What components do I need to power a ceramic heating element on the go?

[crunchercrunch]

Hello all.

I've got one of these:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/12V-150W-AC-DC-PTC-heating-element-heater-Electric-heater-ceramic-Thermostatic-/261397773653?

and I want to bring it around with me. What options do I have to power it so I can use it whenever and wherever I go?

[Mr.B]

A trampers frame pack and a couple of car batteries... 

[ajb]

Taking the eBay specs at face value, you'd need a power source capable of providing 12V at 12.5A for as long as you want to run it. If you want to run it for an hour, you'll need a battery with a capacity of at least 150 watt-hours. For comparison, a typical 18V Li power tool battery is 50-60 Wh.

[crunchercrunch]

Thanks guys. It really seems like a giant battery will be what I'll need. Any tips for safely handling connecting the terminals?

It seems the standard voltage for car batteries is 12V. If my heater was at a higher voltage (for example, just say, 48V), is my cheapest option to just tie the batteries together in series? Or are there other options for higher voltages?

[Whales]

Running it at a lower voltage will reduce power draw and heat output but it will still work fine.  If it says something like 48V then that's what the other ratings (eg wattage) are for.

For this power level connecting batteries in series is probably your best option.  A 'boost' converter to get higher voltages is a great solution in a lot of situations, but if you need to be delivering more than several amps it's probably quite costly.