All you have to do is go get a DC transformer.

See how easy it is?

Mike

> From: Rachel Cogent <Gnarlodious@EARTHLINK.NET>
> Reply-To: Rachel Cogent <Gnarlodious@EARTHLINK.NET>
> Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2001 18:55:38 -0600
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Dissertation on electric blankets.
>
> You would need an inverter because electric blankets normally run on 120
> volts AC and your Westy is 12 volts DC. The resistance wire in the blanket
> and all resistance circuits are set according to voltage. In other words you
> COULD run your electric blanket on 12 VDC IF you made the length of the wire
> 1/10th of the 120 V length, in fact the blanket would run on 12 VDC except
> it would produce 1/10th the heat, which is not enough to keep you warm. Or
> you could wire 10 12 Volt batteries in series and get 120VDC, this is an
> impractical solution. Nobody wants 10 batteries in their Westy, and besides,
> how would you charge them?
> The most practical solution would be to acquire a 12 V blanket, which we
> have been discussing, there are two extra advantages to this solution:
> 1: You save the 20% waste needed by the inverter to convert the power, which
> ends up as heat anyway, but not where you want it.
> 2: DC power does not radiate electromagnetic waves, but AC does because it
> is changing direction 120 times per second.. This is the big brouhaha with
> cellphones and power lines which allegedly cause cancer. Having an AC
> electric blanket on your body all night is supposedly not good.
> In fact the CPA should mandate all electric blankets be sold must run on 120
> VDC, but the technical problems are huge and would add about 50$(at least)
> to the cost of an electric blanket. Since I have a 12V power supply in my
> Vanagon anyway it is not a problem.
>
> The End
>
> Entity mike miller spoke thus:
>
>> Second.  Why would you need an inverter for an electric blanket?
>>
>> Mike
>>
>>> From: Rachel Cogent <Gnarlodious@EARTHLINK.NET>
>>> Reply-To: Rachel Cogent <Gnarlodious@EARTHLINK.NET>
>>> Date: Fri, 21 Sep 2001 10:41:10 -0600
>>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>>> Subject: Re: Seeking warmth in my Westy
>>>
>>> Well let's see.
>>> If an electric blanket uses 180 watts and you sleep 8 hours that is 1440
>>> watts. Assuming a 75% duty cycle if it is very cold but you have other
>>> blankets over the heater that is 1080 watts. The average inverter is 80%
>>> efficient so that brings it up to 1296, lets say the original 1440 to be
>>> liberal. That is 1440 watthours. If 1440 / 12 volts =120 amp hours is true,
>>> and I think it is then the average battery should do it.
>>> Actually having a 12 volt electric blanket would be very cool....er, warm I
>>> mean. An added bonus is that you don't have the AC next to your bod with the
>>> DC thereby preventing cancer.(if you believe the fearmongers)
> http://www.preparedness.net/12volelblan.html
>
>>> Entity Royston, Jerry spoke thus:
>>>
>>>> I was thinking about getting an electric blanket to accomplish this.  Of
>>>> course you would need an electrical hookup.  Has anyone else used electric
>>>> blankets in their Westy?  How long would it take to run a battery down with
>>>> one on all night?
>