Thinking of installing 12 volt outlet in bed of truck

[GunniPWguy]

Wondering if any of you guys would know if it would be ok to run a small electric heater off a 12 volt outlet in the back of my truck/topper? Will be a new truck battery involved as well. Going to be cold sleeping back there this hunting season!

[verdesardog]

I don't think there is a 12v heater that will make much of a difference in the back of a truck on a cold night. Think about it...most household portable heaters are about 1200 watts. To get that much heat out of 12 volts you would need 100 amps!

[GunniPWguy]

Thanks verdesardog. I am fairly electronically challenged. Something like this heater would warm it up above freezing I think.

http://www.amazon.com/12-Volt-Watt-Univ ... lt+heaters
Just thought it would be nice to run a heater and not have to worry about carbon monoxide from a propane/gas fired heater

[05PWrockcrawler]

I think it would take the chill out with the heater and your body heat. Not gonna sweat you out for sure but will help.

[GunniPWguy]

I think it would take the chill out with the heater and your body heat. Not gonna sweat you out for sure but will help.

That was my thought as well. Will report back after I try it out. Stealth camping/hunting mode in two weeks.

[verdesardog]

gunny do you have a 12v heater? I would like to hear how well it works ...

[GunniPWguy]

Not yet.. but I am still thinking it might be a solution to the waking up at 0 dark hundred and cold. plug it in and get out of the bag warmed up might be kind of nice. I'll report back after I try it out.

[pzoeller]

That's a 25 amp draw......I wouldn't plan on using it for too long at night but if you cycle it on and off you should get one night out of a decent sized battery.........

[Ducky's Dad]

Milwaukee and other companies make heated jackets that run off their cordless tool batteries, and you can recharge those batteries from the truck. That and a pair of electric socks might do the trick. Another option might be one of the Coleman Black Cat propane catalytic heaters. They run off the small propane cannisters that you can get at any WalMart, and there is no open flame. I think they are OK in enclosed spaces like tents and should do nicely in an insulated truck shell. Check with Coleman, don't listen to me.

[GunniPWguy]

Might just go that route. Not too fond of draining the truck battery. Would only be cranking it up in the morning to take the edge off or in the middle of the night before crawling out to take a leak. Maybe one of these.

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-BlackCat- ... r+for+tent

[RustyPW]

I have a Gerbing heated jacket for the cool morning when riding the motorcycle. Check out their website for heated jackets, pants, gloves and socks. It's all 12 volt. Not much of a draw, as any motorcycle can power it. My jacket can make me sweat if I want it to. This should give you an idea.

http://www.gerbing.com/

[Ducky's Dad]

Might just go that route. Not too fond of draining the truck battery. Would only be cranking it up in the morning to take the edge off or in the middle of the night before crawling out to take a leak. Maybe one of these.

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-BlackCat- ... r+for+tent

That's it. I have a couple of them that I use for various purposes. One goes out to the duck blind in real cold weather and with a small pan sitting on top of it, I can warm up my coffee or heat up some lunch. Coleman makes these in various output levels and base configurations, so pay attention when you buy yours. WalMart usually carries them and blows them out at the end of the season. My second one was only $20 so I couldn't just let it sit there on the shelf.

[TwinStick]

If you already have one of these http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus ... DjvVP.dpbs, then you can use one of these http://www.homedepot.com/p/Patton-1500- ... 866?N=c4lh# . Or you can use a 12v elec blanket as well. http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product. ... lsrc=aw.ds