Has anyone used a battery blanket?

[EdC]

ragkar

I am sold on them. Used them with frost plug heaters (on cars and trucks) when I lived in northern Quebec and again in Montana. Now that I am in Washington and own a tractor that is stored in an unheated barn I'll still use them. It is just a lot easier on the machinery.

 

[SLOBuds]

Can these battery tender devices be hooked up to more than one battery in parallel? Meaning, can I take one of them and hook it up to 2 batteries?

Or does that make it mal-function?

 

[herringchoker]

Quote from the link posted by crbr:
"Charge/Maintain up to 4 batteries (of similar type - in parrallel)"

 

[ragkar]

Update:
The battery blanket/warmer came in the mail yesterday from Auto Parts, Motorcycle Parts, Car Parts, Truck Accessories & Parts, Auto Accessories - JC Whitney seven days after I ordered it. The battery warmer specs are 50W, 125VAC, 28inch by 5inch with a 32 inch electric cord. But measured power consumption is 43 watts. The circumference of my tractor battery is 28 inches. What a happy coincidence!

The info card that came with the battery warmer/blanket says that:
At 80degree F 100% battery power is available and 100% engine power is required to start
At 32degree F 85% battery power is available and 165% engine power is required to start
At 0degree F 65% battery power is available and 250% engine power is required to start
At-20degree F 45% battery power is available and 350% engine power is required to start

In case you're wondering, I have a new battery that is fully charged (1.28 specific gravity) and the temperatures rarely go down as low as zero degrees in these parts. But I hate to chance going out there late in the winter and being unable to start the tractor.

Installing the blanket/warmer was a five minute job which takes a half hour when you have to go looking in the garage for pliers, snips, cable ties, extension cords. I have the plug fastened to the grill guard with about two inches showing. That'll make it convenient to plug in the extension and minimize damage from stray branches etc. The power extension cord is a little longer than necessary so that I could loop it around the steering wheel. That'll keep me from driving off with it still connected.

I plan to use a temperature controller set to a 40 degrees F trip rather than a timer or leaving it on all the time. More about that when it comes later this week.

 

[EdC]

ragkar
The temperature controller sounds like a good idea, I'll be looking forward to that post. Right now I just plug in a 150 ft 10 gauge extension cord for power to the barn when I need it. Hoping to trench and run permanent 220 power out there next summer. Of course I was hoping to do that last summer too

 

[crbr]

Can these battery tender devices be hooked up to more than one battery in parallel? Meaning, can I take one of them and hook it up to 2 batteries?

Or does that make it mal-function?

I have one unit hooked up to my truck (diesel burner) with two batteries wired parallel.

 

[ragkar]

update

The temperature controller came today and right now I have a light bulb plugged in to test it. It's a Reddy Heater kerosene heater controller model HA1210.

Amazon.com: Reddy Heater Thermostat for Kerosene Heaters #HA1210: Home Improvement

I read the instruction sheet carefully and no where does it say that it's not waterproof. The setting knob allows you to trip any where between 40 and 90 degrees. In case you're wondering at the photo, the silver thingy on top is the temperature sensing coils. The device that you're controlling plugs into the AC power plug (prongs on one side and holes on the other).

It's 45 degrees out there right now and it trips with the knob on 45 degrees. I've got it hanging from a nail near an outside socket and the battery heater extension coil will plug into it.