Simple question please: Will my 240 volt 2x60 watt electric blanket operate and perform well on a 1000w pure sine wave inverter Powered by a single 100ah lithium Iron LiFePO4 battery. The blanket controls are the older style three position switch with a dim light background. The control is not a digital display, it does not have a timer or body sensing heat. In other words the electric blanket in our caravan is the older style cheap and cheerful type, nothing fancy.
i say simple question please because I have used the search function on this forum and read the available past posts of similar questions and have been unable to derive a definitive answer. The posts appear to have some useful replies before each thread waffles on about hot water bottles, extra doona, 12v throws/pads, diesel heaters or other alternative heating methods. My wife just wants to be able to use her electric blanket when off grid.
i also say simple because I am just that simple. I am not an electrician, not an electronics whizz, just an old fart caravanner, so no replies please quoting equations of amps vs watts = killerwasps as I will not understand.
Thank you for reading this and for your understanding in my lack of technical things. Hoping for some simple answers. Cheers.
Hi Consumerman. I have just purchased a 12 volt electric blanket. I only have one 120 amp battery and minimal solar and this is why I purchased it. The blanket has a timer and cuts out after 45 minutes so I dont run the risk of waking to a flat battery.
Have a look online. I bought mine at BCF. Not expensive, about $70.
Simple question please: Will my 240 volt 2x60 watt electric blanket operate and perform well on a 1000w pure sine wave inverter Powered by a single 100ah lithium Iron LiFePO4 battery.
2 x 60w blankets will draw 1Oamps at full heat. So would use 10Ah per hour from your 100Ah battery. A lithium battery can be run down to about 20% so in theory it could give you around 7 hours of blanket use. (allowing for the extra current the inverter uses over & above what the blanket uses). Of course that doesn't cover anything else being run from the battery & would need the means to recharge it fully the next day if the blanket were needed the following night.
It is quite a heavy power user from a smallish battery, so whilst possible you would need to take combined wattages of everything else being powered into consideration. Eg lights, fridge, tv, radio, water pump etc etc.
If only running the blanket to create a warm space to snuggle into (& not keeping it on whilst in bed) switching it on for an hour or so before bed might be far more manageable - again depending upon what else you run from that battery.
Similarly you may be able to operate the blanket at less than full heat to draw less from your battery.
-- Edited by Cuppa on Friday 23rd of June 2023 04:54:00 PM
I agree that it is feasible. I have a queen blanket in the van. I would rarely use if when freecamping because of power draw, but for warming the bed then turning it off is OK. At about 50 watts each side on medium, that means around 10 amps. Run it for half an hour before bedtime then turn it off.
Feasible for most with a single battery low power inverter ... say 200 watts would handle it. Of course, no sun, no electric blanket.
Simple answer yes ! We have done that in the past, like Farmhat says. We used to put it on high then turn it down to low after we get into bed. You can turn it up if the weather is very cold but we do not usually want that for long. Use more blankets and one under on the mattress too. We also carry hot water bottles and use them as an alternative.
We have since bought some 12V throw rugs which we use but they use just as much power but do not need the inverter running.
Note as you pointed out you have older style simple controllers with just switching for three setting. We tried some new ones with silly electronic controllers and they died early. Jaahn
-- Edited by Jaahn on Saturday 24th of June 2023 09:19:38 AM
-- Edited by Jaahn on Saturday 24th of June 2023 09:22:15 AM
This is a basic queen size Heller electric blanket one side only. Its current draw on 12V DC, just for interest. On the low setting its probably manageable. The blanket was about $75.
-- Edited by DeBe on Saturday 24th of June 2023 07:58:59 PM
Thank you all for your replies, all very informative and simply explained. A special thank you to DeBe for going above and beyond in setting up a demo with captioned photos. That is most kind of you DeBe, very helpful and much appreciated.
I am going to give it a go. Whats the worse that can happen if the sun doesnt shine the next day? Probably divorce
