Low voltage disconnect switch?

[Naio]

Can any of you folks recommend a good one for cheap? I dunno why my various ebay searches turn up nothing.

An alarm would be ok, but a switch would be better. So I don't have to get out of bed in the middle of the night :).

[westend]

If your cat is healthy, it shouldn't need a heating source. Buy a piece of 1" foam insulation and use that for the floor of the cat's bed. I have two outdoor cats and they are happy all Winter with no electric devices. They love small moving blankets for bedding.

[NinerBikes]

Get your cat a wool blanket from a thrift shop for it to sleep on or under. Put wool blanket in a small box for it to sleep in. Or bu a small cat bed for your cat at a pet shop.

[joebedford]

A low voltage cutoff isn't going to help you. Once the heating pad goes off, the cat will give you no peace. You need more batteries.

Perhaps a 12v heating pad would be more efficient. Like this:

Trillium heating pad

I think they're only about 10W.

[Naio]

Yeah, Mex, that may be a better solution!

I can dig out the literature on my inverter later. I dunno if it has a shutoff or not.

I've made boxes and tents for kitties at my S&B before, but always included a heat source. I could make a very warm one, though.

Last night kitty slept in the bed with me, but I did not get a lot of sleep!

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Cats LOVE cat sleeping boxes. With a hole. Inside is a nest. Faux fur. Kitty will sleep warmer than mommy. One side of box - a cedar shingle for them to claw. ITCHY a sixteen pound Tiger used to sleep around my side when I was 10. Sounded lile a Harley Knucklehead when he was purring. Malamute never ever wanted to come in even at -20F. Curled up on walkway and let snow drift over him. Thought frozen fish was a popsicle. Amazing things pets. Costly too.

[Chris_Bryant]

Here's a cutoff kit, doesn't look to hard to assemble, $15.

[Bobbo]

.

[westend]

If you only want to interrupt power to the inverter, a good quality toggle switch could be wired into the inverter's positive phase wire.

If you want to remove power from the battery to all devices, a battery master disconnect switch would be a better choice. Something like this cheap one.

[time2roll]

Alarm but not cut off.

http://www.amazon.com/VoltMinder-Digital-Volt-Meter

[DrewE]

Since the heating pad is 120V, check to see whether your inverter has a low-voltage shutdown. Most do, with an alarm at a somewhat higher voltage.

Voila. Problem solved, unless I'm missing something. Total cost: $0.00

[Naio]

Thanks, folks!

Yes, I want something to interrupt 12v power (or 120v, as the heat pad is 120).

No, the cat in the picture does not look happy ;).

I thought this was a standard item and I could just get one for $5. Guess not.

If I need to get a solar controller, I suppose I might as well get a decent one I can later use for actual solar panels!

[MrWizard]

Naio

i think maybe you could use a Solar controller
one with a "load" function , usually used for lighting etc.

some have a fixed disconnect voltage , and some have a programmable voltage setting

even cheap $20 controllers have a load output connection

maybe something like this
http://www.amazon.com/HQRP-Controller-Lighting-Control-Display/dp/B002WI379E

it disconnects at 11.1v, inverters usually shut down at 10.5
use it between the batteries and the inverter

you don't have to have a solar panel for this too work

[westend]

Mex, did you install a thermal sensing circuit on that cat?:B

We need some clarification or a description or the main issues involved about how low power in the night effects the user. If low wattage continuous draw is the thief in the night, adding more battery capacity is usually the easiest solution.

[MEXICOWANDERER]