Neep help with automation of heater/timer...

So my grow is going fine, but there is one slight inconvenience....when my timer turns on my room heater, it doesn't actually turn it ON. That is, you need to manually set the thermostat to the desired temperature once it is turned on.

This means I have to go out there EVERY SINGLE night at 8PM to manually turn it on. You see why this could be inconvenient. There IS a timer on the heater, but there are only 2 digits, so I don't see of what use that could be.

Oh and I need a heater because its winter and there is not ANY insulation in the room itself....and they are in 12/12 (at night), so there's no 1000w to keep em warm. If you asked why I didn't keep the light on during the night, I would say: because it wouldn't have mattered since the temp. drops during the day too so a heater would still be needed. And it made more sense to have the light on in day so I could work then.

Any ideas at all are greatly appreciated

This is the heater I have: http://www.amazon.com/Soleus-Air-HGW-308R-Micathermic-Heater/dp/B001B1VGQE/ref=pd_sbs_k_1

Not sure what timer it is, but just a regular timer with a twist dial.

Sounds like you need a temp controller. Like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300463419104&rvr_id=182197565411&crlp=1_263602_304642&UA=%3F*I8&GUID=cd2c622a12c0a0e202f62856ffe486c0&itemid=300463419104&ff4=263602_304642

hmm yeah something like that would be legit. so does that just hook up to the heater somehow?

Just get a dirt-cheap thermostat from a junk store because everyone is throwing them out for programmable digital units. Wire it up in a nice little 'lectrical box in the middle of an extension cord, plug in heater, good to go. Make your setpoint 5° lower than your cooling system (fans, ac, whatever) to ensure they don't turn on at the same time. No timer necessary.

lowerarchy said:

Just get a dirt-cheap thermostat from a junk store because everyone is throwing them out for programmable digital units. Wire it up in a nice little 'lectrical box in the middle of an extension cord, plug in heater, good to go. Make your setpoint 5° lower than your cooling system (fans, ac, whatever) to ensure they don't turn on at the same time. No timer necessary.View attachment 1315421

Click to expand...

are one of those things on the outside of the box to control the temp. of the thermostat, or is there a way? and it will automatically turn the heater to the set temp?

can't you just leave the heater on at desired temp?

Zigg Zagg said:

are one of those things on the outside of the box to control the temp. of the thermostat, or is there a way? and it will automatically turn the heater to the set temp?

Click to expand...

The beige knob is the thermostat control. This one doesn't have a degree scale but most of them do, turn it to 18°, let's say, and it'll supply power to the heater until the temp reaches 18° at which point it turns off, ad infinitum. Just put your heater on the highest setting and the tstat will turn off/on as needed.

@klassifyme: I could maybe try that.....though there are 2 reasons that I'm hesitant to do that:
1)the heater is 1000w on the low setting, so with the heater & light, that would be 2000w total plus several fans. I have tried running 2500watts at once and didn't work haha. I've heard most (garage?) circuits are around 2200w.

2)and also, with all the lights and heaters I have running, it would be about equivalent to running 2 1,000watt somethings for 24 hours a day, every day haha. so just concerned about my energy bill....although maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I could always compare the readings on my meter...



@lowerarchy: nice, I'm gonna try to get my hands on something like that and hopefully it works.