Safe heaters for grow tent?

LoveGrowingIt · Jan 12, 2025

Lately, I've been experimenting with adding an elevated floor to my tents and ducting heated air under the floor and venting it around the plant(s). I'm currently experimenting with baffles and heat spreaders. I have a differently designed prototype in each tent. I only make changes between grows, though, so development is slow. I've been thinking about this since my first tent grow. I keep thinking tent manufacturers could do so much to improve the tents they sell and wonder why there's so little competitiveness.

Newty · Jan 12, 2025

longbottom said:
Very cool to get some tips from someone that uses these ! For some of us these might work though, I'm in a very small space and use a metal safe as a grow cabinet. My idea was to run a few of the lower wattage versions of these bulbs placed at soil level....... This way the heat will be balanced on both sides of my pot. This is something I can't do with an oil heater....(or a space heater)

Most space heaters I've considered use a LOT of wattage 750-1500 watts.... These little bulbs use much less (which is a plus for me)

Just some ideas ! I'm not commited to this, but I thought I'd share my thoughts. Appreciate the advice from someone with real life experience with these..

Here are other "ideas" I've considered for my setup.. They are just ideas ! Maybe good, maybe not !

https://www.amazon.com/REPTI-ZOO-Ad...heater&qid=1736710380&sr=8-10#customerReviews

https://www.amazon.com/TESLUCK-16-5x11inch-Waterproof-Temperature-Adjustable/dp/B07XBF9LPZ/ref=sr_1_14?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7Gm6y3Pe_R6fgcIna7jAUyJJnNHnNJ2BMQ8wAkuU9VinqRKQw5uApOiLI8mjmUw8ELQT94Qxs0M3XjZ90h-EB66Ud0ov3biOPoJajgqmUYUmfg0mp1MPIMJ2H41uopOw36hWbPbs14Ic9Vl64xmzU-kIRpn4qVuJXGvH0LM4B2WiyiXcCTikhPoFTK6pegND1rgGWQT3cAtKwN1TJB6aRvVhlbM0YpHQO0BsIkgpYqjgFSCBasnpCeCxP2yJFFXOsbYrnf70RWE08mjV350S1vAyzKZdAw9YmJ-bjTKMt_k3mEXAeC0JH2LU33oIxV8dcQcCf8Ls4VZjIAreXa7w2pgikTsX7WpmEayc3Bue7ynGmaoAfERMNHjO69cxSsTzUFfUuHVWOzjznlPC6FAoKCDSywkwMdVi_XYhma7Eg7tlqTqrkBO-ivro4bqrGE9p.xXDq5aEE4lCHpIBTmBeNaKYEk7dX9QgRcY-y40JAbpA&dib_tag=se&keywords=reptile+heater&qid=1736710380&sr=8-14&th=1

Skip the heating pad, won't do much for raising overall temp. It heats the bottom of cages for a hot spot for reptiles bellies, doesn't do much for the air.

I don't like the panel either, at least that brand.
Radiant heat panels from Reptile Basics would be a good option (smallest size offered should be more then enough), they are what I use in most of my Ball Python Cages. I also use Pro-Products Pro-Heat Panels, little more expensive and ordering is done through email so Reptile Basics is usually what I go with.

Issue with the panels is they need to mount directly to a hard surface, the whole back of it needs to be on a surface so there's no air space.
You're using a metal box but the panel would have to be mounted to the very top so it would be above your light.

Back to the ceramic heat emitter, it would be much safer in a metal box like you have.
You can use regular outlet style light dimmers to lower the heat or they can be controlled with on/off thermostats or grow controllers with outlet adapters. Same with the radiant heat panels.

Keep in mind that both ceramic heat emitter and radiant heat panels give off radiant heat, this means they heat objects directly and the heat from the objects heats the air.
I say keep this in mind because you will want to use an IR temp gun and makes sure the surface temp of the leaves closest to the emitter or panel is not to hot, air temp could be 70 but leaf temp could be 75 or even 80 depending on distance.

longbottom · Jan 12, 2025

Newty said:
Skip the heating pad, won't do much for raising overall temp. It heats the bottom of cages for a hot spot for reptiles bellies, doesn't do much for the air.

I don't like the panel either, at least that brand.
Radiant heat panels from Reptile Basics would be a good option (smallest size offered should be more then enough), they are what I use in most of my Ball Python Cages. I also use Pro-Products Pro-Heat Panels, little more expensive and ordering is done through email so Reptile Basics is usually what I go with.

Issue with the panels is they need to mount directly to a hard surface, the whole back of it needs to be on a surface so there's no air space.
You're using a metal box but the panel would have to be mounted to the very top so it would be above your light.

Back to the ceramic heat emitter, it would be much safer in a metal box like you have.
You can use regular outlet style light dimmers to lower the heat or they can be controlled with on/off thermostats or grow controllers with outlet adapters. Same with the radiant heat panels.

Keep in mind that both ceramic heat emitter and radiant heat panels give off radiant heat, this means they heat objects directly and the heat from the objects heats the air.
I say keep this in mind because you will want to use an IR temp gun and makes sure the surface temp of the leaves closest to the emitter or panel is not to hot, air temp could be 70 but leaf temp could be 75 or even 80 depending on distance.

Thanks, I really appreciate it !

OP, Sorry for blabbing all over your thread ! You were very specific in this thread about safe heaters for a grow tent and I'm blabbing on and on about a metal cabinet...

Lip buttoned.

Safe heaters for grow tent?

Safe heaters for grow tent?

LoveGrowingIt

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