Heat mat confusion

[chicagofire]

Ive been looking around and the few mats I saw at the store didnt have thermostats. Of course I could use a thermometer but is there a kind that you can set for 85 degrees? Anyone have a great source?

 

[Pam]

I don't use thermostats on mine.

 

[Diabolus]

I bought the jiffy heat mat at Wal-mart and I threw a thermometer inside. It seems to keep the seeds at about 85 F. The ambient room temperature is 70 F. I think they're designed to produce temps in the mid-80s.

 

[ddrsheden]

I use a pharmacy heating pad..one that doesn't have an automatic shut off. I had it set at medium...and it was 85 degrees.

 

[Dyce51]

I use a pharmacy heating pad..one that doesn't have an automatic shut off. I had it set at medium...and it was 85 degrees.

same with mine....just a cheap heating pad...

 

[andres]

I guess it depends on the environmental temperature. On mine it says that it will raise the temperature 10-15 degrees higher than the ambient temperature.

 

[caroltlw]

I saw these at htg supply last time I was in Melbourne (FL) and made a mental note of it.
http://htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=51400

Maybe kind of expensive unless you really need it.

 

[Dyce51]

all I did was bought a cheap medical heating pad for under 10 bucks at the local Walmart and put my tray on top of it and used the med setting works great!!

 

[AmericanHwyFlower]

Ditto on the cheap drugstore type heating pad. Then put peat pots with seed inside large ziplock and lay a piece of aluminum foil under the loaded ziplock and top of the heating pad and bingo!

 

[QuadShotz]

I tried to find the heating pad like those mentioned, but all the ones I could find had an auto-shutoff..some kinda safty laws or something.

Too bad, as they'r only like $15 and do keep to about 85F.

 

[JungleRain]

Maybe you could find an old water bed heater, they have a built in thermostat and work well, I used to have one till I got a hold of a proper heat mat

 

[Hinky]

Ive been looking around and the few mats I saw at the store didnt have thermostats. Of course I could use a thermometer but is there a kind that you can set for 85 degrees? Anyone have a great source?

I order from Discount Hydro- they're good people and ship fast. Here's your thermostat and here's your heat pad.

As others have stated- a propagation heat mat will generally heat 10-15 degrees above ambient with no cover. I would highly recommend using the thermostat- with a cover on, under good lights, I've seen 98 degrees without the heat mat.