What's new
By:
Filters
TerraForums Venus Flytrap, Nepenthes, Drosera and more talk

Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Thermoelectric Cooler

S

Spooky1

I am getting one of these, the kind you see in grocery stores by the checkout with soda inside, and would like to know if 54 degree low is OK. I spent the winter moving my high elevation Neps into an aquarium in an unheated room and now with warmer temps want to do the same only have the damp aquarium inside the cooler. Without stirring a controversy I mainly just need to know if a 54 degree low will suffice. Moving the plants over the winter like I mentioned worked great, I kept damp NZS in the bottom of the aquarium (maintaining 100% humidity) with a lid on and sprayed the plants before placing the aquarium in the cold room each night. Once my collection outgrows this system I will come up with something else but for now it works.

Forgot to mention that the macrophylla thrived in these conditions and is now beginning to produce larger leaves and a ribbed peristome. I have a villosa arriving shortly that will be a good test subject for my technique and I'm sure it will let me know if it is unhappy........right?
 
54 is definitely fine, though for the villosa that would be like, right on the line.
 
During the summer my lows only get to 60°. But my macrophyla are in front of the AC unit that continuously runs during the summer months. My hamata are thriving. Haven't had a decent shot with vilosa. The one I had was too stressed when I got it in my care. I really don't think bits the low temp that actually matters that much. The temp drop is more important.
 
Thanks for responding.
I found a number of these wine coolers that will work, I'm looking at a tall dual zone unit that will fit the bill.
 
Just a note on JB's comment because I see this from time to time.
"I really don't think bits the low temp that actually matters that much. The temp drop is more important."

By that logic you could say that well if it's a 20 degree drop that's needed then it doesn't matter if it's from 70 to 50 or 100 to 80.

This is actually incorrect and it's the other way around. Highland plants that are kept too warm at night, regardless of how much the temperature has cooled down, will burn more energy than they are capable of storing during the day. This is why they will slowly shrink as they 'consume themselves' to make up for the deficit each night. Getting them to a cool enough temperature to slow down their metabolic pathways so they have a surplus of sugars remaining each morning is what's key. You can somewhat mitigate the problem by making sure the plants are receiving proper light levels and nutrients to maximize how much energy they can store each day.
 
Ty Tony. I wasn't trying to say 100-80 but nearly saying they didn't have to get down that low. As many folks try to focus on the low rather than the drop. Of course that is still to say in reason the max I would safely say is 80.

I grow mainly HL plants and they all seem to be doing great. As I said in my post. The only vilosa I had was already sevearly distressed when I receive it.
 
About the thermoelectric coolers - I'm thinking about purchasing a 3.6 cubic foot model for true highland species and heliamphora, but is it safe to put something like this on its back and put lights over it? This seems like a pretty good and relatively inexpensive solution for someone growing small plants in an apartment.
 
The problem is small plants turn into big ones before you know it.
 
Yeah that's the bad part. Hopefully I'll be rich and have a greenhouse by then. I know it's just a temporary solution to a long term space problem.
 
  • #10
I'm no where near rich and working on must second GH. My first is an 8x8 I built myself for a few hundred bucks. I'm sure I have less than 1000 in my current GH. My new one I'm building has a little more invested but it is also nicer. Hence the reason its still not finished. Finances are getting in the way. But seriously if you planned it out and saved a little at a time you could and used reclaimed wood where you could, you can build a functioning GH. The current GH I'm building is #5 for me.the first two I tore down and replaced with the third which was at my old house.

Now if you want a prefab job then those cost a little bit. But still don't have to be rich to own one. Because I am far far from rich.
 
  • #11
My real problem is just that I live in an apartment in Memphis, Tennessee with ridiculously hot summers and no outdoor space in which to put a greenhouse. CP's and nepenthes in general are like a freaking addiction and I've already spent a ton of money on plants and a fairly basic highland setup. I have two more orders of plants on the way! When I say rich I mean wealthy enough to indulge my addiction without having to sacrifice food and clothing. :)
 
  • #12
If either of you actually get one of these coolers, please share your conclusions. There have been many people looking at these things (aka: lots of threads) and some that purchase them - afaik - none of them have worked out.

A number of people have successfully combined various permutations of a/c units & humidifiers to produce good HL conditions (check for threads on both TF & CPUK).
 
  • #14
dionysos86
I don't see a problem with laying a thermo-electric unit on it's back, only the older compressor units would be damaged by that.
 
  • #15
Yeah the thermoelectric units shouldn't be hurt by laying on its back. Just make sure the vent for the hot side stays cool.
 
  • #16
Wine coolers and refrigerators are a stop gap solution that are adequate for small plants but like has been said, small plants eventually get big. I believe that ultimately a large refrigerated area will be needed which will in my case probably be an A/C unit in the bathroom/greenhouse and I dread sitting on a cold toilet or worse, shower in a cold room.
 
  • #17
The thermoelectric wine cooler that I purchased for my plants is now being used as a wine cooler because it didn't work for plants, but I guess you don't want to know why ;) ...
Spooky1 said:
Without stirring a controversy I mainly just need to know if a 54 degree low will suffice.
Click to expand...
 
  • #19
dionysos86 said:
I would love to know why!!
Click to expand...
http://www.terraforums.com/forums/s...oling-system&p=1070460&viewfull=1#post1070460

It will also condense water vapour, which will then need somewhere to go. In my case it poured out the drainage hole in the base of the internal enclosure and flooded the inside of the outer metal enclosure base. It would also condense on the peltier cold plate, which was not sealed so causing water to run down the outside of internal cooler enclosure into the metal enclosure - wine coolers don't typically need to deal with high internal humidity.
 
Last edited:
  • #20
So you think getting something like a deep freeze and replacing the top with glass would be a better choice?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top