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screamphilling
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Registered: 05/30/08
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incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner
#9135987 - 10/26/08 09:35 AM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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so winter is fast approaching and my house stays in the upper 60's to save energy. I actually need to start using my aquarium heater for my fishies (cardinal and lemon tetras).
Driving home oneday I noticed someone throwing out an old stove and I got an idea. I yanked one of the burners out and determined the resistance with an ohm meter.
it measures at around 35 ohms.
using this calculator , I determined that @ 120volts AC it will produce roughly 411 watts of heat.
I found an old 15 volt DC, 1amp power supply laying around and decided to connect it. @15VDC it is calculated to produce roughly 6.4 watts of heat(pulling half an amp)
well I gave it a go, connected it straight to the burner and waited 30 minutes. It seems to hover at around 87 degrees on the surface. This is just about perfect for an incubator assuming the surrounding area of the burner stays a little cooler.
I'm going to go look for some sort of foam cooler or something and see if I can make something that stays at around 80 degrees.
I would guess you could play around with either a higher voltage transformer (say 30volts or so) and achieve warmer temperatures. maybe put it behind a fan or even submerse in water as the coil is completely insulated.
ATTEMPT THE PRECEDING ONLY IF YOU KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU ARE DOING. OTHERWISE YOU COULD SHOCK YOURSELF OR CAUSE A FIRE.
Edited by screamphilling (10/26/08 09:36 AM)
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screamphilling
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update:
here's the setup. the inside temp seems to be a steady 80.5 degrees. only a few hours time will tell how stable it really is.
p.s. Polystyrene melts at 460 Fahrenheit to those wondering
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RogerRabbit
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How hot is the power supply getting? What's the VA rating on the power supply? RR
-------------------- Download Let's Grow Mushrooms semper in excretia sumus solim profundum variat "I've never had a failed experiment. I've only discovered 10,000 methods which do not work." Thomas Edison
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noobieshroomie
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cool idea just make sure the heat from the element doesnt melt the cooler could be a fire hazard
-noobie-
-------------------- AMU Best Thread Ever CapZilla said: not sure what GE and FAE are but i should probably get some. Citric said: Your signature is wrong on colonization temps! GOOD JUDGMENT COMES FROM EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE COMES FROM BAD JUDGMENT ROOM TEMP 70-75 IS BEST FOR COLONIZATION Thank you mycochef
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screamphilling
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15 volt power supply, 1 AMP
transformer feels cool to the touch
I haven't measured the current draw because i'm lazy but it is calculated to be about 1/2 amp
it won't get hot enough to melt the foam (i know it seems like it because it's a burner, but it would have to get to 460 degrees just to melt)
Edited by screamphilling (10/26/08 01:15 PM)
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screamphilling
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: screamphilling]
#9137036 - 10/26/08 02:49 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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update 1:
temperature got up to 85 degrees in the box and the coil was almost too hot to touch
I took off the lid to solve this problem. down to 79.8
perhaps I'll wire in a resistor with it to lower the temp. ultimately an old thermostat would be nice. I just want it to stay at a solid 80
some sort of heatsink or water would help the situation.
until then i'll keep the lid off. seems to be working out.
Edited by screamphilling (10/26/08 03:03 PM)
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nastea
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Registered: 09/04/08
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: screamphilling]
#9137713 - 10/26/08 04:52 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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You could hook a furnace rheostat and set it at a temperature to keep and it could turn on when it needs to heat to that temperature.
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screamphilling
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: nastea]
#9145211 - 10/27/08 10:10 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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I have an old wall-type thermostat from a heatpump unit. I'm in the process of figuring out how it would need to be wired.
right now the temperature in the box fluctuates with the house temperature. before I go to bed I partially put the lid on to hold some heat in or else it will dip down to low 70's at night (which I know is perfectly acceptable and all) remove the lid in the daytime or it will get up to 84 or so.
eh it was free
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nastea
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: screamphilling]
#9146712 - 10/28/08 05:19 AM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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veda_sticks
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: nastea]
#9146785 - 10/28/08 06:21 AM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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Definatly get it hooked to a thermostat to regulate the temperature. This is a one of the majour problems with alot of incubators is with fluctuating ambiemt temperatures.
-------------------- PF TEK - writeup by EvilMushroom666 Lets Grow Mushrooms - RogerRabbit & RoadKills website with sample videos plus the full PF TEK video series. Alot of great information - BUY THE DVD Cakes can and will pin! - So you think cakes suck for pins. Your wrong Franks Simple Coir/Verm Tek Franks Proper Pasturisation Tek Franks Spawning To Bulk - Monotub Professor Pinheads RTV Injection Port Tek Foo Mans No Soak WBS Prep Tek
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screamphilling
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: nastea]
#9146908 - 10/28/08 07:51 AM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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thank you for that
it turns out that it was a really old thermostat with a switch operated by a metal coil... no wire colors
random old junk saves the day
I now have a fancy thermostat-controlled incubator
keeping it around 79 for now
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NubeEnLaMontana
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: screamphilling]
#9147001 - 10/28/08 08:37 AM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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Interesting interesting interesting...
I happen to have an ancient electric stove sitting in my inherited junk pile out back... and a coil-style thermostat about to be replaced by a programmable unit.
How about a snap-switch that opens the circuit on high burner temperature as a safety feature? I imagine you could find one of those in any number of appliances (like an old coffee maker, perhaps?). And while you're at it, why not incorporate a device that rubs your crotch when you're checking on the progress of your jars? I'm not sure where you'd scrounge the parts for that...
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screamphilling
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: NubeEnLaMontana]
#9149265 - 10/28/08 04:30 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
NubeEnLaMontana said: And while you're at it, why not incorporate a device that rubs your crotch when you're checking on the progress of your jars? I'm not sure where you'd scrounge the parts for that...
I will look into it....
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MartMan
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Registered: 10/02/08
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: screamphilling]
#9149813 - 10/28/08 05:54 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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Thats pretty darn resourceful! I was thinking of utilizing a burner as part of a cheap dehydrator but couldn't figure out an easy way to regulate the temp. You just pointed me in the right direction!
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screamphilling
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: MartMan]
#9151124 - 10/28/08 09:41 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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final update
it could probably use some sort of air circulation (computer fan or something)
it still overheats with the lid completely sealed. i'm assuming because it continues to warm up the inside even after power shuts off to it
solved by keeping lid partially open again. it doesn't stay at exactly the set temperature but it's damn close
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J3illy
Trainee
Registered: 10/18/08
Posts: 3,344
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: screamphilling]
#9151157 - 10/28/08 09:47 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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It's a pretty ingenious contraption, but it could end up doing more harm than good.. The temperature directly next to it has gotta be noticeably higher than the far end.. You wanna just be shooting for 75-78 inside there, cuz the temp inside the jars is gonna be 3-5 degrees higher.. If you can accomplish 75-78 on top of your fridge, cable box, stereo - I'd have to recommend that instead..
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screamphilling
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: J3illy]
#9151413 - 10/28/08 10:30 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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yeah I see what you're saying
I have 2 thermometers in there right now
1 is built into thermostat which is propped on the burner
the other is on the opposite side of the box
they seem to be close to the same temperature with the lid cracked
it's the extra insulation that causes the thing to get really hot. i lowered the thermostat to 75 and the box stays about 77
for some reason the top of my fridge doesn't get much higher than 70. I don't have cable box or a crt monitor or anything.
next closest contraption I could see making would involve piping the heat from my desktop PC
Edited by screamphilling (10/28/08 10:32 PM)
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J3illy
Trainee
Registered: 10/18/08
Posts: 3,344
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: screamphilling]
#9151607 - 10/28/08 10:55 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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If you can get it to stay in the range of 77 you're all set..
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screamphilling
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: J3illy]
#9158117 - 10/30/08 06:56 AM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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ok well... another update
the reason it was overheating was because I wired the thermostat wrong. that's what I get for not testing it with a multimeter. i found out the hard way when I noticed the fan never shut off
I added a cpu fan on it just for shits and giggles
here's a new pic of the setup
p.s. that tray you see is my 1st ever attempt at casing. it's just a PF cake in straight verm but if all goes well I'll be moving on to better things in no time
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veda_sticks
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Re: incubator heater from junk - proof of concept - stove burner [Re: screamphilling]
#9158124 - 10/30/08 07:00 AM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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remove the tinfoil from your jars. You need gas exchange.
-------------------- PF TEK - writeup by EvilMushroom666 Lets Grow Mushrooms - RogerRabbit & RoadKills website with sample videos plus the full PF TEK video series. Alot of great information - BUY THE DVD Cakes can and will pin! - So you think cakes suck for pins. Your wrong Franks Simple Coir/Verm Tek Franks Proper Pasturisation Tek Franks Spawning To Bulk - Monotub Professor Pinheads RTV Injection Port Tek Foo Mans No Soak WBS Prep Tek
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