DIY Heated Clothing – Part I

I decided I was going to buy the gerbings heated gloves this winter season, because that’s the part of my body that REALLY needs it. After pricing out my setup, I then decided there must exist a cheaper way, and I must figure out a way to do it.

So i bought a heated blanket off amazon for $25.00, (used filler items to reach 25 for free shipping). The heated blanket I picked out is a travel blanket, so it uses the 12v car socket instead of an AC outlet. I have high hopes for this project.

This is my proposed plan, and please let me know me if you have any suggestions or ideas. First, obviously, is getting the wire out of the blanket. The wire is woven through the blanket and surrounded the whole way by stitching. I haven’t decided yet, but I think I’m going to cut OUTSIDE of the stitching for the wire so the entire length of heated wire has a cotton/polyester sheath.

This is going to be my wiring pattern. The plug is going to be on the left side cover, and the power cord is going through my left leg in my chaps up to my waist. It comes with a 6 ft power cord, so that’s more than enough. From my waist, it will go up my left side, through my left sleeve, then covering my gloves, I’m going to do each fingertip if I can, then run it all the way back through the sleeve to my chest. Go across the chest, through the right sleeve, over the right glove, back to my chest, and then down my right side.

since I have almost no way of knowing how much wiring I have, this is really all I’m hoping to get out of it. if I have extra, I suppose I’ll cover the crotch area, and if I have even more still, I’ll go down the legs.