With the hanging reptile heaters, I think the efficacy may depend on how much space you’re trying to heat and what sort of increase you need over ambient temps. If you only need to get another 10-15 degrees out of them, they seem to do pretty well, from my experience. If you’re in a shed or attic in northern climates in the winter, they may not perform as well.
I use a couple of the reptile heaters in my 5x5. I bought the Flukers lamps rated for 250W, but run 150W ceramic bulbs in them. They seem to do a good job heating the whole tent, though I make sure to keep my plants well away from the ceramic bulbs since those suckers get hot to the touch. I also run them on thermostat switches like you’d use for a heat mat, then run that on a timer such that it’s only really heating the tent when the lights are on. The lamps warm the air in the tent to about 82-84F with lights on. With lights off, temps drop to around 68-70. I try to keep air circulating throughout the tent to avoid both hot/cool spots (and all the warm air getting stuck above the lights) and to avoid stagnant air around the plants.
Sounds like a shared struggle on this tent heating. Thinking about a Gro-rv, where when it starts getting cold I just drive on the map to where the plants will be happy. It will have lots of solar panels and light-dep greenhouse roof of course. I’m high.
This idea is the future. We got an extra parking space for you here at the house for the 3 months out of the year when the northeast is a nice temperature
heat pad = keeps roots happy + rising heat bleed off
heat drawn INTO the tent via the air intake ports.
My logic: these are also used under tanks for reptiles; which means it’s a long term slow burn as the tank MUST be maintained at a minimum temperature with the other bulbs were are mentioning on this thread as an available hot spot.
I’ve had lots of critters so I’m very familiar with this required temperature gradient for something that is cold blooded and CAN’T regulate it’s own temps like us hot blooders.
Getting back to plants. In many cases folks will set the temp for several degrees higher than what they want in order to achieve the result from the pad as the controllers probe is usually IN the soil. For my set-up, i’m setting it for the ACTUAL temp I want held (23c) and I’m resting the temperature probe DIRECTLY ON THE MAT so when the mat hits the right temperature it turns off.
I just did the first part of my new 24/0 veg tent so I literally can still smell the heat pads test run burn off This unit will use 2x shitty old tech box lights which run warm (built in fan type) so with this running it should add a degree or 2 to the basement.
I was thinking about throwing a couple in my 3x3 during the winter months (we have some -9° C nights coming) since it will be in an uninsulated room. Think it would suffice? I’m completely new to all this, my equipment doesn’t even arrive until tomorrow. I’ll be able to check actual temp of that room once it all arrives.
I’m almost thinking I need to get a different light (ordered Spider Farmer SF2000Pro) that puts off more heat or skip the next couple months all together.
hmmm, I’m afraid you’ll need to find out by trial. They are called tube heaters but are also known as greenhouse heater. It depends on the ambient temperatures how much power you need. But -9 is quite cold to start with if you want your temperature around 24 degrees celsius, also during the night. Probably some insulation maybe more cost effective?
Thanks for the read, I’m currently battling low heat once lights go off. Got a closet around 5’x6’ with my bedroom on the other side of door. Returning a heater today that doesn’t stay on and dried up the rh. I may take a look at that chicken heater.
Being a two year old thread are you still around? Curious how and what you ended up going with?
I’m high.
