cost of running electric blanket

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  • Ben84
    Ben84 Posts: 3,069
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    Determining the energy consumption of anything thermostatically controlled is difficult as you can't just look at the wattage printed on the appliance as for these devices. It's a maximum rather than actual figure. During use the element will be turning on and off repeatedly to maintain the temperature based on the setting you're using, how warm the room is, how much heat you're making and how quickly it's being lost. However, despite this difficulty I can still say electric blankets are cheap to use. An appliance cannot consume more electricity that the wattage printed on it and the maximum wattage of most electric blankets is pretty low, around 40-100w and even if we assumed a continuous consumption at this wattage, it's similar to a light bulb and you would get many hours use from a single kW. The actual amount, particularly if you make the effort to put a thick blanket on the bed so the heat isn't escaping too fast should be many more hours.

    I wouldn't advise going for lower wattage electric blankets to save money, as because they're thermostatically controlled they should all regardless of wattage consume the same energy to maintain the same temperature. Higher wattage blankets will however heat up faster and will be able to attain higher temperatures if you want them.
  • HappyMJ
    HappyMJ Posts: 21,115
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    They are not thermostatically controlled. At least I've not seen one manufactured recently that is. My blanket has what is called a rheostat. A rheostat is a variable resistor for regulating the current. It does not have anything to do with temperature. It has 4 settings 0,1,2 or 3. Setting 3 uses 90W all the time. Setting 2 uses 60W and setting 1 uses 30W. Setting 0 is off.
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  • Ben84
    Ben84 Posts: 3,069
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    HappyMJ wrote: »
    They are not thermostatically controlled. At least I've not seen one manufactured recently that is. My blanket has what is called a rheostat. A rheostat is a variable resistor for regulating the current. It does not have anything to do with temperature. It has 4 settings 0,1,2 or 3. Setting 3 uses 90W all the time. Setting 2 uses 60W and setting 1 uses 30W. Setting 0 is off.

    Interesting, my one says something about thermostat control on the box, but this is only one example. Or maybe it's just describing itself misleadingly?
  • HappyMJ
    HappyMJ Posts: 21,115
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    Ben84 wrote: »
    Interesting, my one says something about thermostat control on the box, but this is only one example. Or maybe it's just describing itself misleadingly?
    It will be misleading...

    This is what I have http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4500434/c_1/1|category_root|Home+and+furniture|14417894/c_2/2|14417894|Bedding+and+electric+blankets|14417895/c_3/3|cat_14417895|Electric+blankets|14417924.htm

    It says in the description on the Argos website that it has an "Auto adjusting sensor maintains chosen temperature throughout the night". It doesn't. It's either on or off. If you turn it on in summer it will still heat the bed up...and be very hot.
    :footie:
    :p Regular savers earn 6% interest (HSBC, First Direct, M&S) :p Loans cost 2.9% per year (Nationwide) = FREE money. :p
  • I've used Electric Blankets all of my life and i've never had a case of bedbugs, perhaps i'm just lucky or maybe its just idle gossip, rumour and bandwagon scaremongering, spread around largely by people who've never actually owned one!.

    I'm sure there are also many cases of bedbugs out there where the beds in question have never been close to an Electric Blanket.

    A 100W double electric blanket will use no more than 1KW/H (1 unit) of Electricity for a 10 hour period, single bed models will use less, averaging around 50w - 75w

    Either way, its likely to work out cheaper than constantly trying to heat the air and then you through the duvet.

    I use the Electric Blanket and run a fan heater briefly for 5 - 10 minutes in the mornings when I get up, total cost of that works out at no more than about 8p a day. Yes, i'm on an E7 Tariff, but even on a standard tariff it would be no more than about 16p. Running the storage heater in the room in comparison would cost me around £1 a night for a full 7 hour 'charge'!, so effectively i'm saving about 92p a day, and i'm actually far warmer with the Elec blanket at any given time in the middle of the night than I would be from the heat given off a half 'charged' storage heater!
    "Dont expect anybody else to support you, maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you have a wealthy spouse, but you never know when each one, might run out" - Mary Schmich
  • Pincher
    Pincher Posts: 6,552
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    I wonder if it's viable to do a USB version.
    For people who spend too much time at the desk.

    When you sit down, plug into the front USB of a desktop or tower PC, or a powered USB hub. No need to turn the central heating on.
  • MillicentBystander
    MillicentBystander Posts: 3,518 Forumite
    edited 18 November 2011 at 8:17AM
    Pincher wrote: »
    I wonder if it's viable to do a USB version.
    For people who spend too much time at the desk.

    When you sit down, plug into the front USB of a desktop or tower PC, or a powered USB hub. No need to turn the central heating on.


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  • Leon_W
    Leon_W Posts: 1,813
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    I was a late adopter of this technology :(

    I would never be without one now. It really does cost pennies to run and through last years cold winter was a godsend. I don't like a hot bedroom so very rarely bother with any heating at all in this room, but the bed is always toasty warm.
  • jaylu
    jaylu Posts: 46 Forumite
    I sleep on the floor of my flat and am looking to use an electric blanket for the first time this year to save money.

    However I am a bit cautious about doing so as I have noticed when I put my bed away in the mornings there is condensation on my carry mat and the underside of my foam mattress is damp.

    Does anyone know if my using an electric blanket would be a hazard? Or would the heat from the blanket keep things dry? Or would it actually make things worse?

    I have some understanding that the condensation is caused by warm air meeting cold and there being no ventilation but my limited grasp of science can't work this out

    For info my bed consists of a carry mat, on top of that goes the foam mattress, then a mattress cover and then my duvet.

    I would be grateful for any thoughts!
  • jaylu
    jaylu Posts: 46 Forumite
    Not to worry about answering my question..I decided to post it as a new thread.
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