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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 5 Oct 2020 12:10pm
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I made a battery box for my Chevy volt batteries to keep them from freezing during charging. I want to know if anyone added a heater to the box. That they had success with and could recommend.
I have the box super installed. I have 4 inches of fire block spay foam inside the metal stud framed box and then 2 inches of foam board around it, so about 6 inches of insulation around the box.
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Atlincabin
Member
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# Posted: 5 Oct 2020 10:43pm
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I used a thermostat box that is for controlling a bed of starter plants (gardening section of Amazon) connected to a small battery pad heater (for keeping car batteries warmer in winter). Has worked well with my system for 3 winters now. Google "seedling heat mat thermostat" and you can see similar setups. It doesn't take much heat (i.e., not much wattage) to keep batteries warm in an insulated box. With 6 inches, you should probably only need 10-30W unless you live in the high arctic, then maybe only slightly more.
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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 6 Oct 2020 09:17am
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Your the best buddy! Thank you for the help I am going to order it.
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SCSJeff
Member
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# Posted: 6 Oct 2020 03:21pm
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Atlin,
The first couple of hits in Google for that search term took me to Amazon products. However, they both said it uses 8.3 Amps or 1000 Watts 
Should I be looking for only the thermostat and not the combo products that pop up first?
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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 6 Oct 2020 03:24pm
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I order both from amazon... I am thinking this should work! Thanks again Atlincabin for the info!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BFR1Z4B/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UT F8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000I8VL16/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UT F8&psc=1
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SCSJeff
Member
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# Posted: 6 Oct 2020 10:15pm
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Ejm,
Thanks for the links. But, even that heater pad uses 80 Watts. I'm wondering where Atlin found the 10-30 watt battery pad heater?
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Steve961
Member
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# Posted: 6 Oct 2020 10:24pm
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What about something like this:
12V 15W Motorcycle Handlebar Hand Grip Heaters
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SCSJeff
Member
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# Posted: 7 Oct 2020 08:10am
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Steve,
That's not a bad idea! I can run that directly off the Solar Charge Controller too
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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 7 Oct 2020 08:39am
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I am in the Adirondack and it gets real cold, so figured I would go with a little more heat. This is what he was talking about. This should work great for you only 18 watts
https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Seedling-Digital-Thermostat-Standard/dp/B016MKY7C8/ref =sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=seedling+heat+mat&qid=1602074107&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&sp La=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzVkhKU1FCRUpUVE9RJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzYwNDY5MlBUWEZDOV dNODU0RCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTU1NTY1MVZCSFUxSkVRTFBSJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGl vbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 7 Oct 2020 09:03am
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^^^ This is what we have... have been too busy/lazy to unhook the modules (MNC lithium) lift them out of the boxes to install them.
An aside... I have read where folks using these mats place them under a thin sheet of metal to help distribute the heat as well as to keep the mat from direct contact with the modules/batteries.
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SCSJeff
Member
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# Posted: 7 Oct 2020 11:51am
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Perfect!
Thanks Guys!
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Atlincabin
Member
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# Posted: 11 Oct 2020 04:12pm
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Sorry for not replying sooner, but have been off camping for a few days. Actually, the wattage of the pad doesn't really matter 10, 50, 80 as long as your inverter can handle it. The bigger pad will just run for a shorter time to bring the temperature up, then shut off by the thermostat. Of course, a 1000W pad might be a bit of overkill.
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SCSJeff
Member
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# Posted: 12 Oct 2020 09:38pm
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Atlin,
Good point on the runtime being less on the higher wattage pads..
Thanks
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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 14 Oct 2020 06:31pm
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