Electric Blankets pros and cons

[dspencer]

I'm just starting to think about getting an electric blanket for the spring and fall nights camping. I have to admit the DW is very hesitant about getting one as she's worried about them shorting out. Does any of you guys use them in your campers and if so what do you think of them? I'm looking for real life experience's out there please.

[her_I]

Trackrig wrote:
Used them a lot in a cabin that only got used on weekends for snowmachining. We actually used a heated mattress pad and not a heated blanket. When we'd get there Friday night, we'd turn on the pad, start the wood fire, take care of a few things and go to bed. By then, the heated pad would have the bed nice and warm. Don't know why it would be any different in a camper.

We used the mattress pad instead of a blanket because it seemed to work better with the heat rising from the pad instead of trying to get it to go down from a blanket.

Bill

We have used both a blanket and I pad. We prefer the pad as it is not affected if you toss and turn as I have a tendency to do.

[jauguston]

Jay,

There are two types of inverters used in RV's. MSW and PSW. MSW means modified sine wave and are the most popular as they are lower cost. PSW is pure sine wave and they create power similar to what you have in your house. They are more expensive. MSW inverters will work on almost everything you may want to use it for in a RV but there are a few things that don't like the modifier sine wave.

Jim

[Dr_Jay]

I am very interested in using an electric blanket. I am concerned with the comments on MSW and the bad effects on an electric blanket. The only question I have is what does MSW mean? Thanks.

[shadows4]

Well count me as the lone dissenting voice. We used electric blankets for years and thought they were great until, we had one short out on us. To the tune of $80,000 in damage to our home and contents. Luckily no one got hurt. Google electric blanket fires, other weren't so lucky.

[kknowlton]

We have had electric blankets in the house, but if you have cats, they can create "hot spots" (assuming the cats sleep with you). We went to a heated mattress pad instead and so far (2+ years have had no issues.) Never had any shorting out issues with our electric blankets in the past either.

[DutchmenSport]

We have electric blankets on all our beds in the house and also in our camper. Never had a problem with one shorting out. Now .... we have had problems putting the blanket away for the summer months and then trying to find the cord again in the fall.... somehow, they seem to completely disappear ... they must go to the same place all those missing socks in the washing machine go to. We end up buying new blankets every now and then because of this. The old ones are fine, just no electric. This is the ONLY problem we've ever had with electric blankets.

In the camper ... they are WONDERFUL!

The last 2 we purchased have automatic turn-offs. After 8 hours they turn themselves off.

[Houston_Remodel]

Electric blankets work best when you lay on top of them and let the warm air rise.

[Pangaea_Ron]

Dual zone 120vAC mattress pad when there are electrical hook-ups.

[Kit_Carson]

We use an electric blanket in our motorhome. Sure is nice to turn it on about an hour or so before bed and crawl into a warm bed on a cool night. We have experienced no problems.

[cmarq]

We have used heated pads for years at home and in MH. In the motorhome we only use it when on shore power or on the honda EU2000i. Never had a problem other than one dying from old age.

[Houston_Remodel]

We bought our electric blanket years ago. Never had a problem.

Its dual zone which we really like as he likes his side cooler. It has a pre-heat setting, and shuts itself off after 6 or 8 hours (i forget which)

Bought it at Target for $70

They make 12 volts too

[Padlin]

We use blankets. A pad worked till we got a memory foam topper, then we could not turn it down low enough, something about the pad being between the body and the foam. At least that was our experience.

[vermilye]

If she is still concerned, here is a link to information about the SoftHeat Low Voltage™ electric blanket. Along with operating at a very low voltage, it also has the advantage that it is one of the few modern blankets that will operate on a MSW inverter. I've used one for the last 5 years - doesn't get as hot as some of the older blankets, but plenty of heat for comfortable sleeping.

[tenbear]

We have used electric blankets for many years both at home and on the road in the RV. The only problem we have had is that they stop working when they get old, never happened in the camper though.