15 replies to this topic

[The Next Adventures]

My wife recently returned to the states for a week to visit family. I had her bring back a couple of things for us that I ordered on Amazon. One of which was a 12volt heated mattress pad. After camping for a week in the Cordillera blanca between 12,000 and 15,000 feet I thought I would share a review here. The mattress pad is amazing. Kept us plenty warm in below freezing temperatures every night. We have a camco Olympian wave 3 as well and never had to use it. The mattress pad is a much more comfortable heat source as well. This is the one I got:
Twin, Heated Mattress Pad by Electrowarmth, Non-Fitted, Size 36 x 60, Model# T36 12V Used in Trucks, RVs, Campers

[The Next Adventures]

How many amps does it draw sir? Did it draw your batteries down very fast?
Sent from my SM-G900P using Wander The West mobile app

Kilroy,no big drain on the battery at all. There is 7 heat settings so it will use more amps the higher you crank it. I would set it on 4 or 5 about 20 minutes before going to bed, then turn it down to 2 cause we were so warm. Ran it up to 10 hours one night and the battery voltage was at 12.55 in the morning which is very acceptable. I should also mention the the mattress pad cycles on and off as it reaches the desired temperature set.

[RC Pilot Jim]

Next, does the pad radiate heat into the cabin or just the bed area?

[Lighthawk]

After camping for a week in the Cordillera blanca

 

 

Just to be clear, we're talking Peru?

Edited by Lighthawk, 26 November 2014 - 04:28 AM.

[pvstoy]

Yes Andy that would be Peru.  We did a trek in Peru in the Cordillera Huayhuash that is near Blanca.  You head out of the town of Huaraz.  Great trip! Think North of Lima.

[The Next Adventures]

Just to be clear, we're talking Peru?

yes, Headed to Bolivia in the next week. We will be giving the mattress pad some heavy use with some extreme freezing temps at elevation there

[The Next Adventures]

Next, does the pad radiate heat into the cabin or just the bed area?

I would say just the bed area. I would say some of the big advantages are:
1)No propane heat use at night. The propane creates a lot of water vapor which I can't stand and well the propane heat is just dangerous in an enclosed area.
2) besides staying toasty warm all night, you wake up warm so jumping out of bed into the cold morning air was actually quite nice.

[srileo]

Next adventures, what an excellent idea. We too are hesitant to use the propane heater at night, the heat goes too high and then drops off too low. 

Wondering if the mattress pad works with memory foam? is there a surface between the pad and your mattress so heat doesnt go down? we have memory foam and dont want it to melt under us ;-) 

 

BTW, what an awesome journey. Peru is the best. I was up there in the huaraz area on my motorcycle. Definitely the most memorable landscapes ever. 

[DonC]

Interesting, but I don't know anything about these.  Do you just lay your sleeping bag on top of it?

 

Another justification for the 200W of solar I'm looking to add.

 

(Jim - I'll send you some data from the weekend tomorrow)

Edited by DonC, 01 December 2014 - 05:20 AM.

[The Next Adventures]

Next adventures, what an excellent idea. We too are hesitant to use the propane heater at night, the heat goes too high and then drops off too low. 
Wondering if the mattress pad works with memory foam? is there a surface between the pad and your mattress so heat doesnt go down? we have memory foam and dont want it to melt under us ;-) 
 
BTW, what an awesome journey. Peru is the best. I was up there in the huaraz area on my motorcycle. Definitely the most memorable landscapes ever.

Srileo, we sleep on Paco pads (jacks plastic welding). They are foam wrapped in PVC. We have a regular bed sheet over the pads. We lay the heated mattress pad over this and then lay a "Mexican blanket" over the heated mattress pad. We sleep on top the Mexican blanket. Don't know much about the resilience of memory foam but do not think it would be a problem. maybe check out the manufactures website. I had a presale question that they answered quickly.
Driving through the Andes mountains on your bike must have been amazing! We did a loop driving over the Andes into the amazonian side then back over again. Was the toughest roads I have drove yet with the four wheel camper. It survived in perfect condition.