Heaters

[foodchain]

Don't sweat the algae. Your beta testing right now. The increase in temp has caused or rather encouraged the bloom. Increase aeriation.
Maybe put the heating element on a cheap 110v timer. I bought mine for like $5....increase the frequency raises the temp. Just a thought. I like this. I wonder what max gallon capacity would be? Guess this depends on ambient temp.

[foodchain]

How did you connect the element to a power source?

[commander]

I saw a remote stand alone thermostat unit at Home Depot a few weeks ago. It had a probe that could be stuck into a crock pot or electric cooker. The power cord for the electric cooker was plugged into the thermostat itself. It looked like a pretty slick little deal and might work to operate your heater.

[Eleven11]

The top of the element has connection screws. I just took a 8 foot piece of a 12 gauge outdoor extension cord, stripped one end for the element, and kept the plug end.

I have a 24 hour timer that I could use if I just wanted it on for a set number of hours per day or night. Thermostat would keep up better with the wacky weather temp swings though.

So far, it's holding it's temp at 79F last I checked at 12PM. The heater was turned off at 7:30am and the tank is holding about 245 gallons.

The inside dome temperature is bouncing between 65F and 70F, since we're finally getting a bit of sun today. It would be sunnier though if those assholes would stop with the damn chem trails already. It looks like a chess board up there today.

How did you connect the element to a power source?

[Eleven11]

Just checked the Home Depot site... wow they got a lot of em. Do you have a link to the one you saw? I haven't seen a cheap stand alone yet.

I saw a remote stand alone thermostat unit at Home Depot a few weeks ago. It had a probe that could be stuck into a crock pot or electric cooker. The power cord for the electric cooker was plugged into the thermostat itself. It looked like a pretty slick little deal and might work to operate your heater.

[commander]

This is the one I saw at our local HD.

http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbee ... 7AodiBd8BQ

[Shas]

Not sure what to use for building the thermostat yet.

I'm no plumbing expert,
but our hot tub has an in-line thermostat
(I think it cost us $12 to replace it)
which controls the tank-type water heater.
It looks very simple and is infinitely adjustable.

[foodchain]

@ 245 gallons, that's enough water volume that it will take some time for it to drop off. In mine down here, I would only need to run the heater at night, and let it cool during the day. The day time ambient temps would keep close or higher than that. So no thermostat needed.

[Eleven11]

Here's a video of the comets yesterday as the water reached 65F...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaCT3mqelAc

I'll post one of them today at 78F in a few minutes....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs6fgEAF ... e=youtu.be

@ 245 gallons, that's enough water volume that it will take some time for it to drop off. In mine down here, I would only need to run the heater at night, and let it cool during the day. The day time ambient temps would keep close or higher than that. So no thermostat needed.

[davidstcldfl]

This is the one I saw at our local HD.

http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbee ... 7AodiBd8BQ

This 'manual' one won't work for heaters.....
The A19AAT type thermostats are single-stage cooling controls
with Single-Pole, Single-Throw (SPST) switches that open on temperature drop. ...

If you plug in a heater....it'll turn 'off' (opens) at the temperature you set the controller....you want it to turn 'on' at the set point...

However, the 'digital' one can be used for cooling and heating...
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbee ... tml?bstr=1

see page 4 of the manual...
http://www.beveragefactory.com/images/g ... ABG-3C.pdf