Things that Work! 12 Volt Products' Heating Pad Tested by Karen Perez and Chris Greacen Sore muscles? No inverter? Chilly, but don't want to turn up the thermostat or start a fire? Don't want to be bathed in electromagnetic fields(EMFs)? Well, here's the heating pad for you. Relief Having entered middle age, sore parts have become a problem. You know, those small aches and pains that seem to just appear and make getting out of bed tough. The 12 Volt Products heating pad has come to my rescue. The 12 VDC Specs This heating pad is 16 inches by 14 inches with two elastic straps to keep it in place. It's 18 gauge cord is six feet long with a cigar lighter plug. The manufacturer says it draws 2 to 3 Amps DC and the thermostat will maintain temperatures of around 165¡F. The Test I have read so much about electromagnetic fields and ac heating pads that I wanted to compare our DC version with an ac model (see HP #23, page 24 for more on EMFs) I trotted down to our local discount store and picked up a 120 vac, three setting, heating pad for $18.99. It came complete with warnings not to use with infants, invalids, diabetics, or bedridden folks. The 120 vac pad is cheaper then the 12 VDC model at $26.99. This test proved to me that cost isn't everything. Chris and I set up two Fluke 87 multimeters, one to record the amount of power used and one to take heating pads' temperatures. We also used an ac milligauss meter for the ac EMF readings. Just the Facts The 12 Volt Products' heating pad temperature ranged between 126.3¡F and 152¡F (a comfortable 140¡F average). When the heating pad was first plugged in it drew 2.2 amps at 12 VDC. After the thermostat started cycling, the average electrical consumption was 1.1 amps at 12 volts or 13.2 watts. What I really like is that the 12 Volt Products' heating pad makes no measurable ac magnetic field. Then Chris and I tested the 120 vac heating pad. We put the 120 vac pad on the medium setting (average 130¡F) The high setting was too hot (around 180¡) for comfort anyway..After a warm up period, we started recording the data. The ac heating pad drew an average of 0.39 amps at 120 vac or 46.8 watts. Its magnetic field output was 30.13 milligauss. That's 150 times greater than our normal background ac magnetic field here on Agate Flat, and much more than I want close to my body for hours at a time. Which One? Which would you like to cuddle up with? A potentially dangerous power pig, or a heating pad that uses less than one third the power and has no dangerous EMF. An easy choice for me. Sometimes I take 12 Volt Products' heating pad to bed with me and sleep on it all night long. Its warm, soothing, safe, and kind to our battery. Access Author: Karen Perez, c/o Home Power, POB 130, Hornbrook, CA 96044 ¥ 916-475-3179 Distributor: 12 Volt Products, POB 664, Holland, PA 18966 ¥ 215-355- 0525