Why Is My Heating Pad Blinking? 7 Explanations and Fixes

Heating pads are great for aches, cold nights, and more. But what if your heating pad starts blinking all of the time? Blinking lights are often indicators of an electrical problem in your heating pad, so it’s essential that you diagnose the issue as soon as possible.

Your heating pad is blinking because the resistance wires in the fabric are overheated. This happens due to a lack of airflow cooling the wires, dirty heating pad fabric, and running it for too long. Check if the thermal fuse is blown, then let the device cool for several hours.

Using a blinking heating pad can cause various unwanted issues, including burns, tripped circuit breakers, and blown fuses. Below, I’ll cover all of the reasons your heating pad is blinking and what you can do about them.

Overheated Resistance Wire

Electric heating pads have resistance wires that heat the insulated fabric. If these wires get too hot, they’ll send a warning signal to the control. This signal causes the controller to blink red, white, or yellow lights. Some heating pad controllers have digital displays that correspond to the provided troubleshooting guide.

Electrical Safety Foundation International claims up to 500 annual fires are caused by heating pads and electric blankets. Overheated, overused, and outdated electrical appliances pose the highest risk.

How to Fix

Start with these steps:

1. Unplug your heating pad and leave it off for an hour.
2. Plug in the heating pad to see if it’s still blinking.
3. Replace the resistance wire with a like-for-like wire from the pad’s manufacturer (if you have a replaceable model).

Many resistance wires aren’t replaceable in heating pads. If the wire burns, it’ll be unusable. Unfortunately, this means you’ll have to try a different heating pad.

Tripped Heating Pad Fuse

Most heating pads have single-use thermal fuses. Once the fuse blows, you won’t be able to use the heating pad until you replace the fuse. The heating pad will often blink every time you try to use it until you change the thermal fuse since it can’t heat up properly.

How to Fix

Here’s what you can do:

1. Unplug the heating pad from the wall outlet and locate the thermal fuse in the controller or the plug.
2. Remove the fuse, local its SKU number or product number, and get a replacement.
3. Put the new fuse in the controller or plug, then plug the heating pad into the wall and see if it blinks.

Not Enough Electricity to the Remote

Terry Cralle estimates most heating pads use 180 watts per hour. If there’s not enough wattage coming from the wall outlet, your heating pad will blink. Keep in mind that a lack of electricity could be caused by using outdated circuit breakers, low-quality extension cables, and loose plugs.

How to Fix

Try this method:

1. Use a multimeter to test the electrical nodes in the heating pad’s controller and match them with the required wattage on the safety tag.
2. Test the wall outlet’s electricity with the multimeter if the heating pad isn’t getting enough power.
3. If the wall outlet doesn’t have the correct wattage or amperage, test the corresponding circuit breaker with the multimeter.
4. Reverse the previous steps by replacing the circuit breaker, testing everything, replacing the wall outlet, testing everything, then replacing the blinking heating pad controller if necessary.

Outdated Heating Pad Issues

Much like an electric blanket’s longevity, heating pads usually only last about five years. If you use a heating pad for longer than it’s recommended by the manufacturer, you’ll inevitably encounter blinking lights, overheated circuits, and tripped fuses.

How to Fix

Honestly, the best solution for outdated heating pads is to get a replacement. Old heating pads are hazardous, underperforming, and all-around much less preferable to a new one.

The Sunbeam Heating Pad is one of the most well-known heating pads around. Not only does it have a water-resistant sponge for comforting moisture, but it’s also flexible enough to use anywhere on your body. It also uses a controller that has a low, medium, and high setting with a troubleshooting error indicator.

A Lack of Ventilation for the Wiring

Heating pads require enough airflow to prevent the wires from getting too hot. You likely won’t have any issues if you’re using it to soothe random aches, but it’s important not to cover the pad with too many blankets. Much like using an electric blanket on an air mattress, you can quickly destroy a heating pad by using it on the wrong material (water beds, air beds, thin plastic, etc.).

How to Fix

The easiest way to improve your heating pad’s ventilation it to make it the top layer of anything it’s on or around. For example, it shouldn’t be under pillows, blankets, sheets, etc. Any heating pad is susceptible to blinking, tripping off, or overheating if it’s covered under too many layers.

Prolonged Heating Pad Run Time

Heating pads take between five to ten minutes to reach their maximum heat setting. If you run your heating pad longer than 20 to 30 minutes, you’ll risk causing it to blink, send error codes, and more. For that matter, you shouldn’t use heated blankets for too long, either.

How to Fix

Try these quick solutions:

• Run your heating pad for 30 minutes or less.
• Use your heating pad at the low or medium settings.
• Don’t turn on a heating pad until you’re ready to use it.
• Turn off and unplug your heating pad if it blinks, hums, or puts off a strange odor.

Melting Plastic, Foam, or Fabric Burns

Using a heating pad for too long or on the wrong materials can cause it to overheat and blink. For instance, using a heating pad on a mattress topper on an adjustable bed can cause the gel to melt or burn. This will send a signal to the heating pad’s remote that blinks until you remove it from the overheated material.

How to Fix

Avoid these surfaces and materials when using a heating pad to prevent it from blinking:

• Plastic
• Gel foam or memory foam (unless they’re covered with blankets or bed sheets)
• Rubber
• Vinyl
• Leather

You can use a heating pad on yourself when you’re sitting or laying on the aforementioned materials, but try not to put the pad directly on these surfaces for longer than a couple of minutes.