Post peak lodging house/bedsits

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 27 Oct 2010, 14:20

adam2 wrote:The cat baskets have a 120 volt 500 watt halogen lamp, worked at 12 volts. This provides gentle radiant warmth and cats like this.

Altogether now... aaaawwww!

contadino · Post by **contadino** » 27 Oct 2010, 14:25

adam2 wrote:The cat baskets have a 120 volt 500 watt halogen lamp, worked at 12 volts. This provides gentle radiant warmth and cats like this.

WTF?!?

Post by **adam2** » 27 Oct 2010, 15:44

contadino wrote:
adam2 wrote:The cat baskets have a 120 volt 500 watt halogen lamp, worked at 12 volts. This provides gentle radiant warmth and cats like this.
WTF?!?

If a halogen or other incandescent lamp is connected to a much lower voltage than intended, then the filament only glows dull orange, and is an efficient source of infra red.

About 10 or 20% of the design voltage is suitable for most applications.

In this case as a 12 volt supply was available, 120 volt 500 watt lamps are used, in a standard floodlight fitting.

Cats and other animals like gentle radiant heat, the light fitting should be placed about 0.5M above the cat.

PS_RalphW · Post by **PS_RalphW** » 27 Oct 2010, 15:46

We have just got some Bantam chicks, part grown. They are roosting in the kid's playhouse in the garden. Their only heating is a 13W compact fluorescent bulb covered to reduce the light levels.

They have survived the frosts so far.

contadino · Post by **contadino** » 27 Oct 2010, 16:57

adam2 wrote:
contadino wrote:
adam2 wrote:The cat baskets have a 120 volt 500 watt halogen lamp, worked at 12 volts. This provides gentle radiant warmth and cats like this.
WTF?!?
If a halogen or other incandescent lamp is connected to a much lower voltage than intended, then the filament only glows dull orange, and is an efficient source of infra red.

About 10 or 20% of the design voltage is suitable for most applications.

In this case as a 12 volt supply was available, 120 volt 500 watt lamps are used, in a standard floodlight fitting.

Cats and other animals like gentle radiant heat, the light fitting should be placed about 0.5M above the cat.

My shock was less about how it worked, and more about the fact that you're wasting energy heating a cat.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 27 Oct 2010, 17:28

contadino wrote:My shock was less about how it worked, and more about the fact that you're wasting energy heating a cat.

Same here!

They've got fur coats to do that, the colder the climate the thicker the coat. If you keep them warm artificially, their coat thins and they get cold outside or when the heat goes off.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 27 Oct 2010, 22:36

And they don't seem very good at their job re. mice

Post by **adam2** » 27 Oct 2010, 22:51

"A" cat indeed, there are 4 now !
The energy used is not much, per cat, or in total and they do like it.
I would agree that cats should not be provided with excessive heating, as the coat does indeed get thicker in cold conditions.
It seems a bit harsh to not provide any warmth in cold weather though.

The cats are reasonably effective in catching and eating mice, but I fear that the mice are breeding faster than the cats eat them.
A little tenant education may be called for re. the unwisdom of leaving food around.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 28 Oct 2010, 10:17

I don't think a small amount of pampering of other species is a particularly bad thing; in the case of domestic creatures, they're less likely to stray if they're treated well.

The heating appliance and the creature will add a little extra heat to a well-insulated building, requiring less heat from other sources.

Post by **adam2** » 21 Jan 2011, 10:41

Update time.

Generally going well, most residents are students but a few are in local employment.

The main problem was in the very cold weather at the end of December. Only 4 rooms were occuipied as other tenants were spending Christmas with families.
The very cold conditions and reduced occupancy resulted in the living/kitchen area becoming uncomforably cold. No heating system is installed in this area, and in normal conditions none has been needed.

A solid fuel stove with limited cooking facility was installed, apart from testing, this was the first time it was used.
The 4 residents were determined to be greenish and minimise FF use (and expense !) The stove was fueled with waste wood from a local factory at no expense.

New fibre optic broadband has been installed, to the satisfaction of all.
The cats have gained the upper hand over the mice, just.
The 12 volt lighting has proved its worth in another prolonged power cut.

Furniture and fittings have generally stood up to heavy use, not one collapsed bed !

Those who spent Christmas elswhere have now returned, and several expressed suprise that all was well, having expected "everything to have frozen, burst, leaked or otherwise suffered from the bad weather".

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 21 Jan 2011, 11:14

Just to be clear, the cat lamp is actualy drawing 50w right?

Post by **adam2** » 21 Jan 2011, 11:59

DominicJ wrote:Just to be clear, the cat lamp is actualy drawing 50w right?

No, not that much.
The lamps are designed for use on 110 volts at which voltage they would use about 4.5 amps.

Used on 12 volts, the current is about 1.5 amps, or about 18 watts.

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 21 Jan 2011, 12:03

The amps drop as well?

Anyway, just wanted to make sure you werent using a 500w light as a heater, didnt think you were, but just checking.

Post by **adam2** » 21 Jan 2011, 12:19

DominicJ wrote:The amps drop as well?

Anyway, just wanted to make sure you werent using a 500w light as a heater, didnt think you were, but just checking.

Yes, if an incandescent lamp is worked on a reduced voltage, the current drawn will also be reduced. But NOT in proportion to the reduction in voltage, this because the resistance of the lamp is not fixed but varies according to the temperature of the filament.

A 110 volt 500 watt lamp would use about 4.5 amps at the correct voltage.
If worked at 12 volts (about 10% of the nominal voltage) then one might expect it to use about 10% of the normall current, that is 0.45 amp.
In fact it uses about 1.5 amps as noted.

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 22 Jan 2011, 13:12

10L a week Electric bill? Let me guess, female, intricate hairdo that requires a blow dryer and she won't so much as answer the door unless she is fully made up? I've watched my power bills jump up and down as my girls moved in and out through their college years. It is amazing how much electricity and hot water a fashionable young lady requires.
As to the cat cozy lamps. I don't think my cats could be bothered to find the time to lie under one as that would mean getting off the bed before the sun had moved into another room or crawl out from under the wood stove or off the top cellar stair where the furnace heat wafts over and under them. Really there are just so many hours in a day and with five naps a day plus lap time at the computer they hardly have anytime to watch the kitty TV now. Why just yesterday they missed "Woodpeckers at the suit" one of their favorite shows.
Hats off to anyone that will deal with unrelated college students. They are a trial indeed.
I'd want to get on top of that mice /rubbish problem. Where mice can play rats might not be as far away as one would like.
I do have to add a second heat lamp to the chicken coop tonight as its going right down into squeaky. -28C or thereabouts. The girls might freeze a comb or two without a little extra help.

Post peak lodging house/bedsits

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