Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Perazzimx14 on December 04, 2019, 06:22:44 PM
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In the dead of winter I use on/off rocker switch for my heated jacked but in the more shoulder months it would be nice to be able to adjust the heat level. It would also ne nioce if they weren't $50 a shot so perusing Amazon I came across these 12V LED dimmers. What say ye think they will work?
https://www.amazon.com/FAVOLCANO-12V-24V-Dimmer-Channel-controller/dp/B01325KCSY/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2RRQFF93MRSAD&keywords=12v+dimmer+switch+dc&qid=1575505127&sprefix=12v+dimmer%2Caps%2C263&sr=8-4
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If your heated vest draws less that 6 amps , it may be fine , and at that price what are you waiting for ?
Get back to us . Peter
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If it is the heat setting that is important to you, then yes that would probably work. But I also use an on/ off switch with a heated vest, but as a means of compensating for the limited output of my alternator. To me, a set up with that controller would be a continuous draw and would not work for my limited output electrical system. But what do I know?
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I think dimming a "Light Emitting Diode" and varying the voltage to a resistive heat load are two very different things. I would not do it.
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Dimming LEDs involves reducing the amount of time the current flows through the diode, as in ON for x milliseconds and OFF for y milliseconds, and repeat.
The dimmers you listed use PWM, which is Pulse Width Modulation. I haven't read of anyone using that approach for limiting current through a resistive load like a heater.
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A PWM will work great for controlling a heated vest. I use one that I made from parts for a LED controller. The better controllers that you buy from the heated gear companies are PWM.
A PWM will use less amps when you have it set on less than full.
https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=99540.msg1574064#msg1574064 (https://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=99540.msg1574064#msg1574064)
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Possibly right church wrong pew. Need to look for somethgin with a higher ampacity. My jacket draws between 6.9 and 7.9 amps.
Having adjustable heat is not of paramount importance but it would be nice a few few days in the fall and spring when it full on is just too much and off with base layers is not enough. Thats why I'm having a hard time spending $50 on a Gerbing controller.
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Using a PWM dimmer like that is PERFECT for a resistive heater.
BUT, they are only 6 amp. I'll bet that your vest is near or over that. So I wouldn't use it, just because it is near or over the current capability.
What is the wattage if the vest you want to control?
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I've a heated vest and sleeved vest made in B.C . They average 5 ohms . If Ohms law holds here , that's around 2.5 amps .
Are you sure your vest is rated at (or close to 6 amps ? ) Peter
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I've a heated vest and sleeved vest made in B.C . They average 5 ohms . If Ohms law holds here , that's around 2.5 amps .
Are you sure your vest is rated at (or close to 6 amps ? ) Peter
6 amps is about 120 72 watts at 12 volts.
Gerbing claims 6.5 amp for theirs.
https://gerbing.eu/en/heated-jacket-liner/#product-specificationsac4c-002a
My vest is rated at 60 watts. I measured it at closer to 50 watts actual. It is not very hot, but it does the job well and doesn't tax the charging system.
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Wayne, when I went to school the formula was P=IE, how do you get that to agree with 6 amps, 12 volts and 120 watts? Just curious but by my math 120 watts at 12 volts would be 10 amps. 6 X 12 would be 72 when I went to school.
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Wayne, when I went to school the formula was P=IE, how do you get that to agree with 6 amps, 12 volts and 120 watts? Just curious but by my math 120 watts at 12 volts would be 10 amps. 6 X 12 would be 72 when I went to school.
I was brain dead. It is of course 72 watts.
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OK, thank you, I thought maybe my age and memory was worse than what I was aware of! :grin: