Cheap, reliable heat for palms

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 6:04 pm

It is -8 oC right now and dropping fast to a forecast -16 oC.
I got scared when my thermocubes did not seem to be coming on. I yanked them and plugged the ceramic heater in the palm hut directly to the cord. I set it on high and it quickly raised the temperature from 20 oF (shouldn't the thermocube have come on already?!?) to 40 oF. I also took out the thermocube on the Chamearops and plugged the string of C9 lights in directly. I skipped the little 6 w heat tape. The heat tape in the barn on exposed water pipe (its intended purpose, after all) did not keep the pipe from freezing today, perhaps because some of the insulation came off.

As for really reliable heat, I like hot water bottles. I fill old 2 litre soda bottles with tap water and set them in front of the fire to heat. When they are good and warm I tuck them under hay by the poor palms that do not get electricty--needle palms, Sabal minor, Trachy fortunei.

My dog likes this system, too.

<table style="width:auto;"><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7Q ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_r-MvN4jW1sE/TSzyC ... AG0440.jpg" height="640" width="383" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="font-family:arial,sans-serif; font-size:11px; text-align:right">From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/terdalfarm/ ... e">January 2011</a></td></tr></table>

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 7:28 pm

Your thermocubes worried me too.

Your new method will keep you hoppin'

Barb

tropicman · Post by **tropicman** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 9:54 pm

Erik,
Did all your thermocubes fail?
Were these all new this year?
Just went and checked my palm hut,said 30*,lowest its ever been,I hope my heat tapes are working!!!
Windchill is -2 out there now.
Man its cold!!!!BRrrr

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Wed Jan 12, 2011 8:49 am

Eris

Did you plug a wire into your Thermocube?
they need to be plugged in to work

Where are your thermocubes located in the palm huts?

If they are on the ground they may not turn on,try putting them in the
coldest part of your palm hut and checking to see if they are T-3

Stevea07 · Post by **Stevea07** » Wed Jan 12, 2011 5:05 pm

Thermocubes aren't made very well. I had to field test four to find two that worked.

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Wed Jan 12, 2011 7:25 pm

Well, the thermocubes are not broken. I did the classic test of seeing if they turn on a light indoors when at room temperature (they do not) and if they do after being chilled in a freezer or outdoors (which is colder!). They do. So, they "work."

This leaves two options: 1) the thermostat is "off" by enough to have made me nervous, or 2) where they were placed, it was above 35 oF even if the thermometer was much colder. They were elevated, but were close to plant stems whereas thermometers are close to the perimeter for easy viewing.

I don't regret my decision to yank them last night. In the palm hut, I plugged the ceramic heater right into the extension cord and turned it to max. I got 20 oF boost overnight and 40 oF over the day, when the sun was shining in through the glass. Yes, it was above 60 oF in there when it was 20 oF outside!

The Chamearops had the C9 lights on all day, directly plugged in. when I got home it was downright hot under all that fiberglass. I unplugged them and opened the "tent" a bit before sunset when I plugged the lights back in.

When this cold snap ends, I think I'll go back to using the thermocubes as insurance.

Well, I got to go run a dozen hot water bottles from in front of the fire to nestle by needle palms and Trachies....
--Erik

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 10:18 am

Where is the outlet where the Thermocube is plugged in?

You probably have to play around with it. I was convinced mine was faulty, but it works like a charm.

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 12:58 pm

Jack,
I think I just had a panic attack.

The palm hut thermocube was on an overturned empty pot, but it was near a large water bucket I keep in there to buffer temp. swings. And you know what? The bucket had no ice at all, even when the thermometer up front by the glass showed lows 20s. So, what I think is that the thermocube accurately reflected the air temp. up above the bucket of water. I.e., it was not broken.

The thermocube for the Chamaerops was sitting on a brick--by C9 bulbs. I bet the bulbs warmed the brick and that kept the thermocube at 35 oF even when the ambient air has cooled. Again, my panic--not a defect.

Conclusion: the thermocubes are going back to work this weekend.

Still, no regrets. My panic attack kept both the palm hut and the Chammie well above freezing despite air temps in the single digits.

As for the water bottles, I had a total of about 20 going during the cold snap. They work great for the price (=free). I was amazed that even after overnight lows below 10 oF, most were NOT frozen solid. That means they were radiating at least a little warmth all night.
--Erik

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 1:08 pm

TerdalFarm wrote:Jack,
I think I just had a panic attack.

The palm hut thermocube was on an overturned empty pot, but it was near a large water bucket I keep in there to buffer temp. swings. And you know what? The bucket had no ice at all, even when the thermometer up front by the glass showed lows 20s. So, what I think is that the thermocube accurately reflected the air temp. up above the bucket of water. I.e., it was not broken.

The thermocube for the Chamaerops was sitting on a brick--by C9 bulbs. I bet the bulbs warmed the brick and that kept the thermocube at 35 oF even when the ambient air has cooled. Again, my panic--not a defect.

Conclusion: the thermocubes are going back to work this weekend.

Still, no regrets. My panic attack kept both the palm hut and the Chammie well above freezing despite air temps in the single digits.

As for the water bottles, I had a total of about 20 going during the cold snap. They work great for the price (=free). I was amazed that even after overnight lows below 10 oF, most were NOT frozen solid. That means they were radiating at least a little warmth all night.
--Erik

Cool. I was using a GFI adapter until some of the guys here said to ditch it. My cube has been working fine and the Butia is seemingly doing well.

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 1:16 pm

I have the pipe heating cable on a GFCI-protected system (a long mess of extension cords) and have NOT had problems.

There was one instance when the GFCI "tripped" as I plugged in the strongest pipe heating cable (wrapped to protect avatar Butia plus two Waggies) but after I did a re-set, no issues. I do have the GFCI unit itself setting on a brick to elevate it slightly above the ground, and I have a bucket inverted over it to keep rain/snow off of it.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 3:43 pm

Erik

Check this out for thermocube placement,hope it helps..
this is also on the north side.

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 8:30 am

Thanks, Jim.
A photo is worth 1k words.
When I re-place them today, I'll try to set them where they will get colder earlier.
--Erik

tropicman · Post by **tropicman** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 10:44 am

That does bring up a good question,don't you think the higher up gives the coldest temperature?
I know in my greenhouse,may read 70* at 4ft up from the floor,but at 10ft up it will read 65*,now when the sun is shining it will read 80* up there and still 70* at the 4ft level,so on the cold cloudy day wouldn't you think the higher up the temperature monitor the right reading of what the palm might be getting?
Your thoughts on this.
I have my monitor at the half point level in my palm hut,so when it read 24* on the coldest night,it could have been colder another 8ft higher.

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 12:10 pm

Warm air rises,so while the heat is on I don't want it to high
or to low considering that the heat is coming from ground level.

I figured the best place is in the coldest area for the Washys,last year
I put the cube in the spear area and it worked great as the spear was fine...
but the leaves closest to the outside of the protection were fried.

So this year it's,spear high next to the north(coldest)side.

tropicman · Post by **tropicman** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 1:05 pm

Thats the info I was looking for,I want to know how cold it is actually in the protection area or at the growing point.
I know heat air rises,but it is colder at the top 2 ft of my greenhouse,than it is at head level,then it gets colder the closer the the floor,which is cement.I have temp gauges at all these places,now this is in my greenhouse,I
m doing these so I can adjust where I will place my sensor next year in the outside protection palm area.as I only have one of those to put inside there,and I want the most accurate temp in the whole area,right now it is head level which is about the growing point of my queen palm,I hope this is not confusing you on exactly what I'm trying to accomplish.
Thanks for you input.

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Cheap, reliable heat for palms

Cheap, reliable heat for palms

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