heat mat for peppers - Page 2

Rairdog · January 28, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiefbeaz

Where can you get a mat like you are using and what do you ask for?

If your asking me here is a link to the pet store that sells them and a youtube vid for putting it together. You buy the flex watt tape by the foot and a 6 foot cord with crimped attachment. The hydra farm thermostat is what I use but there are a few others that work. You can get it from the pet store or Amazon sells it (comes from same pet store). Very easy to do. All you need is pliers to crimp it. I am using black tape to protect the exposed crimps but will use black butyl (window) tape when I find where I put it. Hope it is alright to put up the link?

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Flex-Watt-Heat-Tape

brokenbar · January 28, 2015

I found it on Amazon at this link:

http://www.amazon.com/Flex-Watt-Incu.../dp/B004XNMI6E

Probably elsewhere cheaper if you shopped around

taboule · January 31, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rairdog

I ordered 6 ft because 120 watts is max I was comfortable with on a 20 amp GFCI circuit.

Nice setup, but curious about the above statement. That draws only around 1 amp (power = voltage x current)

Gardeneer · February 19, 2015

Pepper seeds need a little more heat than tomatoes. 85F is said to be optimum. By soaking overnight and using heat pad, my average germination time is 8 days. At low temps and sowing old seeds it can take 2 weeks and maybe longer.

PaulF · February 19, 2015

Exactly why the added heat this year. With the waterbed heater the lowest setting gives me an eighty-five degree soil temp. Before adding the seeds and soil in the 2" 6-pack containers onto the trays over the pad, at medium heat the pad began to melt the tray. Need to put some wood blocks between the heat and the plastic trays. Be careful out there.

Gardeneer · February 26, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blueaussi

How do you get around the automatic cut off on a heating pad made for people? It was my understanding that it's required on all of heating pads that can be bought at drug stores and the like.

I have been using a heating PAD. Mine has 6 temperature settings BUT no thermostat. Even at level 1, it can heat over 110F. So i do some trial error by padding it more with dish towels etc. until the bottom of the tray is about 90F. This way, where the seeds are will be ~85F. With this PAD and pre soaking the seeds overnight I have germinated pepper in 6 days and tomatoes in 4 days. You can germinate at room temps ~ 70F but it might take TWICE as long.

January 28, 2015	#17
brokenbar Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: South Of The Border Posts: 1,169	I found it on Amazon at this link: http://www.amazon.com/Flex-Watt-Incu.../dp/B004XNMI6E Probably elsewhere cheaper if you shopped around __________________ "If I'm not getting dirty, I'm not having a good time."

February 19, 2015	#20
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,295	Exactly why the added heat this year. With the waterbed heater the lowest setting gives me an eighty-five degree soil temp. Before adding the seeds and soil in the 2" 6-pack containers onto the trays over the pad, at medium heat the pad began to melt the tray. Need to put some wood blocks between the heat and the plastic trays. Be careful out there. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

February 19, 2015	#19
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,916	Pepper seeds need a little more heat than tomatoes. 85F is said to be optimum. By soaking overnight and using heat pad, my average germination time is 8 days. At low temps and sowing old seeds it can take 2 weeks and maybe longer.