,

Wow, you are really working it, nicely done.

Where is the best place that you've found to get the "Magic Carpet" heating pads, they look interesting.

I have also added a couple of 120v AC outlets in my storage bays and can power them from a separate 15 amp power cord, which can be helpful even with 50 amp power.

Thanks for your advice.

[pianotuna]

Hi Ron,

One of the problems with my current RV is fresh water freeze ups during travel. The dash heat prevents the furnace from cycling. I solved that by replacing the return air grill with a dual window fan. It (luckily for me) pressurizes the heat ducts forcing warm cabin air into the freezing cold cabinets. I have a mechanical thermostat to control it. I run it on the inverter while traveling.

I've added 120 volt outlets in the pass through storage, waste tanks (enclosed but not heated) and fresh water hose storage. I use small electric heaters controlled by either mechanical thermostats or the TC-3 thermocube.

Since the RV is a 30 amp service, and I do a lot of boondocking at rural Churches, I "broke out" the converter, and the water heater. So I have effectively 3 shore power cords. The OEM 30 amp, a 20 amp, and a 15 amp. I use simple male and female plugs so I can switch back to the OEM wiring in about 30 seconds.

My major purchase this year for the RV was a 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter. The feature I like best is the ability to set the incoming amperage. I am often in situations where I have no access to the shore power breaker--so if I trip it I'm out of luck. It is *such* a relief to not have to worry about that any more.

I'm doing a lot of my heating with "magic carpets" which are 120 volt electrically heated with no wires--so they can be cut to the shape and size needed. I chose to get the indoor outdoor version which can be cleaned using a pressure washer.

[Pangaea_Ron]

Don

I liked my former Triple E that was more well suited to cold weather than my current Itasca, but we are trying to compensate and innovate.

That's a good idea about the inverter while traveling.

[pianotuna]

Hi Ron,

That's why I like the heating pads. They are safe to use against bare skin (electrically speaking) so they are certainly water proof. You may want to get the larger version which will draw more watts (and produce more heat).

They do have an internal thermostat so over heating is unlikely.

The nice thing is that they can run on even a small MSW inverter for use during travel.

[Pangaea_Ron]

Thanks Don, I'll look at those, although I like the idea of a waterproof pad that I can leave mounted inside the compartment. We just had three nights below 20F in Montana three weeks ago.