How do battery operated heated gloves work?

Battery operated heated gloves work on the same principle most heated clothing does: by running an electric current through a certain length of resistance wire that's been embedded between the glove liner and the outer layer.

In the case of battery operated gloves, the current will be provided by a (rechargeable) battery. Some batteries allow fine control over the heat being produced, others don't allow any control at all or are not rechargeable.

Another distinction between different brands and glove types is the kind of wire used. Some brands use single stranded copper wire which is prone to breaking due to metal fatigue, others (Gerbing's gloves, for instance) use multi-stranded stainless steel wire. Stainless steel is not only more ductile, it allows some stretch (up to 25%) before breakage. Add to that the fact that the stranded wires (up to 6) are insulated with Teflon and the result is a practically unbreakable heating system.

So when buying (or looking for) heated gloves, make sure both the heating system, battery type and heat control are what you're looking for.

Battery powered heated gloves work by using electrical energy that is

supplied by a battery to heat a heating element that is built into the

gloves. This heating element provides a resistance to the flow of

electricity and generates heat. An example of this is a toaster. When

the electricity flows through the heating elements they heat up and

after a minute or two you have toast. Of course heated gloves (or any

electrically heated clothing) use a lot less electricity and the heating

elements do not get red-hot!

When looking at heated gloves, there are two things you want to

consider. The first is how much heat is supplied by the heating

elements. The amount of heat is usually given in watts. Second is where

heat is supplied.

There are several different types if heated gloves. First there are some

battery powered heated gloves that use alkaline batteries. Some heated

gloves (and socks, insoles, etc.) use two or three "AA" style batteries

or one "C" or "D" cell battery to heat the gloves.

As a general rule, gloves using alkaline batteries like I have mentioned

above have a very limited heat output, and because of that the heated

area is small. Usually they provide 3 watts or less over a small area.

Some manufacturers use a rechargeable nickel metal hydride (NiMH)

battery. Generally they have better heat output and more heated area,

but they do not heat as long. This is due to the limited amount of

electrical energy available in the battery.

A few manufacturers use lithium ion batteries, and these units generally

pack a lot of heat over a broad area, and have good run times. Gerbing's

Heated Clothing ( www.gerbing.com ) make Excellent heated gloves that

have a lot of features.

Look for multiple power settings, and a tough battery pack that can

stand up to the rigors of regular use. Also look for a power output of 6

watts or more.

As for the amount of time that it heats, don't be fooled by foggy

figures. A lot of manufacturers list their run times on the lowest power

setting. Compare Apples to Apples and look at how many watts the battery

can supply for how many hours. Look at how many watts you get on the

high setting and how many hours it will run on high.