Radiator Oil Filled Heater Help

[Reggie]

Tom: Home Depot's timer is scheduled to deliver 10/24. I looked on Amazon for a faster delivery. Would this non-digital timer be a suitable substitute for the timer you linked me to? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035GF8NA/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[Tom]

Tom: Home Depot's timer is scheduled to deliver 10/24. I looked on Amazon for a faster delivery. Would this non-digital timer be a suitable substitute for the timer you linked me to? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035GF8NA/?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

That should work fine. I switched to digital for several reasons, but that style also works.

 

[Reggie]

I’d be interested in understanding those reasons. If digital is better, I will wait for it. Just got a confirmation that HD did just ship it. Fingers crossed.

 

[Robin in NH]

I'm looking for advice on what radiator oil filled heater to get for Reggie's room. Our plan was to heat the room during the day with the heater, set the timer to turn it off at night, and heat only the hide at night with a radiant heat panel. The timer would turn the heater back on in the morning. We bought a heater but discovered it does not have a 24 hour timer and it seems it cannot be set up with an external timer, as I had originally planned to do. I looked online for an oil heater with a built in 24 hour timer. I found a Delonghi at Home Depot that looks like the timer will allow a lower temp at night and higher in the day. Reviews are decent.

Your thoughts, ideas, and experiences with oil heaters would be appreciated. Maybe I'll just have to leave the oil heater on 24 hours?

Thank you!

This is what the plug looked like after it overheated in the outlet; almost started a fire, thankfully, I could smell the plastic/rubber burning. I believe this was the Delonghi.

 

[Tom]

View attachment 350983This is what the plug looked like after it overheated in the outlet; almost started a fire, thankfully, I could smell the plastic/rubber burning. I believe this was the Delonghi.

So that we may learn from this, was this heater set on high, at 1500 watts? Was it on a dedicated circuit, or were other items also plugged into that circuit?

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Just as a fine tuning point... I like to use the built-in thermostat on the unit as a redundant safety. I turn it all the way up and then set my separate thermostat to maintain the correct temp. After it all stabilizes at the correct temperature, I like to go in and turn that dial on the heater down until I feel/hear it click off. Then I turn it back up until it clicks back on, and go just a little farther than that.

My thinking is that when our cheap $30 dollar thermostats fail, they usually stick "on". If/when that happens, the built-in thermostat on the heater can still cut the heater off so that it doesn't ever get too hot and cook a tortoise. The temperature will still go over the set point, but in theory, the heater's own thermostat should turn it off before it gets to lethal temperatures in the box.

very smart

 

[SinLA]

I have an ancient (like 20 year old) delonghi that I've been using. My garage was totally renovated about 5-6 years ago so the electrical is new, but I did have it on the same outlet as my bulbs. Now I'm like insanely paranoid. I did have it going full bore for a while, now I'm not sure what to do. Its on the same circuit as a massive fridge as well, tho not much else...

 

[Tom]

I have an ancient (like 20 year old) delonghi that I've been using. My garage was totally renovated about 5-6 years ago so the electrical is new, but I did have it on the same outlet as my bulbs. Now I'm like insanely paranoid. I did have it going full bore for a while, now I'm not sure what to do. Its on the same circuit as a massive fridge as well, tho not much else...

Most of them have a Low-Med-High setting. Running it on low should not cause any problem. Medium is probably okay too. I think running them on high is potentially dangerous in some situations, as seen in post number 24 from Robin.

I run these heaters in my reptile room. Normally one heater on low is enough to keep it warm in there. When we have our winter cold spells, I will run two of them on low on separate thermostats on separate circuits on either end of the room. Does the job nicely, and the cords never heat up.

 

[SinLA]

Most of them have a Low-Med-High setting. Running it on low should not cause any problem. Medium is probably okay too. I think running them on high is potentially dangerous in some situations, as seen in post number 24 from Robin.

I run these heaters in my reptile room. Normally one heater on low is enough to keep it warm in there. When we have our winter cold spells, I will run two of them on low on separate thermostats on separate circuits on either end of the room. Does the job nicely, and the cords never heat up.

Ok that makes me feel better. I'll keep it on med/low, but there's only one circuit in my garage...

 

[SafariWoman]

I'm looking for advice on what radiator oil filled heater to get for Reggie's room. Our plan was to heat the room during the day with the heater, set the timer to turn it off at night, and heat only the hide at night with a radiant heat panel. The timer would turn the heater back on in the morning. We bought a heater but discovered it does not have a 24 hour timer and it seems it cannot be set up with an external timer, as I had originally planned to do. I looked online for an oil heater with a built in 24 hour timer. I found a Delonghi at Home Depot that looks like the timer will allow a lower temp at night and higher in the day. Reviews are decent.

Your thoughts, ideas, and experiences with oil heaters would be appreciated. Maybe I'll just have to leave the oil heater on 24 hours?

Thank you!

Hello,
I'm new to the forum and just recently acquired my Sulcata, Holly, by means of someone leaving her in my driveway. Anyway, I have a regular oil filled radiator in her room and anytime she sees it, she tries to ram it (it's on wheels) and at one time almost tipped it over (I should have named her Tank). Because of that, we built a simple wooden framework with a small-holed wire mesh stapled to the frame so she can't get at it. It's safe from her but allows the heat to exit properly. I don't know if it looks like another tortoise to her, but at least now they're both safe and warm. Just a thought.

 

[jaizei]

No other panel, they, electrician with garage builders just ran 10 gauge wire for the 30 amp breaker.

I don't want to go back and forth on this, but you shouldn't be able to plug a 15 or 20 amp cord into a 30 amp circuit. If there isn't a 15 or 20 amp fuse/breaker between the 30 amp breaker and your 15 or 20 amp outlet, then it was done wrong. You may think having a 30 amp circuit supplying your outlets is safer, but it's more dangerous because those outlets aren't intended to be used on a 30 amp circuit. Table 210.21(B)(3)

 

[jaizei]

View attachment 350983This is what the plug looked like after it overheated in the outlet; almost started a fire, thankfully, I could smell the plastic/rubber burning. I believe this was the Delonghi.

Something like that is usually caused by:

• Wires in cord defective or damaged during manufacture/shipping, or
• Wires in cord damaged by yanking to unplug, or
• Wires in cord damaged by furniture up against it.

 

[jaizei]

I have an ancient (like 20 year old) delonghi that I've been using. My garage was totally renovated about 5-6 years ago so the electrical is new, but I did have it on the same outlet as my bulbs. Now I'm like insanely paranoid. I did have it going full bore for a while, now I'm not sure what to do. Its on the same circuit as a massive fridge as well, tho not much else...

If the electrical was installed right, it should be safe to run it on high. If it's too much for the circuit, the breaker trips. The breaker is there to protect the wiring from overload.

 

[wellington]

I don't want to go back and forth on this, but you shouldn't be able to plug a 15 or 20 amp cord into a 30 amp circuit. If there isn't a 15 or 20 amp fuse/breaker between the 30 amp breaker and your 15 or 20 amp outlet, then it was done wrong. You may think having a 30 amp circuit supplying your outlets is safer, but it's more dangerous because those outlets aren't intended to be used on a 30 amp circuit. Table 210.21(B)(3)

I don't know then except it has worked since 2014 when it was built. 6 years heater on thermostat and part of last winter and so far this fall the heater plugged straight into outlet. Unless they put a panel in that we never seen, but not likely.

 

[SanctuaryHills]

Hi there @Tom what is your opinion on the radiator size for an insulated 8' x 4' x 3' outdoor shed (see picture below). Winter temps here in South Florida can range in the 32-60F.

The shed will have its own dedicated circuit/breaker. I already own a Zilla Digital Temperature Controller: https://a.co/d/iHQ54GX

I'm just unsure on what radiator to pair it with

 

[Tom]

Hi there @Tom what is your opinion on the radiator size for an insulated 8' x 4' x 3' outdoor shed (see picture below). Winter temps here in South Florida can range in the 32-60F.

The shed will have its own dedicated circuit/breaker. I already own a Zilla Digital Temperature Controller: https://a.co/d/iHQ54GX

I'm just unsure on what radiator to pair it with

View attachment 352663

One of the mini radiant oil heaters from Walmart should do a box that size.

 

[SanctuaryHills]

One of the mini radiant oil heaters from Walmart should do a box that size.

Thanks bud. Around how much wattage should I look out for? 50? 100W?

 

[Tom]

Thanks bud. Around how much wattage should I look out for? 50? 100W?

The minis are usually 600 or 700 watts. The full size ones have low (600 watts), medium (900 watts) or high (600+900=1500 watts).

It sounds like a lot of power, but the beauty of this type of heater is that while it is on it heats up that oil. When the thermostat kicks it off, it keeps giving off that heat for a long time, so overall, it doesn't run that much. Its much more efficient than other types of space heaters.

 

[SanctuaryHills]

The minis are usually 600 or 700 watts. The full size ones have low (600 watts), medium (900 watts) or high (600+900=1500 watts).

It sounds like a lot of power, but the beauty of this type of heater is that while it is on it heats up that oil. When the thermostat kicks it off, it keeps giving off that heat for a long time, so overall, it doesn't run that much. Its much more efficient than other types of space heaters.

Thanks Tom, can't thank you enough. I'm still a bit confused about the redundancy of connecting the heater to my digital temp controller when it also comes with its own built in thermostat.

How do you figure out how high to crank the heater unit? If my digital controller fails for whatever reason I don't want to end up cook the tortoises.

 

[Tom]

Thanks Tom, can't thank you enough. I'm still a bit confused about the redundancy of connecting the heater to my digital temp controller when it also comes with its own built in thermostat.

How do you figure out how high to crank the heater unit? If my digital controller fails for whatever reason I don't want to end up cook the tortoises.

The built-in dial won't hold a constant temp. I got 15-20 degree swings with it nightly. I'd set it to 80 and it would go 65 to 85 in a night. Or 70 to 90.

To set it, turn the built-in dial all the way up and use the Zilla thermostat and a couple of digital thermometers to set your temp correctly for a couple of nights. Then, when the temp is where you want it, turn the built in thermostat down until it clicks. Doesn't matter if the heater is on or off, but you'll feel or hear the click faintly. Then turn it back up until it clicks again, and go just a little farther with it. This will leave the built-in thermostat set slightly higher than your Zilla thermostat. If your Zilla never malfunctions, the heater's built-in thermostat will never do anything.

If you do this and then some day the ZIlla thermostat malfunctions and sticks on, the heater's own thermostat will shut it off a little over your set point. This should keep it well under lethal high temperatures.