Battery Warmers

Just curious if any of you have used or are using any of the Blanket or Pad style?

If so what are your opinions/thoughts on a battery warmer in general.
Some have reported back that battery life was increased due to not being subjected to all the cold winter starts.

My Ram spends most of the time in the garage @ 40-98*F. But during work hours it can sit in the parking lot for 12-16 hours. With plugins @ each light pole.

Any Thoughts or Opinions?

My 2500 6.4 came with a insulated cover for the battery. Thought that was standard across the line?

Mine has a very cheesy thin somewhat fiber cover surrounding it but it's no warmer that you plug-in & adds heat. Am I missing something here?
A. Does this thin layer of material create its own heat?
B. Does this new battery create enough heat that this thin layer of material holds this heat for hours on end?
After sitting in a parking lot with 0° weather for 12 to 16 hours I see this little cover thing doing nothing.
Unless it's got some type of space-age genetic material that holds the heat from the engine within the battery for that long. (Which I did not see on my build sheet).

I'm only asking not being a smart A$$! I honestly want to know!

The thin layer of battery insulation is designed to protect the battery from damaging high heat. Battery warmers act like a heating pad and are used in the cold weather to keep the battery operating longer.

1999 White C5 Coupe said:

The thin layer of battery insulation is designed to protect the battery from damaging high heat. Battery warmers act like a heating pad and are used in the cold weather to keep the battery operating longer.

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Yup! This is information that I already know.

Hoots post just threw me for a loop.

My reason for my post is to see if other owners who have installed them have any positive comments or negative comments about them.
I have been researching them all day. I have read more bad reviews about the pads: saying some of them get way too hot. The blankets seem like the way to go.

If I can spend $32 and get 2 to 3 more years battery life out of the battery that's seems to me like a smart investment.
I have already found a 36 inch blanket and a thermo-cube that has a thermostat already built into it he comes on at 35° and shuts off at 45.
I even have a digital timer that I can plug-in inside the engine bay that will have the battery warmer come on just before the last six hours of my shift is over that way it's not heating the whole 12 to 16 hours.

The blanket type are de rigueur here on the North Slope... along with oil pan and coolant heaters. The pad type are a step down, but still ok. Remember that heat that feels "too hot" to your hand is being transferred to the mass of a cold battery. The blanket type can however, work at a lower wattage because they not only heat the battery more uniformly, they also insulate as well.


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I used to sell those years ago and they do help if you are in sub zero weather areas. The battery loses a huge amount of cranking amps as the weather gets cold and keeping it warm does help.

SyN said:

Yup! This is information that I already know.

Hoots post just threw me for a loop.

My reason for my post is to see if other owners who have installed them have any positive comments or negative comments about them.
I have been researching them all day. I have read more bad reviews about the pads: saying some of them get way too hot. The blankets seem like the way to go.

If I can spend $32 and get 2 to 3 more years battery life out of the battery that's seems to me like a smart investment.
I have already found a 36 inch blanket and a thermo-cube that has a thermostat already built into it he comes on at 35° and shuts off at 45.
I even have a digital timer that I can plug-in inside the engine bay that will have the battery warmer come on just before the last six hours of my shift is over that way it's not heating the whole 12 to 16 hours.

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how cold are we talking here?

Thanks for both your replies. The fella I talk to lives in North Dakota which is somewhat known for having pretty cold winters. He is where I got the info that he installed two blankets on both his batteries on his diesel pick up.

He claimed after installing the blankets on his two new batteries that these batteries lasted two more years compared to the older ones that it had on before without the blankets.

Like I said to me spending $32 if I can get an extra year for two years out of my battery would be a wise investment. Think I will give it a try.

Normally it's -6 below zero is about as cold as it gets but with the windchill. And the wind normally blows 20 to 30 mile an hour here in the winter time.

But once again $32 bucks for an extra year or 2 of battery life is pretty damn smart investment. I know right now since the battery is fairly new that there won't be any issues but once it gets 2 to 3 years old --->this blanket might help a whole lot.

I guess talking about it won't find out anything. Doing it: is only way to really find out if it helps or not.

i only see sub 0 temps a couple times a year. but can stay in the teens for awhile and colder at night. my ram lives out side and i get about 7 years out of a stock battery. have never used a blanket. just my 2 cents.

huntergreen said:

i only see sub 0 temps a couple times a year. but can stay in the teens for awhile and colder at night. my ram lives out side and i get about 7 years out of a stock battery. have never used a blanket. just my 2 cents.

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7 Years out of a battery! Now that is impressive! I am 52 and owned an auto since I was 16 & I have NEVER received more the 5 years from a battery. I almost always never skimp on batteries! I keep them very clean and both posts are always corrosion free. I am definitely doing something wrong!

the best you could do is insulate just one of a pair of identical new batteries. and see if there is any difference in lifespan. Theoretically, the insulation should help, but I'd prefer to see proof positive.

Like posted above: I can see the cheep cheesy stock blanket that comes stock. Maybe shielding the battery during the summer months from the heat that builds up in the engine bay once the auto is stopped and shut off.

But during the winter months I really see it useless. Thus the reason for my thoughts of a blanket warmer for those many hours below freezing during the winter months.

I guess the ONLY way to realize the truth is to actually use one and analyze the actual results. I can use my thermal gun and shoot the top of the battery after the warmer being on for 6 hours. To get an actual temp reading of the battery. Then do the same without the warmer. During the below freezing days or nights.

$32 once again if the warmer actually adds a couple more years of like to my battery it will have payed for itself a few times over.
It will be works electricity not mine.

You all know me by now! I'm the one who is Always outside the box, wanting & not scared to try new ideas. Will order the Blanket & Thermo cube Saturday. Will take 23 min to install.

LoL! My post was moved to the wrong thread!!

Just saw your thread and I know it may be a little late to post on it now but,

Have you tried a battery tender? I plug my truck in the wifes truck in once a week during the summer and almost every night in the winter. Definitely not the warmer you are looking for but it helps it last longer.

We've had - 40 degrees here plenty of times (same for Celsius or Fahrenheit) and I've found a regular old block heater to be more than enough. That and some 0 or 5w oil.