Looking for a heater to keep my utility room pipes from freezing, either
electric or propane. It would be ideal to have a thermostat that went down
to around 35 or 40 degrees F. Other than that, I'll use a temperature
control to turn on power to an electric heater or a propane heater with
continuous electric start pilot light substitute.

Heat tapes would do the trick for the pipes but I don't want residual water
freezing in the washing machine pump. This doesn't freeze when it's 20
degrees F outside, but we had a pipe bust when it got to -9 degrees F.
We've had pipe freeze problems twice in the 10 years I've lived here so I'm
thinking it wouldn't take much heat to keep the room above freezing.

Anyone know of an electric or propane shop heaters that have a thermostat
that goes close to freezing temperature?

RogerN

On 2014-01-18, RogerN wrote:
Looking for a heater to keep my utility room pipes from freezing, either
electric or propane. It would be ideal to have a thermostat that went down
to around 35 or 40 degrees F. Other than that, I'll use a temperature
control to turn on power to an electric heater or a propane heater with
continuous electric start pilot light substitute.

Heat tapes would do the trick for the pipes but I don't want residual water
freezing in the washing machine pump. This doesn't freeze when it's 20
degrees F outside, but we had a pipe bust when it got to -9 degrees F.
We've had pipe freeze problems twice in the 10 years I've lived here so I'm
thinking it wouldn't take much heat to keep the room above freezing.

Anyone know of an electric or propane shop heaters that have a thermostat
that goes close to freezing temperature?

Just buy yourself a Thermocube.

i

On Sat, 18 Jan 2014 09:33:42 -0600, "RogerN"
wrote:

Looking for a heater to keep my utility room pipes from freezing, either
electric or propane. It would be ideal to have a thermostat that went down
to around 35 or 40 degrees F. Other than that, I'll use a temperature
control to turn on power to an electric heater or a propane heater with
continuous electric start pilot light substitute.

Heat tapes would do the trick for the pipes but I don't want residual water
freezing in the washing machine pump. This doesn't freeze when it's 20
degrees F outside, but we had a pipe bust when it got to -9 degrees F.
We've had pipe freeze problems twice in the 10 years I've lived here so I'm
thinking it wouldn't take much heat to keep the room above freezing.

Anyone know of an electric or propane shop heaters that have a thermostat
that goes close to freezing temperature?

RogerN

Get a regular plug-in electric heater and a "plug-in" line
thermostat. Modify the calibration if necessary.


Another idea - use a contactor-relay to control the outlet you plug
the heater ijnto. Control the relay with one of the old round
honeywell mercury switch thermostats - calibrate the thermostat 10 or
20 degrees down by rotating the mounting. They are only accurate when
mounted level..
Third option - get a refrigerator thermostat and have it operate a NC
relay - reversing it's operation - it heats when the thermostat calls
for no cooling, and does not when the thermostat calls for cooling.

The plugin thermostat used to be a common item for "milk house
heaters" at farm supplies. Might even be able to get a "milk house
heater" with a thermostat that goes low enough. -

Or get a "block heater thermostat" - Here in Canada Canadian Tire
carries the Noma brand.

Or go to Home Despot and buy a "thermocube" - on at 35F, off at 45F.

Handles up to 1500 watts. I'd run it on a 750 or 1000 watt heater

On 1/18/2014 7:33 AM, RogerN wrote:
Looking for a heater to keep my utility room pipes from freezing, either
electric or propane. It would be ideal to have a thermostat that went down
to around 35 or 40 degrees F. Other than that, I'll use a temperature
control to turn on power to an electric heater or a propane heater with
continuous electric start pilot light substitute.

Heat tapes would do the trick for the pipes but I don't want residual water
freezing in the washing machine pump. This doesn't freeze when it's 20
degrees F outside, but we had a pipe bust when it got to -9 degrees F.
We've had pipe freeze problems twice in the 10 years I've lived here so I'm
thinking it wouldn't take much heat to keep the room above freezing.

Anyone know of an electric or propane shop heaters that have a thermostat
that goes close to freezing temperature?

RogerN


Something that happens every five years seems like a perfect place for a
manual solution.

An incandescent light bulb of appropriate wattage placed close to the
area that might freeze works fine. You have to manually control it,
every five years.

Most any old heater with a bi-metal thermostat has a calibration adjustment.
Or, if it doesn't you can bend something.

"RogerN" wrote in message
m...
Looking for a heater to keep my utility room pipes from freezing,
either electric or propane. It would be ideal to have a thermostat
that went down to around 35 or 40 degrees F. Other than that, I'll
use a temperature control to turn on power to an electric heater or
a propane heater with continuous electric start pilot light
substitute.

Heat tapes would do the trick for the pipes but I don't want
residual water freezing in the washing machine pump. This doesn't
freeze when it's 20 degrees F outside, but we had a pipe bust when
it got to -9 degrees F. We've had pipe freeze problems twice in the
10 years I've lived here so I'm thinking it wouldn't take much heat
to keep the room above freezing.

Anyone know of an electric or propane shop heaters that have a
thermostat that goes close to freezing temperature?

RogerN

You could salvage the thermostat from a refrigerator and reverse its
action with a relay.

Or you could measure how cold the room gets with 100 or 200W of
continuous heat, such as a light bulb or
http://www.laskoproducts.com/myheat%...ter-model-106/
$12 in WalMart

I use mine to defrost my breakfast sandwich before microwaveing it.
jsw

wrote in message
...

Or go to Home Despot and buy a "thermocube" - on at 35F, off at 45F.

Handles up to 1500 watts. I'd run it on a 750 or 1000 watt heater

Thanks. I plan to run another house cooling rate test during the next
cold spell and that will help determine how much (or little) electric
heat I need to keep the basement plumbing above freezing.
jsw

"Ignoramus20572" wrote in message
...

On 2014-01-18, RogerN wrote:
snip

Just buy yourself a Thermocube.

i

I'd never heard of a Thermocube until I looked it up after your post. That
looks like a good solution.

Thanks!

RogerN

"mike" wrote in message ...

On 1/18/2014 7:33 AM, RogerN wrote:
snip

Something that happens every five years seems like a perfect place for a
manual solution.

An incandescent light bulb of appropriate wattage placed close to the
area that might freeze works fine. You have to manually control it,
every five years.

Most any old heater with a bi-metal thermostat has a calibration
adjustment.
Or, if it doesn't you can bend something.

The pipes froze up the first or second year I was here, then I used a heat
tape on the pipe that runs along the outside wall. It's hard for me to know
if the heat tape is working unless I get a frozen water pipe. The last
freeze happened on a different area of the pipe when the temperatures
dropped and it was windy. The old heating system here used a very wasteful
propane heater that's located in the utility room, that keeps pipes from
freezing but it ran through a tank of propane in less than 2 months, now I
get 2 years out of a tank of propane but have to try to keep the pipes from
freezing.

I like the idea of modifying the thermostats I could probably get a cheap
heater to do what I want.

RogerN

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message ...

"RogerN" wrote in message
snip
RogerN

You could salvage the thermostat from a refrigerator and reverse its action
with a relay.

Or you could measure how cold the room gets with 100 or 200W of continuous
heat, such as a light bulb or
http://www.laskoproducts.com/myheat%...ter-model-106/
$12 in WalMart

I use mine to defrost my breakfast sandwich before microwaveing it.
jsw

I went to Wal-Mart last night, didn't see the personal heater but I bought
an $18 ceramic heater, low setting is 750 watts. With a lower power heater
it would be nice with the refrigerator thermostat because if it failed ON,
it would heat but not enough power to overheat the room.

I have an oil filled electric radiator with bad controls, I'm considering
using it with an electronic temperature control and using the alarm output
to turn on an indicator light if the temp is out of range, indicating a
heater failure or too cold even with the heat.

I have a "Kill-A-Watt" I can use to see how much power it takes to keep the
room above freezing.

RogerN

RogerN wrote:

I went to Wal-Mart last night, didn't see the personal heater but I bought
an $18 ceramic heater, low setting is 750 watts. With a lower power heater
it would be nice with the refrigerator thermostat because if it failed ON,
it would heat but not enough power to overheat the room.

I have an oil filled electric radiator with bad controls, I'm considering
using it with an electronic temperature control and using the alarm output
to turn on an indicator light if the temp is out of range, indicating a
heater failure or too cold even with the heat.

I have a "Kill-A-Watt" I can use to see how much power it takes to keep the
room above freezing.

RogerN


Here is a small programmable controller. Add a relay or solid state
rely to control higher currents. I bought one, but I haven't tried it
yet. It uses a thermocouple. I plan on replacing a bad mecanical
thermostat on a heater, and possibly one on a large solder pot.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/110786179586


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