Full time van lifer here.Thank you for sharing your experience with a heatpad on your batteries. 2 years later I am looking for a solution. I like your idea but I am wondering how well this has worked for you in different temperatures and after 2 years time. I have purchased 12v throws in the past but they quit working after a few months- how is yours holding up? Have you discovered any other tricks that you could share? Thanks handsome guy!
Another good option is a 12vdc (or 24vdc if your bank is 24v) Silicone Heated Pad. You could use an arduino and a temp sensor to automate it, as well as waiting until an hour before your usual departure time to save energy.
@@TheSleven67 I use an ESP32 with Home Assistant/ESPHome. The temperature sensors are Bluetooth. I control the 12 vdc power to the heater pad (using a relay) via the ESP32. In Home Assistant, I created an "automation" that turns the pad "on" if the temp drops below 35 F and turns the power "off" once it's above 40 F. It's completely hands off. I'm using 12-volt RV water heater pads. They're 65 watt units.
Yes! We have done the same thing for our Feral front porch kitty who refuses to come into the warm house. We setup a nice highbacked Kitty bed and set a "warm Only" heating pad in her bed and now even when it's 28 degrees during the night she stays nice and warm! Long live porch Kitties. On another note, I don't think I need to worry as much on my deep cycle flooded batteries about freezing. But I could be wrong if I wasn't in Northern California.
You should be good with the flooded Lead Acid batteries in NorCal. Just be sure the electrolyte is topped off and they’re on a maintainer/charger. These heating pads are awesome.
They do work. I tested one from RecPro. 12”x18” which was just a bit too small for my setup and it was 65 watts with No Thermostat or timer. $45 on Amazon. I didn’t need that much power/heat and I wanted on/off & thermostat control for fluctuating temperatures. The electric blanket pad I went with is a better size and more efficient for my setup. I think it was $29.
Another type would be a reptile warmer pad,or a heat mat for plants.these take 120 volt,though......putting a thermostat on any unit one uses would make this automatic,and keep from wasting energy, if one does not need it.solid foam insulation would also be a very good thing.....best wishes.
Thanks for the info. I needed this to be 12V DC for energy efficiency as I’m off-grid use most of the time. Direct from the batteries barely uses 1% of my battery bank overnight on setting 3. This has a 4 setting thermostat and timer. (1hr, 2hr, 4hr, 8hr and always on.) “Always On” or 8hr timer set to level 3 keeps the batteries right at 40°F overnight when it’s 25°F outside. I could definitely insulate that compartment a bit better. I have the controller routed into the camper for ease of use. So far, it’s working well. 👍🏻
Is there any reason why I couldn't hang a trouble light with an incandescent 60 watt bulb? This would only be for a month or two until we headcout to warmer temperatures.
How's it working out? I've read that LiFEPO4 will discharge just fine at low temps but need to be well above freezing to receive charge (solar, AC, whatever). Is the blanket helping your batt bank maintain temps above freezing for long cold spells? I'm curious, as I'm preparing for some cold winter nights and wondering if a warmer will allow the batteries to collect solar during the day at freezing temps outside and in my rig.
I love your idea, but I don't trust Amazon products to protect my expensive lifepo4 batteries. Too many Amazon products have failed for me after light use
Full time van lifer here.Thank you for sharing your experience with a heatpad on your batteries. 2 years later I am looking for a solution. I like your idea but I am wondering how well this has worked for you in different temperatures and after 2 years time. I have purchased 12v throws in the past but they quit working after a few months- how is yours holding up? Have you discovered any other tricks that you could share? Thanks handsome guy!
Another good option is a 12vdc (or 24vdc if your bank is 24v) Silicone Heated Pad. You could use an arduino and a temp sensor to automate it, as well as waiting until an hour before your usual departure time to save energy.
That would be wicked if someone made a tutorial on how to do this.
@@TheSleven67 I use an ESP32 with Home Assistant/ESPHome. The temperature sensors are Bluetooth. I control the 12 vdc power to the heater pad (using a relay) via the ESP32. In Home Assistant, I created an "automation" that turns the pad "on" if the temp drops below 35 F and turns the power "off" once it's above 40 F.
It's completely hands off. I'm using 12-volt RV water heater pads. They're 65 watt units.
Yes! We have done the same thing for our Feral front porch kitty who refuses to come into the warm house. We setup a nice highbacked Kitty bed and set a "warm Only" heating pad in her bed and now even when it's 28 degrees during the night she stays nice and warm! Long live porch Kitties. On another note, I don't think I need to worry as much on my deep cycle flooded batteries about freezing. But I could be wrong if I wasn't in Northern California.
You should be good with the flooded Lead Acid batteries in NorCal. Just be sure the electrolyte is topped off and they’re on a maintainer/charger.
These heating pads are awesome.
I use a tank warmer on mine.
They do work. I tested one from RecPro. 12”x18” which was just a bit too small for my setup and it was 65 watts with No Thermostat or timer. $45 on Amazon. I didn’t need that much power/heat and I wanted on/off & thermostat control for fluctuating temperatures.
The electric blanket pad I went with is a better size and more efficient for my setup. I think it was $29.
@@covetthecamper2289 Yeah, I prefer gentler heat. My 100Ah holds temp nicely with 16w.
My tank pads broke from the weight of the batteries.
Another type would be a reptile warmer pad,or a heat mat for plants.these take 120 volt,though......putting a thermostat on any unit one uses would make this automatic,and keep from wasting energy, if one does not need it.solid foam insulation would also be a very good thing.....best wishes.
Thanks for the info.
I needed this to be 12V DC for energy efficiency as I’m off-grid use most of the time. Direct from the batteries barely uses 1% of my battery bank overnight on setting 3.
This has a 4 setting thermostat and timer. (1hr, 2hr, 4hr, 8hr and always on.) “Always On” or 8hr timer set to level 3 keeps the batteries right at 40°F overnight when it’s 25°F outside.
I could definitely insulate that compartment a bit better.
I have the controller routed into the camper for ease of use.
So far, it’s working well. 👍🏻
Is there any reason why I couldn't hang a trouble light with an incandescent 60 watt bulb? This would only be for a month or two until we headcout to warmer temperatures.
Don't these types of blankets or pads usually turn themselves off??
How's it working out? I've read that LiFEPO4 will discharge just fine at low temps but need to be well above freezing to receive charge (solar, AC, whatever). Is the blanket helping your batt bank maintain temps above freezing for long cold spells? I'm curious, as I'm preparing for some cold winter nights and wondering if a warmer will allow the batteries to collect solar during the day at freezing temps outside and in my rig.
Worked great all winter. Keeps my battery bank at around 45°-55° all night.
I can set the timer on the blanket for shorter periods if it’s not as cold
Good idea 👍
2nd that, great idea 👍
Thanks! And it’s efficient. Only 1% of the battery bank used over 8hrs.
I love your idea, but I don't trust Amazon products to protect my expensive lifepo4 batteries. Too many Amazon products have failed for me after light use
Still wouldn't be good at -58
that blanket has been discontinued and is unavailable delete the video
Still plenty of alternative options available. Just search for 12v blanket.