How Long Will a Power Station Run an Electric Blanket?

Quick answer. A queen size electric blanket rated at 150 W runs for about 6 hours on a 1,000 Wh class power station and about 12 hours on a 2,000 Wh class station at full draw. On a low setting, or with the thermostat cycling, it lasts longer. Check your blanket’s manual first, because some makers say not to use theirs with inverters.

When the power goes out on a winter night, an electric blanket is one of the most efficient ways to stay warm on battery. It heats you directly instead of the air in the room, and it uses a small fraction of the power of a space heater. This guide uses figures from blanket makers and a published measurement to show how long common power station sizes last, then covers the safety rules that matter.

We have not tested these blankets or stations ourselves. Every figure below comes from the maker and measurement pages we link, and the runtime numbers are our own arithmetic from those figures.

How many watts an electric blanket uses

Blanket labels show a single wattage, which is the most the blanket draws when its element is fully on. A few examples from published sources follow.

Blanket	Type	Rated or measured watts	Source
Sunbeam Sleep Express queen (BLE4851)	Mains, 6 settings	150 W rated	Sunbeam AU
Sunbeam Sleep Perfect queen (BLA6351)	Mains, 6 settings	150 W rated	Sunbeam NZ
Measured mains blanket, low	Mains	about 115 W	Cockeyed power use database
Measured mains blanket, medium	Mains	about 135 W	Same source
Measured mains blanket, high	Mains	about 170 W	Same source
KickAss 12 V and 24 V blanket	DC, 3 settings	50 W rated, 4.2 A max	KickAss Products

Two things are worth knowing about these numbers.

• Settings change the average, not just the peak. Most modern blankets use a controller that switches the heating wire on and off to hold a temperature. On a low setting the wire is off more of the time, so the average draw over an hour is lower than the label.
• Size and dual controls add up. A king or dual control blanket has more heating wire, often split between two controllers. Add both sides together when you size a battery.

For a quick look at other loads, see our appliance wattage chart.

How long each power station size lasts

We use the same method as our power station runtime calculator. Multiply rated capacity in watt hours by 0.85 to allow for inverter and other losses, then divide by the watts. The table assumes the blanket draws its full figure all the time, so treat it as a cautious floor.

Station capacity	Usable at 0.85	12 V blanket at 50 W	Blanket on low at 115 W	Queen blanket at 150 W	Blanket on high at 170 W
256 Wh	about 218 Wh	about 4.4 hours	about 1.9 hours	about 1.5 hours	about 1.3 hours
512 Wh	about 435 Wh	about 8.7 hours	about 3.8 hours	about 2.9 hours	about 2.6 hours
1,024 Wh	about 870 Wh	about 17 hours	about 7.6 hours	about 5.8 hours	about 5.1 hours
2,048 Wh	about 1,741 Wh	about 35 hours	about 15 hours	about 11.6 hours	about 10.2 hours
3,072 Wh	about 2,611 Wh	about 52 hours	about 23 hours	about 17 hours	about 15 hours

Running a 12 V blanket from the station’s car socket skips the AC inverter, so real losses are usually smaller than our 0.85 factor allows. We keep the same factor so every column compares fairly.

Nights per battery size

Most people care about nights, not hours. Here is the same arithmetic for an 8 hour night, again at full draw.

Station capacity	Nights at 115 W	Nights at 150 W
1,024 Wh	about 0.9	about 0.7
2,048 Wh	about 1.9	about 1.5
3,072 Wh	about 2.8	about 2.2
5,000 Wh	about 4.6	about 3.5

That looks tight, but most people do not need a blanket fully on for eight hours. A more realistic outage routine is to warm the bed and then turn down.

• Preheat, then lower. Sunbeam’s US heated bedding manual describes a preheat function that warms the bed for 30 minutes and then returns to the original setting.
• Example routine. Thirty minutes at 170 W followed by two hours at 115 W uses about 85 Wh plus 230 Wh, or 315 Wh. A 1,024 Wh station covers that about two and a half times by our arithmetic, after losses.
• Layer on top. A duvet or sleeping bag over an electric blanket holds the heat in, which lets the thermostat stay off for longer.

What blanket makers say about inverters

This is the part most runtime articles skip. Sunbeam’s North American manual for its heated blankets, mattress pads and throws includes this instruction in its safety list. It says to use the product only on a 110 to 120 V, 60 Hz AC circuit, not to use it with an extension cord, and not to use it with generators, power converters or inverters. The setup steps repeat that it should not be used with generator power.

A portable power station’s AC outlet is an inverter. So if you own a blanket with that warning, the maker is telling you not to plug it into a power station, however clean the station’s output is. We do not know the exact reason behind the warning, and other makers may write their manuals differently. The safe approach is simple.

1. Read your own blanket’s manual for any mention of generators, inverters or power converters.
2. If it forbids them, do not use it on battery. Choose a blanket designed for 12 V DC instead.
3. If it allows them, use a pure sine wave station and plug the blanket straight into the outlet without an extension cord.

Using a 12 V blanket instead

Blankets sold for cars, trucks and camping run directly from a 12 V socket, and most power stations have one. They draw much less than mains blankets. KickAss lists 50 W with a maximum of 4.2 A for its 12 V and 24 V blanket, and says it suits truck drivers and camping.

Keep these points in mind.

• Check the socket rating. Your station’s car socket has a maximum current. Make sure it is above the blanket’s maximum draw.
• Check the timer. KickAss says its blanket is designed for up to two hours of continuous use, with timers of 45, 90 or 120 minutes. Many car blankets work this way, so they suit warming up a bed rather than running all night.
• They are smaller. Car blankets are often throw sized rather than bed sized. One per person is a sensible plan.

Safety basics for any electric blanket

Electric blankets are a far safer outage plan than a space heater, but they are still heating appliances. The Sunbeam manual lists rules that apply to most blankets.

• Do not tuck in, pinch or fold the heating wire, and keep the blanket and controller visible.
• Do not use a damaged cord, and turn off or unplug the control when you are not using it.
• Keep pets away, and use the right size blanket for the bed.
• Check with a doctor before using one with a pacemaker or other medical device.

The Cockeyed measurement page also notes that blankets made before 2001 may lack an automatic shutoff circuit and are considered a fire hazard. If yours is that old, replace it before winter.

Sunbeam also notes that after a power cut its auto off timer resets, and you press the power button to restart the blanket. If the station switches over or restarts, check that the blanket is actually warming.

How this compares with a space heater

A typical space heater draws about 1,500 W on high, roughly ten times a queen blanket. In our guide to running a space heater on a power station, a 1,024 Wh station lasts about 35 minutes with the heater on high. The same station runs a 150 W blanket for about 5.8 hours at full draw. Space heaters also carry a much higher fire risk, and safety agencies say not to run them while you sleep.

To plan the rest of your outage power, read how long a power station lasts, and if you also rely on a CPAP overnight, add its use from our power station for CPAP guide. Our power outage preparation checklist covers the rest of a winter kit, and our guide on how to heat a house during a power outage compares every heat source by backup type.

Bottom line

An electric blanket is one of the best uses of battery power in a winter outage. A 150 W queen blanket runs about 6 hours on a 1,000 Wh class station and about 12 hours on a 2,000 Wh class station at full draw, and longer on low or with the thermostat cycling. Before you rely on it, read your blanket’s manual, because Sunbeam’s North American manual says not to use its blankets with inverters. If yours says the same, a 12 V blanket from the station’s car socket is the better route.

This article is general information. Follow your blanket and power station manuals, and never use fuel burning heaters or generators indoors.

Frequently asked questions

How many watts does an electric blanket use?

Most full and queen size blankets are rated somewhere around 100 to 200 W at their highest setting. Sunbeam lists 150 W for its queen blankets in Australia and New Zealand, and one published measurement of a blanket found 115 W on low, 135 W on medium and 170 W on high. Thermostats switch the element on and off, so the average over a night is usually lower than the label.

How long will a 1,000 Wh power station run an electric blanket?

About 5.8 hours at a constant 150 W, using a 0.85 planning factor, and about 7.6 hours at 115 W. Because blankets cycle on and off once warm, real runtime can be longer. Preheating on high and then turning down or off stretches it further.

Is it safe to plug an electric blanket into a power station?

Follow the blanket maker. Sunbeam's North American manual says not to use its heated bedding with generators, power converters or inverters, and a power station's AC outlet is an inverter. Other makers may say something different. If your manual forbids it, a 12 V blanket designed for DC sockets is the safer route.

Is an electric blanket better than a space heater on battery power?

Much better. A space heater on high draws about 1,500 W, roughly ten times a queen blanket. The same 1,024 Wh station that runs a heater for about 35 minutes can run a 150 W blanket for nearly six hours.

Can I use a 12 V car blanket with a power station?

Usually yes, through the station's 12 V car socket, as long as the socket's rated current is above the blanket's draw. Check the blanket's timer, because many car blankets switch off after a set time and are not designed for all night use.