what type of heater for a tent in a garage over the winter

[lunarman]

Got an 8x8 tent with 1200 watts of HPS now but going to COB's sometime over the winter.

The garage is insulated but can be cool. And from what I can tell now 1200 watts of HPS might keep the tent warm enough depending on how much I exhaust CFM wise. Even then I might need a heater in there. And once I go to LED, I'll need a heater for sure.

Lots of different types of heater types out there. Just curious what the best types are for growing in a tent over winter.

 

[blowyourmind]

Built another tent around the growtent. It Will do.. Did that 15 year's ago

 

[AutoWonders]

Several years ago I took an old 2 drawer file cabinet, dumped everything inside, pushed it up to one of the lower screened windows, put in a radiator heater and let the inline fan suck in the heat making everything nice and toasty in the tent. It has worked extremely well. I feel that radiator heat is the best heat for a grow tent.

 

[lunarman]

so don't put the heater right in the tent? I can look at heating the garage more and my inline input fan will pull in warmer air. Or I can try and just heat right outside the tent input vent like you did.

But wouldn't it be easier to just put a heater right in the tent? I have space even for one of those standup radiant models that circulates oil.

 

[McDee]

I would just use hps in the winter. Any money you save by going to led would be spent on using a heater anyway. Use led the rest of the time. If your set on led in winter then try a heat lamp like for reptiles. I got a 50w heat bulb off eBay for $7-$8 and light at home depot for under 10 should work good in that tent. If you get real winter run a 24/0 light schedule with the heater. Shouldn't have much problem staying warm. Running that now with 2 autocobs and platinum led p150 no exhaust running yet and it 82° in my 2x4x5 tent. Don't think I will need my heater this year.

 

[lunarman]

@Mcdee
That's a good idea, that heat light. Never crossed my mind. Sounds affordable and easy to do.

I'll be selling my HPS lights. I don't want the hassle of handling all that exhaust venting and connecting cool tubes and power cords for ballast twice a year. Plus I might run in to cold days after I pull them out and then I'd be looking for a heat source anyway. Too many wild temp swings in between seasons in my area.

I have 2 autocobs coming and 2 more about to be ordered so will have 4 cobs in an 8x8 tent. And just want to grow 4 plants at a time. Hoping it's going to be easy to control temps in the winter and summer.

 

[McDee]

@Mcdee
That's a good idea, that heat light. Never crossed my mind. Sounds affordable and easy to do.

I'll be selling my HPS lights. I don't want the hassle of handling all that exhaust venting and connecting cool tubes and power cords for ballast twice a year. Plus I might run in to cold days after I pull them out and then I'd be looking for a heat source anyway. Too many wild temp swings in between seasons in my area.

I have 2 autocobs coming and 2 more about to be ordered so will have 4 cobs in an 8x8 tent. And just want to grow 4 plants at a time. Hoping it's going to be easy to control temps in the winter and summer.

Ya, don't get me wrong I use led. But if I was in my garage in winter I would use the hps for winter and go 24 heat would be good inside call it a day. Doing 1st autocob grow so learning about these but growth has been good today is day 10 so we will see lol.

 

[McDee]

Saving filter, it's connected to the fan so not running right now. So see what temps are then.

 

[Be4u]

If your hydro just use aquarium heaters.
Your tent is way too big for four plants. Go 3x3 or 4x4.
You don't have enough light for 8x8. Buy at least 8 more cobs.
12 more for full room coverage with no walking space.
4 cobs in a 4x4 will work just fine, you'll have a good yield with the minimum light but adding 4 more will get you the light you need.

 

[lunarman]

@Be4u

I was under the impression that it does not matter how big my tent is and I don't need to fill it all up with lights. I thought I could 4 plants in the middle, hang an autocob above each one, and lighting coverage would be fine. Are you saying that is not a correct assumption and I need to reduce the tent size to a 4x4 to have an effective grow? Or increase the cobs? Neither option doable at this point, but if this is super critical important then i would like at this.