Heat from halides causing home AC problems!!!

jwb0126 · 05/22/2008, 09:47 PM

What's up everybody.

So I made it through the move okay. Lovin Charlotte and can't wait to get in with the RASOC. I do have a rather large problem that in hindsight I can't believe I didn't realize was going to happen.

I moved the tank and whole setup into the new house and put it against a wall in the den and it looks beautiful. Problem is...the thermostat for the houses heating/ac is on the same wall about two feet from the tank. Everything works fine for most of the day, but when the halides come on...problems start.

With the halides on, the heat from the tank is causing the thermostat to register the houses temp at around 88 degrees and CRANKS the AC the whole time the halides are on. By the time the lights have been on for about three hours, the actual house temp is down to around 55 degrees or so. This in turn is causing the tank temp to severely drop to around 72 to 74, not to mention the power bill that going to be outrageous from the effect.

I'm thinking about adding a few more fans behind the tank canopy and try to blow the heat away from the thermostat and possibly even putting in a digital thermostat for the house that could be programmed to compensate for the difference.

Basically, I just wanted to see if anybody had any ideas to help solve this bonehead problem without tearing the whole system down again and moving it across the room.

Any ideas???

Thanks,
J

James77 · 05/22/2008, 09:51 PM

Just move the thermostat- its simple to do, only one single wire. Not nearly as painful as moving an entire tank-

jwb0126 · 05/22/2008, 09:55 PM

Not a bad idea. Only problem is that we're renting the place that we moved into. Not sure if they would let me do that, but I'll check.

JCTewks · 05/22/2008, 10:56 PM

If you can't move the thermostat, using a programmable is your best bet.

Toddrtrex · 05/22/2008, 11:22 PM

My thermostat is about a foot away from my tank. When I first moved here I had the same issue --- just flipped the fans around so that they now blow away from it. And I couldn't move mine either. If that doesn't help enough could also adjust the vents.

Here is how close mine is to the tank.

hahnmeister · 05/23/2008, 03:39 AM

I use 4" duct with a fan to suck all the hot and humid outside so the AC doesnt even have to compete.

fewells · 05/23/2008, 06:37 AM

Thermostats are usually wired with a wire similar to phone wire. If your land lord doesnt want to permanently move the tstat just splice on to the wires move the thermostat and rewire it. run the extender wire along the wall and cover it with com speaker wire cover used for home theater.

buck50bmg · 05/23/2008, 09:16 AM

Here ya go

Wireless Thermostat

jwb0126 · 05/23/2008, 05:45 PM

Buck you are a genious!!! Thanks for the help. I found one already for just over a hundred. Ill be ordering it as soon as I get home. Problem solved.

05/22/2008, 09:47 PM	#1
jwb0126 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 176	Heat from halides causing home AC problems!!! What's up everybody. So I made it through the move okay. Lovin Charlotte and can't wait to get in with the RASOC. I do have a rather large problem that in hindsight I can't believe I didn't realize was going to happen. I moved the tank and whole setup into the new house and put it against a wall in the den and it looks beautiful. Problem is...the thermostat for the houses heating/ac is on the same wall about two feet from the tank. Everything works fine for most of the day, but when the halides come on...problems start. With the halides on, the heat from the tank is causing the thermostat to register the houses temp at around 88 degrees and CRANKS the AC the whole time the halides are on. By the time the lights have been on for about three hours, the actual house temp is down to around 55 degrees or so. This in turn is causing the tank temp to severely drop to around 72 to 74, not to mention the power bill that going to be outrageous from the effect. I'm thinking about adding a few more fans behind the tank canopy and try to blow the heat away from the thermostat and possibly even putting in a digital thermostat for the house that could be programmed to compensate for the difference. Basically, I just wanted to see if anybody had any ideas to help solve this bonehead problem without tearing the whole system down again and moving it across the room. Any ideas??? Thanks, J __________________ Jason Bryan My Fiance calls my tank "The other woman." Current Tank Info: 55 gal. mixed reef working towards SPS dominated. Custom 10 gal sump and custom 8 gal refuge. Dual 250w 14k SE MH w/ 2x54w supplemental actinic T5s. Berlin Turbo skimmer. 1 Koralia 2 & 1 Koralia 3 for flow. Hospital / QT tank always on the ready.

05/22/2008, 09:55 PM	#3
jwb0126 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 176	Not a bad idea. Only problem is that we're renting the place that we moved into. Not sure if they would let me do that, but I'll check. __________________ Jason Bryan My Fiance calls my tank "The other woman." Current Tank Info: 55 gal. mixed reef working towards SPS dominated. Custom 10 gal sump and custom 8 gal refuge. Dual 250w 14k SE MH w/ 2x54w supplemental actinic T5s. Berlin Turbo skimmer. 1 Koralia 2 & 1 Koralia 3 for flow. Hospital / QT tank always on the ready.

05/22/2008, 11:22 PM	#5
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	My thermostat is about a foot away from my tank. When I first moved here I had the same issue --- just flipped the fans around so that they now blow away from it. And I couldn't move mine either. If that doesn't help enough could also adjust the vents. Here is how close mine is to the tank. __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

05/23/2008, 06:37 AM	#7
fewells Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Lake of the Ozarks, MO Posts: 356	Thermostats are usually wired with a wire similar to phone wire. If your land lord doesnt want to permanently move the tstat just splice on to the wires move the thermostat and rewire it. run the extender wire along the wall and cover it with com speaker wire cover used for home theater. __________________ When you look this good you don't have to know anything. Current Tank Info: 90 reef

05/23/2008, 05:45 PM	#9
jwb0126 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 176	Buck you are a genious!!! Thanks for the help. I found one already for just over a hundred. Ill be ordering it as soon as I get home. Problem solved. __________________ Jason Bryan My Fiance calls my tank "The other woman." Current Tank Info: 55 gal. mixed reef working towards SPS dominated. Custom 10 gal sump and custom 8 gal refuge. Dual 250w 14k SE MH w/ 2x54w supplemental actinic T5s. Berlin Turbo skimmer. 1 Koralia 2 & 1 Koralia 3 for flow. Hospital / QT tank always on the ready.

05/22/2008, 09:51 PM	#2
James77 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 8,158	Just move the thermostat- its simple to do, only one single wire. Not nearly as painful as moving an entire tank-

05/22/2008, 10:56 PM	#4
JCTewks Moved On Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Wilmington, Ohio Posts: 3,040	If you can't move the thermostat, using a programmable is your best bet.

05/23/2008, 03:39 AM	#6
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	I use 4" duct with a fan to suck all the hot and humid outside so the AC doesnt even have to compete.

05/23/2008, 09:16 AM	#8
buck50bmg Moved On Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 792	Here ya go Wireless Thermostat