I want to use this product in an outdoor fountain during winter (~ -5 C) for the pleasant steam rising effect. Is it's heat output powerful enough?
875279
The heater has an automatic on off sensor , it keeps the water temp around 43 degrees so no ice can form. I dont know if it would work in anything larger than a standard birdbath size . It does do what it is intended to do
875280
It has been a low as 20 below here in Iowa and this has worked for the bird bath. I do not know for a continued flow of water. A lot better than some others I have tried - for sure heavy duty. One challenge, squirrels might gnaw on the wire and cause a short, real easy to repair.
875281
not sure my btd 250 burned out in 10 days,amazon return, now have the allied #300 200 watt unit in my bird bath since mid feb. . the temperature is now 17 deg F in chicago ,il average feb high 33 F(1C) low 17 F (8 C). the 24 in dia bird bath has not frozen,water does evaporate, have not seen steam yet,
875282
I have mine in a bird bath but have never seen any steam coming from the water. I don't think it will produce steam.
1153306
It would be great for winter months but not summers. I live in Florida; it heats the water up and keeps it very hot. I do not use it in the summer.
1373032
It does generate heat but I don't think a sufficient amount to prevent frost damage. It would need to be isolated to a very small area at a close range which could in itself cause damage to plants.
984432
I don't know I have never tried. I like it pretty warm when I swim and mine is outside even in winter. But, I have never turned the heat all the way up.
1354131
I used mine to power a bilge pump. That uses the power very sparingly to check for water level all the time. Then users more power to power the pump when water is present. It worked quite well for that. My guess is it would power your heating coil. The question is how much it would consume and how long it would last with the battery. But would it power it up? Most likely yes. Engineer could probably tell you more.
707036
This is a big heater for such a small space. However, there are a lot of variables to consider. Is this enclosed porch addition well insulated or is it mostly glass walls. Is it in the shade with a N. exposure or in full S. exposure shade free sun. Assuming the worst with poor insulation, single pane glass and a northerly exposure this is the heater for you if you want to keep plants alive or sit in this porch in the evening in the winter. An over-sized heater will cycle frequently. You may not want to sit or even have furniture within 2 feet or so from this heater. It is more efficient to have a small heater running a high percentage of the time than having a behemoth turning on for five minutes every half hour. When in doubt it is probably best to error on the side of a little extra capacity. There are internet sites that will work the math for you if you know square footage of wall area by type, wood, window, etc. You can calculate your heat loss in thermal units given a certain outside temperature. In this way you can precisely calculate your BTU needs. This is a good little heater. I use it to assist heat pumps on cold evenings as they don't work well below a certain temperature. It makes a big difference in an area 5 times the area of your patio, but it is not the sole source of heat for the space. One last thought, if possible position the heater along the new outside wall facing in toward the original structure. If any of this is masonry the thermal mass will absorb heat when the heater is on and let it out slowly between cycles. This will allow your heater to cycle less often. Regardless, even with no masonry you don't want to be sending radiant heat into glass. I hope you find this helpful.
337719
Yes. I've been using it in a heated water bath. I'd guess about 48 hours of total use in average 140 degree Fahrenheit water without a problem.
1948149
I set this water heater up on the outside wall of my cabin using a 3gpm 12VDC pump running 45-55 psi, it will burn you out if you are not careful, it does get hot. Bath/shower; RV toilet; bathroom sink; kitchen sink, all work well. I do highly recommend this heater for similar application.
1500279
No, it is not that powerful. And again this heater is unreliable. Mine only lasted 4 months before it failed. Would not trust it at all.
1254796
I'm not sure that the heating element would be adequate for out door use in your area. I use mine in the chicken house, elevated from the litter on the floor. It remains warmer in the house and I have never had frozen water since I started using it.
1086320
I've found that it does not produce much heat at all. Mine is on an open deck so the heat rises into the air. It might feel warmer if placed under some type of covered area which would trap the heat nearer the ground, it is a beautiful affect but not warming.
722457
It depends on the setting. I have a small backyard fountain that uses this with a 200 gph pump. It produces a small, maybe 8" bell effect. This is fine for me, because I don't want a lot of over spray outside the fountain perimeter when the wind blows. For a larger effect, you would need a correspondingly larger pump. At low flows the bell effect breaks down and is unattractive.
638682
It is possible. If you turn it to the max heat temp and use half hot and half cold you will have a very warm bath.
972156
Yes - mine is used to warm the outside pipes of my Ranai water heater. I then wrapped with insulation and tape. It has worked well this Winter.
1122790
I live in the south, but we have had a rather sever winter. My best guess would be that it would handle four without problem. I filled a 800 gallon hot tub and had to wait for the water to cool to get in this winter (120 f) is a bit hot for me. It is a very good unit, but i would extend the exhaust further from the clean air intake than is recommended. I put an elbow and a 36" piece of pvc at a 90 degree angle from the clean air intake. No error codes no matter how much water goes through after that change.
1524486
I'm sitting here in my room writing this while the unit is on, and I'm cooling down after sweltering in 90+ degree heat that the rest of the house is melting in. So, I'd say the unit is very efficient. This is my second summer with it and it hasn't disappointed me yet.
530988
I use it to heat a small pond in my yard although its not meant for outdoor use. Thus far it is working fine and seems worth the money