akamcbird Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 its november and -10*F :ack: I'm looking at 12v electric heaters to bring up the temp in my cab. i am regularly in and out of my truck throughout the day, the engine warms up pretty quick but i make lots of short runs around town, and the in cab heat never really gets up there high enough to take the chill off. yes the heater core is clear (only a couple years old) and i flush my coolant system every fall. my query, has to do with the effects on my battery and alternator, as well as recommendations on wattage and/or btu ratings. i want to use a direct wired heater, not a cigarette liter plug. i will not be using the unit unless the engine is running. i want lots of instant heat without killing the life of my equipment. i understand electrical theory but i don't know enough to do the math or have a solid answer for myself, so please help. product recommendations are ok too looking at these http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/12243648voin.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWLONGSHOT Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 How about a power inverter? http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/invert ... 5QodaQpkpA You will need to know the power requirements and depending on output may want a bigger alt to fire everything but this looks like what you need to me... CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beaterjeep Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 I know it's not what you're looking for specifically, but I have an electric blanket that plugs into the cig lighter. It was borrowed to, and then given to me a couple years ago so I didn't freeze on a return home trip from a meet and greet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 When I was in Thule Greenland and Alaska, all our vehicles had Southwind gas heaters in them.Worked great and weren't realy that bad on gas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 What about a block heater? I had one on the Cummins, and it was like instant heat... Rob L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbhill Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 flexalite makes an under the dash electric heater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 I'm looking at 12v electric heaters to bring up the temp in my cab. i am regularly in and out of my truck throughout the day, the engine warms up pretty quick but i make lots of short runs around town, and the in cab heat never really gets up there high enough to take the chill off. yes the heater core is clear (only a couple years old) and i flush my coolant system every fall. my query, has to do with the effects on my battery and alternator, as well as recommendations on wattage and/or btu ratings. i want to use a direct wired heater, not a cigarette liter plug. i will not be using the unit unless the engine is running. i want lots of instant heat without killing the life of my equipment. i understand electrical theory but i don't know enough to do the math or have a solid answer for myself, so please help. product recommendations are ok too looking at these http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/12243648voin.html I see three 12V heaters on your link. The smallest (355W@25A) you could probably get by with using your standard 70A or 90A alternator and be okay. But 1212 BTU isn't a whole lot of heat. The other two that would be better for where you live and I think would require an upgraded alternator (130A at least) and heavier battery mains cables to be safe w/o seriously overloading your electrical system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 what about plugging yourself into the outlet? http://www.heatedclothingoutlet.com/jacketLiner.shtml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 what about plugging yourself into the outlet? http://www.heatedclothingoutlet.com/jacketLiner.shtml These are older model Gerbing's Jacket Liners and may or may not include all the features currently being promoted or advertised by Gerbing's Heated Clothing. So, basically, you could just get a shirt, without heated anything. Rob L. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 wise guy. :D Here, straight to the source: http://www.gerbing.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 They're own figures don't jibe.they claim for the 658Watt unit draws 47Amps at 14.2 volts.14.2VX47 is 567 watts. thats 100Watts less than their claim.I think they are a workable deal but I would go for the heaviest duty battery that fits the battery box.Also get a high output alternator. Police and taxi's have alt that put out high Amp even at a fast idle.Also at 47A you need a No6AWG wire.Have you thought about a surplus flight suit? PITA plugging and unplugging everytime you get in or out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Wear more clothes. That's what we do in the helicopters (no helicopter has ever come with a heater that actually works well at -40). :D Or just buy the small heater, as it will keep it luke-warm, sorta, at least enough that if you're wearing a jacket it will be okay. Throwing some dynamat or equivalent product on the inside of the doors, back of the cab, etc, will also help keep the heat in. I run a 900W buddy in my cummins, wired in with the block heater (1 plug), and it keeps the cab warmer than "Screw this I want to die". Of course, it runs all the time when I plug it in. If you're stopping in places that have plug ins, I'd recommend the buddy wired in with the block heater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRF136N Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 What about a block heater? I had one on the Cummins, and it was like instant heat... Rob L. :agree: For what its worth, I wasted my money on one of those Cigarette lighter Red Cross 12v heaters they sell at Wal-Mart for camping use; I had it set up to a brand new and freshly charged deep cycle battery in the camper shell of my truck. Used it one time; left it on all night. 18 degrees outside. Barely took the chill off; by 6am it drained the deep cycle completely. Brrr, what fun it is waking up to a frozen body, shivering uncontrollably, knowing you will have to crawl out of your barely warm-enough to survive sleeping bag to reach for your freezing clothes, and then put them on :D Think I'll try one of those 12v blankets next time :hmm: -James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 Anything that plugs into a cig lighter socket and draws over 10A is junk. What's the 12V feed wire to the lighter receptacle, 18AWG I think? Wire fire city if the fuse don't blow............... :nuts: And that's not directed toward you James. :cheers: It's to the junk manufacturers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akamcbird Posted November 17, 2009 Author Share Posted November 17, 2009 ok start at the top planing on a power inverter but i don't want to switch it then the heater every time i jump in and out, and if i need to up my alt/ batt why not 12v thaught bout a blanket or seat heatr pad but i don't think theyd hold up to everyday all the time use gas heaters just seem scary...co and all... ak vehicles almost always have block heaters, and to get it to work like that they need to be plugged in all the time the engine is off. and bills at the house would be crazy, not to mention i can't plug into 110 all day at work I see three 12V heaters on your link. The smallest (355W@25A) you could probably get by with using your standard 70A or 90A alternator and be okay. But 1212 BTU isn't a whole lot of heat. The other two that would be better for where you live and I think would require an upgraded alternator (130A at least) and heavier battery mains cables to be safe w/o seriously overloading your electrical system. let me revisit this at the bottom plugging and unplugging my self... to much hassle more cloths in the truck means more cloths to remove when i go inside...job requires in and out all day i did the buddy heater in an old escourt when i wasnt paying the electric bill...and once again no 110 at work... was nice though never had to scrape ice off the windows yah not going to use the cigg liter for anything but litting cigarettes so back to alt/batt upgrades... i always wanted to have a secondary power system, ie:an independent alt. mounted were the ac delete pulley is and an independent batt. in the bed. any reason this wouldnt be doable? how much heater could i run? how much btu do i want? seen maybe two threads on moving the alt. to said location, both seemed geto but i member hearing that the alt. mount from the 2.5 will serve this perpose anybody know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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