Heater questions

Discussion in 'General Equipment discussion' started by Adrian Gatter, Jun 18, 2018.

  1. Adrian Gatter

    Adrian Gatter

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    Howdy Folks

    I have some questions that maybe someone here can help me with. I'm setting ups a 12V system. 12V lights and sump pump are easy to find but heaters not so easy. There are plenty of 12V elements around for boiling water while camping etc.. but no purpose specific aquarium heaters that I can see in SA.
    Anyone know where I can find 12V heaters?

    Next question is an odd one, I'm doing a dry start method in winter.... Anyone have any idea how I can keep the tank warm when it's full of humid air, no water? My house temp is only around 18 degrees on average at this time of year. The temp in the tank needs to be around 22. The only idea I've come up with so far is those stick on heating pads you get for reptile terrariums; although not waterproof I could stick one on the outside of the glass.

    Any comments and opinions would be appreciated :)
     
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  3. f-fish

    f-fish #unspecified

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    An old 60 watt lamp or spotlight ( not led or CFL) even a small halogen ... if you go for a 60 watt ligt put it in a coffee can .. a few holes and you have yourself a space heater.

    Later Ferdie
     
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  4. OP
    Adrian Gatter

    Adrian Gatter

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    Thanks Ferdie
    Will it handle the humidity? I would suspect it will short
     
  5. f-fish

    f-fish #unspecified

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    You do get water proof halogen lights, yeah you will need to DIY some sort of enclosure - hence the coffee can idea. as long as water can never condensate you should be good. I would not go bare bulb.

    Later Ferdie
     
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  6. OP
    Adrian Gatter

    Adrian Gatter

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    Awesome, thanks for the suggestion, I'll get busy on that tonight.
     
  7. Hendre

    Hendre Polypterus freak

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    Just do a normal aquarium heater, don't screw around with those things.

    Ferdie has a great suggestion, any high wattage lamp will work :)
     
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  8. OP
    Adrian Gatter

    Adrian Gatter

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    Why do you say that, are 12V heaters unreliable? My intention is to run the whole setup off batteries with a trickle charger. I don't want to run an inverter just for the heater.
     
  9. Hendre

    Hendre Polypterus freak

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    No I mean run a normal aquarium made heater from mains power. If you insulate a tank well it can go a while without losing much heat. Never seen 12V heaters from reputable brands either...
     
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  10. OP
    Adrian Gatter

    Adrian Gatter

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    Cool, thanks Hendre
     
  11. OP
    Adrian Gatter

    Adrian Gatter

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    Ze master plan:
    IMG_20180618_190753.jpg
     
  12. OP
    Adrian Gatter

    Adrian Gatter

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    It messed up my rock arrangement....OCD kicking in again. Tomorrow I'm going to make a wire stand for it.
    I pointed it up because the lid is lined with reflective stuff but I suspect it'd going to burn the vinyl I covered the LED's with. I think I must point it at the biggest rock.
    Eddison.jpg Sauna.jpg
     
  13. OP
    Adrian Gatter

    Adrian Gatter

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    Getting some heat. The FLIR cam doesn't work very well through glass
     
  14. f-fish

    f-fish #unspecified

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    Sjoe hope that does not get too hot and melt stuff ... we could cook an egg on the coffee can under the lamp heaters we used in our drying ovens way back.

    Later Ferdie
     
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  15. OP
    Adrian Gatter

    Adrian Gatter

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    Think I should get a lower wattage globe?
     
  16. f-fish

    f-fish #unspecified

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    I would not let it run with out observing it for a while .... glass is also not the best conductor of heat ... so yeah the lamp is making itself very warm.

    Later Ferdie
     
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  17. OP
    Adrian Gatter

    Adrian Gatter

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    I was hoping the thick glass jar would heat up then when I turn it off at night it stays warm for a while. I'm going to watch it for the next hour while I start the sump build.
    I can put it on a timer tomorrow. On 15min off 30, all day till it drives the maid insane
     
  18. OP
    Adrian Gatter

    Adrian Gatter

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    How old are you? :p
     
  19. f-fish

    f-fish #unspecified

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    Lol - it was drying "ovens" for PCB fab .. so not that old ... ah wait maybe that old.
     
  20. OP
    Adrian Gatter

    Adrian Gatter

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    Temp went from 19 to 23 in half an hour. Humidity is dropping...visibly, like the plants are not wet anymore. The air is sucking up the water as it gets hot. I need to saturate the air and keep the temp stable but I can't do it now. Damn work is going to interfere with my hobby this week.
     
  21. f-fish

    f-fish #unspecified

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    Heat the water ..

    Plastic bucket with normal fistank heater.

    set that to say 30 degrees.

    Make sure the bucket does not run empty ;-)
     

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