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water Anyone use waterbed heaters?

Poisonette

Poisonette

It's not that I'm being cheap... We've got 2 that aren't being used just collecting dust and would be destined for the trash-heap otherwise.
I've *heard* they can be used as seed mats, but I would like to hear from someone who's actually used these first.

Thanks.
 
Good thinking!. I threw my waterbed away many years ago incl. a big heating mat. Of course temp. controlled :banghead:
 
Me! Pick me, Mr. Kotter, pick Me!

They work a treat, at least for a smaller area. I used one in a 34x30" germinator that I placed a glass lid over - it kept it nice and warm. I suspect that if the sides were insulated (I placed it under a fake floor), it would have done twice the area.

Mike
 
I've used them before- another good and cheap method is a heat blanket. I picked up a heated mattress pad at a thrift store for $2 and used it for 2 or 3 years before it finally conked out. I just set some plastic over it and put all my planters and starter trays on it.

They both work great and are cheap and are- uh... 'water' resistant (most heated mattress pads are machine washable).
 
I was researching this idea a little while ago when I was trying to find a something to bottom heat a seedling tray...

- Dont use a heating blanket if possible. Water and electricity obviously dont mix, and you always read/hear about electric blankets catching fire anyway.

- Water bed heaters are fine, but you'll want a low wattage one. I rang a bedding company with my idea of using a water bed heater for seedlings, and he had a 100W and 350W ones, the 350W had a tendancy to burn out and stop working.

- Proper seedling mats are obviously purpose built, and would work best, however, they tend to be more expensive. I picked up a 11W heating mat for $30 in Australia, obviously no thermostat, but it suits my uses well
 
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