Heaters

[Franklin P. Nug]

Whats up farmers,

Usually A/C is associeted with indoor growing. But for those of us who live in colder climates we need heaters for the lights out periods.

I have a relitivly small space. 5x5x7. It is insulated pretty good, but the need for air exchange requires heat.

I use this:
http://www.amazon.com/WIN100-Heating-Cooling-Programmable-Thermostat/dp/B000E7NYY8
to control something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Lasko-5412-Ta...ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1296759789&sr=1-2

It has been working, but it is far from perfect. I get spikes and my vent fan fights the high temps. Also the heater blows really hot air. I have to have it directed at a wall to difuse the hot blast.

I'd like to hear what some of you are doing.

 

[ibTheMan]

$15 for walmart works perfect, but no safety switch, buts the adjustable thermostat and hi/low/fan only makes it the bomb.

 

[motta-tokka]

If you can, have the lights turn on when the outside ambient temps are the coldest. For me the lights come on at night. Also you can do a reverse "Icebox" which is much easier to do. You can use a small fish tank heater to heat a 5 gallon bucket of water and feed that through the icebox.


A dehumidifier helps keep my temps up in the sealed space. If I run a humidifier it forces it to turn on and throw out decently warm and dry air.

Last thing you can always redirect ported lights that normally throw the hot air outside, to your indoor space. It will help you keep temps slightly higher than without when lights are off.

If your going with a heater.. Get a digital one!!!!!!!! Yes its that awesome. You set your temp, have it on a moving cycle, and it will do its job and save electricity. Most of them are 600 to 1200 watts or more so keep this in mind. Energy star label is a must or at the least what I described above. Mine would turn on for a few minutes to heat the tent, then turn right off. It would do this over and over in a perfect sequence according to the rooms needs. Without that aspect it would be almost impossible for me to dial that in considering heat spikes and multiple variables.

Best of luck :)

 

[motherlode]

I use an electric oil filled radiating heater

I have an oscillating fan behind it on low

works awesome!

 

[gudkarma]

+1 on the oil filled radiator & small fan.

somebody here suggested directing the flow off the lights to the oil filled rad... which i want to try.

my oil radiator is 700w continuous, at 5.8 amps, with a thermostat.

love it.

i have a 1500w as (high power) back up too... which is important if you relay on a heater.

"light on" i dont need a heater ...winter time average is 74 degrees.

my night temps average is 68 degrees.

not bad when its 14 degrees out.

 

[kushluvr]

+1= electric oil radiator

Fricken cold in these parts!!!!!!!

 

[motherlode]

+1 on the oil filled radiator & small fan.

somebody here suggested directing the flow off the lights to the oil filled rad... which i want to try.

my oil radiator is 700w continuous, at 5.8 amps, with a thermostat.

love it.

i have a 1500w as (high power) back up too... which is important if you relay on a heater.

"light on" i dont need a heater ...winter time average is 74 degrees.

my night temps average is 68 degrees.

not bad when its 14 degrees out.

word man - thats pretty optimal - mine goes from 65 -72 (off/on) using 600 watt setting

best part of using it like this is no hot spots - just steady warm air

 

[Franklin P. Nug]

If your going with a heater.. Get a digital one!!!!!!!! Yes its that awesome.

Got a link for a brand and model? That sounds like what I am looking for. The ambient temps outside of my grow room are 53-55 day and night. I dont get extremes due to the fact that I am underground. But still, too cold to not heat lights off.

My systems works. It just isnt ideal. I am controlling my exhaust with a CAP varibal speed fan controller. The heat kicks on, and the exhaust ramps up. I can not dial the heater to produce a small amount of heat. Even on low its like the pits of hell for a few seconds.

Best of luck :)

Thanks a lot esse.

 

[waayne]

I use an electric oil filled radiating heater

I have an oscillating fan behind it on low

works awesome!

+1 ^^^
:pimp:

 

[gudkarma]

in contrast to motta, i'd go with an analog style (which mine is).

i say that cause when the timer says on => heater turns on & goes right to work.

plus, it's less shit inside the unit to go bad.

plus plus, imo, electric heaters that blow hot air are risky (my lab is away from my house, so that's a concern).

some of the digital untis dont just turn on when enabled by a timer. they power on but need you to set the controls.

 

[Franklin P. Nug]

How about linking the model you use to help a few people out.

 

[gudkarma]

if the link fails you google : westpoint 700w oil filled radiator.

 

[Franklin P. Nug]

if the link fails you google : westpoint 700w oil filled radiator.

Right on brutha. It's nice and small too.

 

[gudkarma]

it's nearly perfect for my space.

if space permits, you can go to lowes (or h.depot) and score the cheap three setting oil filled radiator from delonghi.

it's awesome... with adjustable 600/900/1500 watt settings... which is very useful.

$40

i use the westinghouse chumpy until night temps average in the teens... then i go with the big boy.

68 degrees & no less is what i like to keep in the lab at night.

 

[Franklin P. Nug]

it's nearly perfect for my space.

if space permits, you can go to lowes (or h.depot) and score the cheap three setting oil filled radiator from delonghi.

it's awesome... with adjustable 600/900/1500 watt settings... which is very useful.

$40

i use the westinghouse chumpy until night temps average in the teens... then i go with the big boy.

68 degrees & no less is what i like to keep in the lab at night.

I built a free standing plywood box in my basement. My basement temps are day/night mid 50's. I just need something small. I think the one you linked would be perfect. I'd really the the temps to be dialed at 68-70. It is proving to be pretty tough for that type of stability.

 

[gudkarma]

you'll like the westinghouse unit.

compact & powerful for the size & can be found reasonably cheap.

mine's reliable too.

are you growing in a box?

check this heater : http://www.google.com/#q=flat+oil+f...4QrQQwAg&biw=1259&bih=851&fp=b1c3c9fe3399f44a

400w, oil filled rad, perfect for a box, and flat... awesome!

 

[Franklin P. Nug]

you'll like the westinghouse unit.

compact & powerful for the size & can be found reasonably cheap.

mine's reliable too.

are you growing in a box?

check this heater : http://www.google.com/#q=flat+oil+f...4QrQQwAg&biw=1259&bih=851&fp=b1c3c9fe3399f44a

400w, oil filled rad, perfect for a box, and flat... awesome!

Right on! You seem to have experience with space heaters. The low wattage is pretty choice. The small footprint make it almost ideal.

My ideal heater would have a remote thermostat that I could program and suspend away from the heater. I would be willing to pay more for precision. (or even close enough). They dont make these things to monitor and maintain steady temps.

The heater control I linked isn't precise at all. I may look into the C.A.P. control for this, as their products rule.

I am pretty sure my current set up is affecting my yeilds.