The solution was quite easy… but the science behind the solution took a little time to develop.  Figure out a way to heat a blanket made of carbon fiber material… insert a layer of insualtion… and wrap the whole thing into a nice little vinyl blanket.  The guys at POWERBLANKET did just that, but they took it a step further.  Powerblanket included an adjustable thermostatic controller with heat probes that insert into the tote materials to allow exact temperature monitoring 24/7.  All Powerblanket Tote heaters include an insulated (removeable) top and adjustable straps for fitting larger or smaller containers.  Throw in a UL / CSA rating and GREEN low energy consumption certifications and you have yourself a near perfect work of art. 

I suppose there are cheaper ways to try and heat a tote or IBC tank, but quite frankly, we couldn’t find any method that worked.  We looked at blowers, non-electric blankets, immersion heaters, heat lamps, and a host of other contraptions, but they all failed at heating and/or insulating the tote contents.  Some of the devices we observed overheated and burned the tote or fluids while others simply couldn’t keep the tote above freezing in typical outdoor and winter warehouse conditions.  The only exception was the overpriced Brisk-Heat blanket that didn’t include a top and required close to 3000 Watts at 240V to operate.  Too mcuh for too little.  Our money is on the Powerblanket.