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Message |
    
Milan Bartolec
Junior Member
Username: Littlebro
Post Number: 99
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 01:32 am: | 
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I've got a thermostat, the kind you find in your home, laying around in the garage. Is there a way to hook this up to one of those heating pads that are ready to plug into a wall outlet? I've already got one 2 Rancos for my Fridges, but I'm looking to use what I already have to make a warm box where I can propogate my yeast in (70-80F).
The thermostat, its a Duracraft, has screws in the back that are labeled W, G, Y, R
TIA |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 2329
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 01:38 am: |
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Most home thermostats are 24 volt. Yes, it could be modified to control a 24 volt relay that operated the 120 V heater, but it would be far easier to buy a 120 V thermostat designed for baseboard home heating. |
Milan Bartolec
Junior Member
Username: Littlebro
Post Number: 100
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 05:21 pm: |
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If I get a 120V thermostat for baseboard heating, how would I wire it to a recepticle (plug) so I can just plug in my heating pad? |
Milan Bartolec
Member
Username: Littlebro
Post Number: 101
Registered: 03-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 05:31 pm: |
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With a little searching, I found this page
http://www.smarthome.com/manuals/300607B.pdf(Page 1 of the PDF)
The wireing looks fairly simple - 2 wires in, 2 wire out. Instead of hooking up the power side to permanent household wiring, I assume I could attach it to one half of an extension cord that I could use to plug into the wall outlet anytime I wanted to use it. While using the other half of an extension cord to plug the heating pad into. Any electrical gurus out there that can confirm this before I change my hair style? |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 2334
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 17, 2005 - 05:32 pm: |
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You will likely have to buy a cord and plug for the thermostat (you might want to buy an extension cord rated for the heater and cut it in half). Wire the plug to the thermostat input so that it can be plugged into a wall outlet, and the outlet to the thermostat output so that the heater can be plugged into it. Many of these 120 V thermostats are designed to mount in a standard electrical outlet/switch box.
As you can see, this is a project best done by someone with at least minimal electrical experience. However, if you have ever replaced a plug or light switch, you probably have the required expertise. Just exercise reasonable safety and common sense.
(Message edited by BillPierce on February 17, 2005) |
michael atkins
Junior Member
Username: Mga
Post Number: 100
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 03:22 am: |
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Do they still make electric blankets? Seems that they had a thermostadt and controller, already built in. |
Bill Pierce
Moderator
Username: Billpierce
Post Number: 2347
Registered: 01-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 02:58 pm: |
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An electric blanket would likely work, but I don't know how you would calibrate the markings on the control to actual temperature readings. |
Belly Buster Bob
Senior Member
Username: Canman
Post Number: 2140
Registered: 02-2003
| | Posted on Saturday, February 19, 2005 - 09:21 pm: |
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a thermometer and a sharpie would work great...I used to use a water bed heater for ale fermenting in my garage. It kept the bucket at +- 1 deg, I marked the temp on the thermostat with a sharpie
Bellybuster Bob
www.bellybuster.netfirms.com
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