Infra red heat lamp during 12 hour dark flowering schedule.

[jalapeno]

I live in a mild climate, where it seldom freezes (Northern CA coastal region near Santa Cruz). I have a 2 x 4 grow tent indoors, in an unheated room (converted garage). Thinking about adding a heat lamp inside the tent, to keep the temp in the 70's (F) , rather than dropping into the 50's when my LED's are off. My question is, will an infra-red heat lamp, that does throw some visible RED light interfere with flowering when I switch my LED lighting to 12:12 schedule?

i.e, will the plant 'recognize' it as 'dark' when just the red bulb is lit?

[DrPhoton]

Infrared is outside the spectrum where the red phytochrome is sensitive to. So it would not disrupt the flowering cycle. Infact it is possible to reduce the dark cycle using infrared manipilation techniques just after lights out.

Infrared heaters however do emit a small portion of visible light, but it would likely be too low of intensity to be a issue. The moon and stars would be more intense than that and they do not disrupt the cycles.

Saying that, its never a good idea to use element heaters, i would highly advise a oil heater or a type of heater than uses conduction heat transfer rather than direct convection.

[Smokesteve]

I agree with Dr.P the oil filled plug in radiators are relatively cheap around $60. They are stable and safe.

[Potted]

I wholeheartedly agree those can b really dangerous ☠️

[jalapeno]

Thanks for the input, Dr.P and Smokeesteve. I own one of those oil heaters, but it would take up too much space in my 2' x 4' tent. I have used it in the room next to a lower vent on the tent, but then it essentially heats the whole room, and my power bills get ridiculous. Besides saving money, I'm trying to be a good global citizen and reduce my carbon foot print. It would take a fraction of the energy to just heat the inside of the tent as needed, and the most efficient and inexpensive solution I could think of was just an IR bulb in a clip on lamp powered via a timer and a thermostatic AC switch. I can certainly orient the lamp so it's not emitting directly at the plants.

Not sure why an oil heater would be preferable to any kind of radiant heater, but I suppose if I could find a really little one I could build a shelf for it above the the plants. If I can go with a lamp, all I need to do is clip it to the tent frame. Is fire risk the concern with radiant heat?

[starramus]

An open heating element provides the possibility of something combustive coming in contact. The oil element is all self contained. You will save money with the infrared lamp as they are only around 300 watts whereas the oil or radiant heater are around 1500 watts. 1/5 the cost is something of a savings.

[jalapeno]

Ja, I think that an IR lamp can be installed safely. My original question was actually about it affecting the light cycle during flowering. I did find a 150 watt ''terrarium" lamp that claims to produce no visible spectrum, so that would make that question moot. Savings over 1500 watts won't be 90% though, as of course the smaller heat source will need to remain on longer, but even if ends up on 24/7, the cost will be much less than the oil heater heating up the whole room instead of just the tent.

[Potted]

Most of the oil filled heaters I’ve seen have four settings up to 1500 watts with a thurmastaic senser, I never set mine to more than the 1/4 setting 325 watts set to 76 and my grow space is 3 times the size of yours it may b overkill with your space restrictions.

[Rwise]

I have an outdoor grow, and its winter, what I did is the same we did for the well house. I put in 2 100w incandescent bulbs with metal reflectors faced down onto an aluminum plate. These are on a thermostat as well set to come on at 60*F,, (@ 19*F and windy it held 45* inside), I like the oil heaters but I also have not the room for one. Not to mention I would have to put more power out there,,,

I have another question for a heat source, what about black lights, not UV just the elcheapos? Would they affect the light cycle?

[starramus]

I am quite certain the black lights would affect the light cycle.

I am not growing in my out buildings for just the reason that heating them is cost prohibitive. I have some infrared lights in the chicken coop, but am to cheap to turn them on at night. The chickens must hate me as it got down to 9 degrees Fahrenheit the other night. If and when my autos arrive I will have my CMH on in the basement. Plenty warm there as the boiler is in the same room, and no extra cost for heat.

[Rwise]

I dont heat the chicken coop either, that is the number 1 way to burn it down, besides chickens can take more cold than heat, even naked ones. I do have lights in the coop, but thats to get the lazy things up so they can lay me some breakfast!