Water Bed Heaters

Is there any way to use one as a heat mat? I was looking at heat mats when I realized I have one, and would love to use it as a seed starting mat, if there is ANY possible way it can be done. Thanks for your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions!
Tammy

The heater says it needs at least 7 inches of water for it to work correctly, so that would have to be taken into consideration if it is at all possible. I was thinking of building a box to the dimensions of the heater pad and the heating element, as they need to be 6 inches apart, then to take part of the water bed mattress and fit inside the box and over the top and tack it, fill with amount of needed water, then set a piece of glass/Plexiglas on top to allow a stand for the seed pots. I would have to put it on rollers as it would be quite heavy with all that water, making it a type of seed starting table. Thanks for your ideas!

Surely someone out there has tried this and it either worked or failed???

If you know what you're doing, it's not hard to step down the voltage so the heat isn't too much for seedlings. If you don't know what you're doing, it's easy to start a fire or create a serious shock hazard.

To me, something that will heat 150 gallons of water is more than you need to start seedlings. There are a few threads about this, you could do a forum search.

It does have a heat setting on it, so I wouldn't see that as being a problem. I will see about the forum search and see if I can come up with one. Thanks

No rational reason why it couldn't be done misty. But why? A heat mat is only $30-$60, and it's already calibrated for you. The time alone you'd spend getting the new system right calibrating it doesn't seem to make economic sense. But agree, a challenge to do it cheaper and better is always alluring! No reason it wouldn't work, but it will take some work...

It was one of those 'fly by night' sort of ideas that I had! LOL I thought since it wasn't gonna be used, why not come up with a way to do it! :) A few others have given me some other ideas that are easier and cheaper, so I might do that. Still don't mean I won't try to figure out how to use this one, though. :) Cheaper is definitely always better, but not always easier. I may just have to use it to heat my pool water! HA HA HA

If cheaper is better, you'd probably be happier using seedling heat mats, which use 25 -40 watts (typically) compared to 300 - 400 watts for a waterbed heater.

I think I read a story somewhere about someone burning down their house or garage doing that, I'd recommend getting heating mats that were meant for seed starting.

Fire is not cheap!

This message was edited Jan 30, 2008 9:19 PM

Why couldn't you just put the plants on the filled waterbed itself, rather than trying to take it apart? The pots/flats would get the benefit of bottom heat, and you could monitor/calibrate easily with a simple soil thermometer in a pot set on the mattress. But claypa's right---it would use considerably more electricity than a gro mat. But think of how many jillions of seeds you could start with a "mat" that size!!!

Stono, that would be a grand idea had the dog not chewed it to pieces! LOL

That's funny....

I happened to look at your other posts and saw this.

My friend Bill had a huge water bed heater and I took it to try with plants.

It works GREAT.

If you aren't sure, get a meat thermometer or AC thermo (cheap) and test first to be sure. The one I got runs around 70' most of the time with spikes up to 80' at most.

; )

Ray

Hey Ray!
Maybe you can give me some pointers on how to make it work?! LOL