I Need Heat in the RootZone ?

[Budman2012]

Hahah! , That's cool Lightning

I'd like to see some pictures if you don't mind please

I understand most of it ... What you mean about "wiper contacts"? was something left out?

And 5kg of granite i guess would be fairly large in size yeh? I'm guessing you could make them smaller.

 

I think It's a good idea ... but maybe impractical and not cost effective for multiple pot plants.

As a submersable heater , using something like a kiddie pool as a resovoir for multiple pots ... would be good.

Anyhoo , Pics please

 

Well , good luck with your plants CG ... they should be cosier inside.

Just some obvious things that you might already do but I may aswell point out anyway ...

 

Raise the Pots off the cold floor/ground ... Even a thick old newspaper under them can help insulate a little

You can also insulate the entire pots ... when every degree of temperature counts. Even the top of the medium.

Insulate everything , Floor , walls , roof ... and seal up all cracks nooks and crannies , Even blankets on the wall can help : D

If you can , run the lights during the night so they don't get so chilly overnight , dark period in the warmer day ...

 

hmmm , I had a few other points but I've fogotten heheh , but basically you can gain a few degrees these ways for basically free

 

And just another idea ... (have thought of it for beer brewing before but haven't tried) ...

Heat mats are usually WAY overpriced ... I think the last one I saw was about $40 for a mat not much bigger than a mouse pad

heheh , rip off man ... How about an Electric Blanket or 2?

Just wrap one in a tarp or something and there ya go , giant cheap heat mat for 2 to about 20 pots depending on size

Sound Viable?

 

O.k. then , that's all for now

Cheerz,

 

Budman

 

P.s. hahah , good one Billo and Yields ya beat me : p

[Closet Grower]

Thanks for the ideas ,,, I like the heat mat,, I dont want to start a fire in my room

[lightning]

Shall do Budman, will also draw up circuit so it makes sense for peeps

 

might take a couple of days to pull everything tiogether given the chaos here

 

The wiper is the contact that is the moving arm on the volume control (cause it wipes across the wire wound resistor contacts that make the VC)

Edited June 11, 2009 by lightning

[yields]

Thanks for the ideas ,,, I like the heat mat,, I dont want to start a fire in my room

 

????

[Budman2012]

Cheerz Lightning .. no rush mate we know you guyz are busy as (I'm in awe of how much you guyz actually get done)

When ya do , whack it in it's own thread too , I reckon it deserves it

Cool

 

 

Heheh , and hey again CG

Thanks for the ideas ,,, I like the heat mat,, I dont want to start a fire in my room biggrin.gif

... I know what ya mean mate , but an electric blanket IS made to be fairly safe , You sleep on it it has to be

(I can only recall that electric blankets have only been fatal due to dehydration )

Not to say anyone hasn't burnt to death while asleep on them heheh , but It must be rare because many people still use them

 

Besides .. if Is in your outside shed , then It at least canna be fatal don't put anything flammable next to it ofc but shouldn't be a problem.

The reason I suggested wrapping in a tarp is because of watering spillage ofc , being as It would only need to be on a very low temp I don't see how this could be dangerous either

I reckon It's a way better option that multiple heat mats (and muuuch cheaper) ... but if your not comfortable with it then fair enough

If anyone thinks this is a bad idea could they please mention why? ... thanx.

 

Anyhoo , Cheerz again

 

Budman

[lightning]

Budman shall do

 

CG the electric blanket will probably work just be careful with the kitty litter it is usually flammable and the heat builds up in it over time.

heat pads used for animals might work too just be careful of drying out ya plants, both of those technologies run at ~ 60w usually and can dry the plants out if ya not careful they also tend to run at ~ 40-45c which is what causes the problem.

 

It will be a matter of suck and see,

Keep a close eye on it over the first few days if all is ok at that point it should be fine ongoing,

give us your feedback on what you find

[calaman]

Im there with BUdman Lightning, I reckon its a great idea! Ive only got rudimentary electrical knowledge and I think it'd work a charm and its pretty basic to wire up. I live in the tropics and even here that cold concrete plays havoc overnite. Wouldnt a decent peice of granite be bloody expensive? You need the granite cause of the density right? pouring a small slab of concrete wouldnt work.

I just had an idea, (sorry CG) couldnt you use a small aquarium heater, put it in the hole in the granite and fill it up? they say not to use em unless submerged but it would be in the epoxy and then you dont need to wire in the resistor etc?

 

If nothing CG put em up on timber.

[shirty]

umm , dont shoot me ,,, but maybe try the 'heat belts' that are used for warming brew barrells for home brew ?? You could maybe wrap one around each pot .. they give out out a lotta heat

 

[lightning]

Granite is not expensive they usually sell it by the tonne, when I grabbed my bit they let me have it free, it is roughly the size of a house brick, should only cost a few bucks.

It is Not only the density of granite which you get in other rocks like basalt It is also the crystalline structure of the stone which works as an infrared diffuser giving an even spread of the heat. Granite has unique thermal properties. You can use it at higher temp as a radiator to keep plants growing in cool periods (how we use it in green house, it keeps the chill off overnight) or buried in a large tub of perlite etc. that has multiple plants.

 

Looking at the hot rock under infrared camers is very interesting.

Have you ever sat with your back to a rock, that has been heated during the day by the sun, in the cool of the evening. It is a warmth like no other, the plants seem to like it too.

 

The aquarium heater will burn out fast if not immersed in water

Edited June 12, 2009 by lightning

[Closet Grower]

umm , dont shoot me ,,, but maybe try the 'heat belts' that are used for warming brew barrells for home brew ?? You could maybe wrap one around each pot .. they give out out a lotta heat

 

I aint going to shoot anyone ,,, once again I am sorry about THAT reply ,, it just seemed too complicated

 

The home brew heating system sounds good ,, as does the electric blanket ,, I am just paranoid about having to add heating elements to my grow room with fire etc . Geez , I panic enough leaving my babies for a few days with the light on in case it shorts out or something causing a fire while I am not there

Maybe I will try a DWC system with a fish tank heater in the Res , at least that way the water will put out the fire I need to get this sorted as otherwise , winter growing is always going to be a problem

Thankyou for the ideas fellas

 

CG