Electric Blanket with Inverter

[Roadlover]

I just picked up a 450 watt inverter and will be traveling out west and Walmart camping on the way out. Our truck camper has a single 27 group battery and curious if the battery and inverter is sufficient to operate a dual control, queen size electric blanket for about 8 hours, during the night.

Thanks,
Ken

[wa8yxm]

As to Mexico's desire for 180 watts.. Since he wants dual controls, that is 90+90 and 90 watts is within the range of a standard (10 amp) accessory outlet.

180 would work with Anderson power poles of the 40 amp size (my favorite connector). Hard to do better than those asexual (no male or female) self cleaning connectors. But can be tricky to install.

That single Grope 31 is around 130 amp hours, and 65 (or roughly 700 watt hours) can be used. This too needs to be thought out.

plus you loose about 10 percent when you invert so that takes it down to around 625 watt hours when inverted. (Rounding shamlessely on all but the battery capacity, don't feel like doing long division today).

[NRALIFR]

wa8yxm wrote:
.........Instead buy your blankets at a truck stop that sells 12 volt blankets, Put in heavy wire (At least 10 ga) to heavy duty (20 amp) socket(s) near the bed and add at least one more battery, In fact Id go with either a pair of GC-2 in series (Six volt golf cart batteries, best Bang for your buck) or a pair of 29's or 31s. For the added capacity. one 27 ain't going to cut it.

That's almost verbatim what I've done in my TC, except for the batteries. I only have room for one group 31 battery in my camper, so I've got a Trojan SCS225.

Electrowarmth used to make 12 volt, Queen-sized mattress pads with analog controls. Very good product, and that's what I have. 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 got 6 gauge charging wires running from the truck alternator, so it's able to keep up with the draw from the mattress heater. I also replaced the Elecrrowarmth 12v plug with a Marinco plug and receptacle on a dedicated circuit, because I noticed the standard plug was getting hot.

Electrowarmth only makes a twin-sized (36"x60") mattress pad today. From the picture, it appears to still have the analog control. If mine ever needs replacement, I intend to buy two 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.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
.............Does anyone make a 12 volt king size electric blanket with twin controls and 10 power settings? Oh, I forgot. And 180 watts of afterburner to get a bed toasty pre-warmed on a chilly night?

I don't think so. I suspect a 12v blanket that size would exceed the capacity of the standard 12v plugs and sockets. I don't know this for a fact, but I also suspect that's why Electrowarmth quit making their Queen sized mattress pad. Like I mentioned, I noticed mine was getting hot. It never melted down, but I upgraded the connectors soon afterwards. Perhaps they felt the liability risk was too great.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
.......What you use ATOP the blanket makes all the difference in the world as to kWh usage.

You are so right about that. If you don't put something on top of the heated blanket or mattress pad, you will loose a lot of heat and use more power. Found that out by trial and error myself.

:):)

[kneal44]

i use a electric blanket 300 watt, dual control and only use half at lowest setting and iam toasty at nite.in my home. i dial down the thermostat though. so camping would be a little more kwh usage.
one thing to do is try using what ever system you got in your driveway over nite and see how long your battery last. and if every thing goes dead over nite ... you got the house power to save your butt. lol
and u will know for sure how long you can surrive.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I'm old, I'm cranky. and when it gets COLD, I'll hammer that Biddeford an hour before I crawl between the sheets. TEN, twisted all the way up. WAR EMERGENCY POWER setting.

What you use ATOP the blanket makes all the difference in the world as to kWh usage. I use a FLANNEL sheet, the Biddeford, then a THINSULATE blanket. The "old way" in a fifty degree room, I'd have to keep the control on five or six all night to stay warm. Now with the protocol mentioned above the setting is between two and three. Would you believe ELEVEN TIMES LESS POWER consumed? And I'm warmer. Using TWELVE PERCENT of the power I did before makes all the difference in the world to me. Does anyone make a 12 volt king size electric blanket with twin controls and 10 power settings? Oh, I forgot. And 180 watts of afterburner to get a bed toasty pre-warmed on a chilly night?

[mena661]

BFL13 wrote:
Mena, Kit Carson would be so ashamed of you! It's sad really.

He would only be ashamed occasionally. LOL! You crack me up dude.

[BFL13]

mena661 wrote:
...I run my electric blanket from my 300W PSW inverter occasionally. I don't run it overnight, just use it to warm up the bed before climbing in.

Mena, Kit Carson would be so ashamed of you! It's sad really.

[wa8yxm]

A 450 Watt inverter is most likely MSW and many have reported that MSW inverters powering an electric blanket let the magic smoke out of the blanket controls.

I'd not try it..

Instead buy your blankets at a truck stop that sells 12 volt blankets, Put in heavy wire (At least 10 ga) to heavy duty (20 amp) socket(s) near the bed and add at least one more battery, In fact Id go with either a pair of GC-2 in series (Six volt golf cart batteries, best Bang for your buck) or a pair of 29's or 31s. For the added capacity. one 27 ain't going to cut it.

[grandpaswagon]

mena661 wrote:

Shadow Catcher wrote:
Basically anything that uses resistance heat (your blanket) is a no no they use a LOT of current, a good quilt or the dog works.

I run my electric blanket from my 300W PSW inverter occasionally. I don't run it overnight, just use it to warm up the bed before climbing in.

I just tested a full size blanket (single control) with a Kill A Watt and it is 50 watts.

BTW - electric blankets have ONE heat setting. It is the timing you adjust, not the heat. My wife never believes me.

[mena661]

Shadow Catcher wrote:
Basically anything that uses resistance heat (your blanket) is a no no they use a LOT of current, a good quilt or the dog works.

I run my electric blanket from my 300W PSW inverter occasionally. I don't run it overnight, just use it to warm up the bed before climbing in.

[Shadow_Catcher]

Basically anything that uses resistance heat (your blanket) is a no no they use a LOT of current, a good quilt or the dog works.

[Gdetrailer]

mena661 wrote:

hugemoth wrote:
It's the SCRs (silicon controlled rectifiers) in the controller that are cooked by a modified sine wave inverter. Doesn't matter if it's digital or not, most electric blanket controllers use them.

Thanks for that info.

Not to mention many newer electric blankets and heating pads have a built in electronic timer for "safety" which turns off your blanket or heating pad after so many hrs.

This is one item which I would have to agree with the fact that a PSW inverter is your best bet.

[mena661]

hugemoth wrote:
It's the SCRs (silicon controlled rectifiers) in the controller that are cooked by a modified sine wave inverter. Doesn't matter if it's digital or not, most electric blanket controllers use them.

Thanks for that info.

[hugemoth]

It's the SCRs (silicon controlled rectifiers) in the controller that are cooked by a modified sine wave inverter. Doesn't matter if it's digital or not, most electric blanket controllers use them.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

My ANALOG control blanket sent up an ANALOG plume of smoke. Analog. Twist a dial with numbers on it.