These heating pads are very common on eBay. They consist of two sections of a resistive material and connecting strips sandwiched in a thick plastic document-style lamination.
The total thickness is just half a millimetre which is slightly disconcerting for a 240V heater. The power rating is determined by the area of the pad with suitably wider and longer heating sections.
The controller is just a very low power dimmer which is unlikely to actually be suitable for a 100W load as implied on its case.
These pads don't have any self regulation characteristic. They are basically just a flat flexible resistor.
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14 thoughts on “Cheap ebay heater pad and its control circuitry. with schematic”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Bert Kooijmans says:

    Hey bigclive or someone else knowledgable could i use this in line dimmer to reduce the heat output of a ptc or at least slow the heating so i can regulate it with a bimettallic thermal switch?

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars David Falconer says:

    A safer heater for your cat ( ? ) is a 2 Kw , 230 Volt old oven element , in a card fruit box , with a sheet of metal on top with a towel on top of that …. run from a 24 Volt transformer … or …. a spare 19 Volt laptop PSU , this keeps your puss snug in the winter … ( tried – n – tested ) …………… DAVE™ …………….

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars psirvent8 says:

    What's the use of these ?

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars hmarc417 says:

    Seal the element in a silicone envelope and then it could be rated for pets.

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars hmarc417 says:

    It's interesting that the controller says 220v/110v, ware as the element says 220v/240v

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Steve Davis says:

    I have a 30W one in my vivarium, been there for ten years or more.
    I also bought a 13W one a couple of years ago, I forget what for now.
    It wouldn't work at first and I diagnosed a failed regulator, so chopped it out of circuit.
    Still didn't work. Faulty diagnosis, it was the socket adaptor that was crap.
    Very poor diagnostic procedure.
    I lost half the cover of the regulator so was unable to reinstate it.
    I do find odd tasks for it occasionally, last was to soften a kilo of shea butter.

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Japreet Kah says:

    DO NOT BUY – I just got mine from eBay and put it on full power for 15 min and it's melted itself??? How does that work?

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars parapos says:

    what would it take to make this pad a bit warmer (5 deg C more) ?

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars JohnB's Videos says:

    I bought one of these a couple of years ago with the idea of using it in a 3D printer enclosure, but was put off when it sunk in it was cheap, Chinese and mains powered! The lack of the word "death" in the video title, and no mention of possible fatality in the video, makes me feel a bit more comfortable about using it!!!

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Vinyl Discharge says:

    Needed this video.

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Raf B says:

    Is there a way to convert this heater to 127V?

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Little Wolf Taima says:

    These have just been remove d from eBay. I bought one last week and it's been removed. I looked at Amazon reviews and a few people have had failures but I'm not too worried. It's only 7W

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars max kar says:

    Hmm I wonder if these can be converted to dew heaters for dslr lenses with a bit of insulated padding?

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars R F says:

    Could I use this with out a Thermostat for a lizard as it has the dimmer?

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