Heat Mat On The Wall?

[MindSoup]

Hello chums. 

 

As the title really, has anyone got heat mats mounted to a wall/side of their grow area or tried it in the past?

 

I've been thinking of adding one to my mum cab as my under pot mat is struggling and the temps are getting way too low, but I'm worried what will happen to any leaves that will get squished against it? Probably get cooked? 

 

Any other ideas for an extremely compact heater? A 30cm tube heater is waaaaay too big. 

[Military Grade]

What about a small box with a tube heater inside connected to the intake?

[MindSoup]

Yeah that's the only idea I've had so far, there's a series if intake holes drilled down ones side, I could build a small box around them and fit one in there, but it would be vertical which isn't the safest thing in the world. If I could find one say 25cm long I'd have space inside the cab for it. A heat Matt stuck to the wall would be a lot less effort though hence asking on the off chance I can get away with it. 

 

I wonder if aquarium heaters need to be submerged? I've found a few that would be the perfect size

Edited December 18, 2023 by MindSoup

[latigid aikon]

It might work if you had a fan blowing  a load of air over it but there is a risk that the heat will rise and build up at the top and burn the element there out. Which is what happens to tube heaters if you run them vertically, don't ask how I know...

[MindSoup]

Oh right, didn't realise there was actually a danger of damaging the heat Matt by hanging it vertical. I ran a tube heater vertical for about a year or so and it's still going, now in a horizontal position in my flower tent, but with my new drip tray in the veg can I won't even have room to put one vertical. 

 

Other than some quite expensive ceramic elements that would be a lot of work and money to wire up etc I reckon building a box round the intake for one might be the only option. 

[latigid aikon]

Just now, MindSoup said:

I ran a tube heater vertical for about a year or so and it's still going,

Maybe some of them have enough ventilation to handle running vertically then. The one I blew up didn't have any warnings about it but it only lasted about 24 hours vertically after months of service horizontally. Then when I went looking for replacements some of them specifically warned against any non-horizontal installation.

[Larry Badgeley]

I saw a 360w Ceramic Desk Heater in John Lewis. It looks quite good. De'Longhi is the make

 

 

[MindSoup]

@latigid aikon yeah mine had a warning on it, guess I just got lucky, maybe you had yours the other way up? 

 

@Larry Badgeley I'll have a look, thanks. E2A, I see it's a fan heater, would that not cook all my leaves? I killed a load of chill plants with a fan heater once so I've been scared to use one again. 

Edited December 18, 2023 by MindSoup

[latigid aikon]

Just now, MindSoup said:

maybe you had yours the other way up? 

It was a while ago in my old tent but IIRC it had the power cable at the bottom.

[Military Grade]

1 hour ago, MindSoup said:

but it would be vertical which isn't the safest thing in the world.

My idea for my little tent was to use a Box and have the tube heater flat still, and connect the box to the tent via ducting.

 

This is something I'm gonna have to try as I'm in a similar boat as you when it comes to the little 40x40 tent. Sitting around 24c when the lights are on, tho the light is only turned upto about 30% atm as the tent is full of cuts.

[MindSoup]

Unfortunately there also isn't much room outside the cabinet either , luckily it's crimbo and I've got a shit load of cardboard boxes and tape, so I can build a sort of shroud thing maybe, keep it really low profile. 

 

[Revive]

@MindSoup how about making your own flat panel to suit your space using underfloor heating mat, could that work?

Not sure how much heat that would throw out maybe not enough gain for it to be worth it..how big is the space mate, is it a small tent?

Edited December 18, 2023 by Revive

[sweettooth]

how small is your mum cab? how about a couple of fluorescent? I'm still using my T5s to keep them happy

[Keye]

I saw a guy on TV who did his bathroom and he put heated wiring elements in the walls of the actual shower as well as the floor of the bathroom. Roll that one in to the retirement fantasy.

[MindSoup]

@Revive I was just having the same idea mate, like a higher wattage heat mat, raise the tray up a inch or so above it. The footprint is 370x560 780 high, it's a cabinet built into a recess in a wall, so it will have to be a custom diy jobby I think. 

Edited December 18, 2023 by MindSoup