DIY 12v Ceramic Air Heater (w/fan!) +alum. fins! Simplest Heater Hack Ever! can be Solar or Bat Pwrd

[@MCOult]

This is one of the best -- and easiest -- DIY videos I've seen in a long time. A LOT of people will be able to do this. Thanks!

[@desertsun02]

hi there and thanks 🙂

[@jilljankovits4220]

This is so exciting!!! Trying to figure out how to heat greenhouse during Nebraska winter. Need to learn how to use battery at night. New to this stuff. Thank you for the videos!!!!

[@YoubieTuber]

Tape bubble wrap together inside your greenhouse. And then use your ceramic heater with a plug-in thermostat. That’s what I’ve done and works well. 👍

[@mustangandfrankenstein]

thank you brother.im definitely going to try this in my minivan..thats awesome.keep up the good work and I know us vanlifers appreciate it..kickass

[@kitsurubami]

this is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I'm going to try this out!

[@desertsun02]

hi there. sounds good 👍🙂

[@jayoli7073]

From what it seems like and based upon your explanation, it seems like you could easily power up the element for a few seconds then turn it off to heat up either with the fan off or based upon the waste heat being emitted from the ceramic element, right?

[@laurice8056]

Awesome DIY heater videos! The fan gets too hot and the motor overheats on most store bought models. But your designs should help keep this problem from occurring. This could be a Lifesaver for Seniors and Disabled people in cold climates. Great for camping ⛺️ too! Thanks again for sharing!

[@ayatti26]

The problem with appliances these days are the microswitches inside. He bypasses those with this genius set up.

[@jussikankinen9409]

Only eskimos live in cold in cold climate

[@PHOTOGRIFFON]

Hello, do you connect the solar panel directly to the radiator? If the panel is 400w, will it give it all and melt the radiator or does the radiator always give the same heat?

[@desertsun02]

hi. yes, you can connect the solar panel directly to the radiator. the radiator (heating element) will only draw the power that it needs. the solar panel can be any size (as long as it's a 12v panel and you're using a 12v heating element)

[@PHOTOGRIFFON]

@@desertsun02 Wow !! very cool, thank you my friend :-)

[@jussikankinen9409]

400w panel is 40v so 3 elements in series

[@rsrcisco8673]

@@jussikankinen9409 PTC not working in series.

[@mustangandfrankenstein]

Hi my friend.. what about if we try to do it with a blow dryer broken or new .take out the cylinder with the nic wire just like it sits in the blow dryer .its like toaster wire . But its wraped around a holder thing ..iv looked at it and haven't tried it yet .iv only got a 25 w foldable solar panel.. but i was thinking of that cause its getting cold here in sc in the minivan Frankenstein has been knudging me to lift the blankets do he can crawl under .time for his winter pjs..but if you think on it maybe we could come up with something.ot dont have to be blazing red hot.alitte heat is all some vanlifers need just to maintain .thank you my friend wnd please keep up these great and very helpful vids... nichrome wire ? Ya know what I mean.thank you

[@innergoof19]

This might be more efficient if inserted into a tin can or a length of stovepipe, with fan elevated off the capped bottom (pipe is vertical) by about 4", with air intake holes just below fan. Don't want to draw dust from surfaces into the unit. Put element above fan by about 1-2" and ensure a rise of about 3-4" before a 90 degree bend towards the room. A grille on the opening would keep hands out. Mount or place in front of (or build a surround) fire brick to absorb heat when it's cloudy or nighttime.

[@randall1959]

Have you considered a 12 volt ducted fan from an RC plane? Those things put out a crazy amount of air.

[@desertsun02]

i hadn't thought of that before. i'll look into it. (thank you for the idea)

[@randall1959]

@@desertsun02 You can get a 12 volt brushed version that doesn't require a speed control. I'm thinking about trying one.

[@rsantiqueshop]

Thank you.I appreciate your response.

[@desertsun02]

you bet! ✔🙂

[@diceman999]

Hello. I think im asking a basic question but it does not seem to have been answered before. My setup is 12v solar panel at 250watts. If i get a 150 watt heating element. What will happen if panel generating 250 watt. Will element just run hotter? At what point would element melt? 10 20 30% over capacity?. Also what if panel is generating 100 watt will element just run cooler. At what point would there be no heat generated from heater element. When panel at 50 watt 80 watt. I know there is no exact answer but just ball park figures. Thanks for the video looks like a good setup without all the complicated electronics with a battery setup. I just want simple setup. If the sun is shining i want panel to power heating element ( without melting and starting fire). If no sun then no heat.

[@desertsun02]

hi. the element wouldn't run hotter or melt. they (the heating elements) only draw the power that they needs (so if you're using a 12v 150 watt heating element could use a 12v 1000 watt panel if you wanted to). they don't make them that big (but you could use it if they did). it will only draw the power that it needs. if the panel doesn't produce enough power then the heating element will just be cooler.

[@cadenceandfamily2159]

That's excellent! I'd like to built somthing like this for a green house I am building! I am aware though of how though the work is to accomplish! At least for everyone's personal setups

[@troypedigo2898]

Was trying to figure out do you have 2 power wires hooked to the element or power ground those wires are the same color

[@lisamackenzie5262]

One us negative and one positive... elements like those can be removed from old heaters. Can also get different gauges from hair dryers, toasters, electric blankets... most things that heat up with a glowing wire has nihcrome in it

[@bjbrunetti]

Thinking about installing for a golf cart application in a 48v cart.

[@cassiecory9296]

This is great during the day when the sun is shiny. How would you adapt it to be used with a solar portable power station?

[@desertsun02]

hi there. i would probably hook it up to a 12v plug and then plug it into a 12v socket to run it.

[@fernandofloresjr2102]

Where can I get me a pair??? It's getting 🥶 at night

[@hegilento]

Hello, can i please ask if this system would work without full direct sunlight? I live in the UK and direct sunlight is not a given. Can I compensate with more panels ?

[@desertsun02]

hi there. yes, you can compensate by using more solar panels. i often use a stronger panel or extra panels if i think i won't get full sunlight for many of my projects

[@marksTips466]

I'm surprised no one has asked this question: For purposes of heating a room, which works better; the heater in this video or the solar downspout heater you created? Meaning what would heat the room better?

[@desertsun02]

hi there. i haven't done calculations but i'd guess that if you have strong sunlight the downspout air heater would probably have an edge.

[@roncoleman6693]

What kind of amp draw does it use to power them both? Looking to make for a small camper or tent use with 12 volt battery.

[@desertsun02]

hi. the ones i used draw about 6 amps. they sell various sizes of the ripple heaters (so you may find ones that draw more or less)

[@robertcoleman5560]

hello i have the 12v 100w one how would this work running 4 x 12v 7.0amp batterys

[@jamiedahl3448]

How would something like this work in my car how would I wire it? To what what can I house it in

[@desertsun02]

hi. you can basically just wire a 12v plug to this unit and then plug it into the 12v power socket. ✔😉

[@AluWalaNaan]

If I run 2 or 3 of these in my room, will it warm it? My room is about .. idk its not too big but not small either (14x12 maybe). What if I have only one running?

[@desertsun02]

hi. yes, they will heat it. a lot depends on how cold the room is to start with and how well insulated the room is though. you'd have to experiment to see if you need 2 or 3 or just one.

[@AluWalaNaan]

@desertsun02 thanks. If i do it, I'll post an update to let others know with correct dimensions and everything

[@PHOTOGRIFFON]

Hello my friend, I have 24V solar panels, is it possible to connect them directly to these 12V radiators?

[@desertsun02]

hi. i think they sell 24v ptc heaters (those should work)

[@nict41]

PTC elements will run in series fine, so 2x 12v elements can run off 24v

[@CardiacCat]

Use the elements in sand inside of a ceramic pot to generate radiant heat? It would be worth an experiment to see the results

[@desertsun02]

hi. i agree. i think it would work well.

[@josephaugustine8093]

It's connected right to the positive and negative 12 volt supply? Nothing else? Could I use copper for same set up?

[@desertsun02]

hi. yep, it's connected directly to the 12v source. that's the easiest way to do it. do you mean a copper radiator?

[@michellemcintosh3664]

Thanks so much for this. I want to make one to use in a neonate kitten incubator and attach to a temperature controller. 1st can you tell me how to hook this fan and heater up to 12 V 100W converter plug? I can’t find anywhere how to do the wiring.

[@desertsun02]

hi. it's just a straight connect from the fan and heater to the power source. i just twist the wires from those to the wires on the power source. if that doesn't help, can you be more specific?

[@coloursoflife2735]

Hi sir the air throw direction of fan towards heatr or it sucks the heat and throwing out ?

[@hosamsati5757]

I really need your help., i nought the element but i didn't know how to wire it

[@drdodgemodz2277]

a bit late, but it doesn't matter which side to use it. It's not a complicated circuit, where a fuse can blow when connecting wrong. This is just like an "exposed wire"

[@erniewerezak]

Where did you purchase the ceramic element from? I am having a hard time finding them online. I was looking for an easy solution to keep my windshield clear during really cold temperatures.

[@desertsun02]

hi. i get them on amazon. if you type in 12v ripple heating element you'll see a bunch of them

[@mstrxxx0072]

so we don't need ac just 12v dc?

[@desertsun02]

hi yes, that's right 👍🙂

[@kensmith3215]

I've seen on ebay that you can now buy 100w ceramic fan heaters , i am going to get myself one.

[@rsantiqueshop]

Just curious: Does the heater works even on a cloudy day? Thanks

[@vrrevolution9183]

im not understanding the wiring ... do you have positive and negative together? that brown wires makes it quite confusing... i bought this and see no where does it say what side is negative and what is positve

[@desertsun02]

hi. don't put positive and negative together. it's just negative to negative and positive to positive.

[@vrrevolution9183]

@@desertsun02 but which is which on these ? thet came with no markings and instructions

[@thistimeimhere]

Does it need to be 2watt fan? Harder to get where I am. They are all 1.2 watt

[@desertsun02]

hi. it doesn't need to be a 2 watt fan. most 'case fans' are 1 to 5 watts (and any should work good)

[@thistimeimhere]

@@desertsun02 awesome thanks. Building two for my outside buildings. Have a leasure battery and 100w panel. Hopefully get enough sun for free heat.

[@CASIOF-91W]

I love your stuff. Can you recommend a DIY setup to cool aquarium? Heating one up is easy, just add a heater and plug it in. But cooling one down is much harder.

[@desertsun02]

hi and thanks. honestly, i can't advise on how to cool aquarium (but maybe other video viewers can 😎).

[@rjkkumar2808]

You can use peltier module.

[@fransjebik8554]

Yhank you, good idea! As I understand only the volt of the solar panel wires can heat the heater? Can you put the heater between stove stones (barbesue bricks) If they will be heated there will be much more heat in your room I think. And.. no noise of the van. Thanks again! 🌹

[@bianbian428]

How long would this last on 12v battery?

[@drewthompson7457]

70 watts is about 6 amps, And you shouldn't discharge a lead-acid past 50% or so. How big is your battery? And 70 watts is about 240 BTU. ( a house type 1500 w heater is about 5200 BTU)

[@rjkkumar2808]

Can it heat 10x7 feet fully insulated chamber.

[@esurnet9711]

Can you maintain a constant temperature?

[@desertsun02]

hi. yes

[@mainsqueezereptiles6264]

What size area can this heat up and what would the average temp it could maintain ? Ie 20 x 20 room ?

[@desertsun02]

hi. i really couldn't say. you have to experiment 👍🙂

[@berlon-mtl]

70 watt of heating equal same amount of heat which a person emmit ...

[@story1234]

@@berlon-mtl That's undereducated response for this situation.

[@knowone-sts2263]

Right, I use heat at night ?

[@Lavenderwrench]

That's when you add battery bank to your solar panel(s). I'm watching this for that reason now that I have one. Not hard to wire batteries in parallel to the system. You do need a charge controller to prevent overcharge though.

[@KingAbbasGX]

How about the battery Consumption

[@romeobaltunado1218]

Can I use that under the water to became a water heater?

[@desertsun02]

hi there. no, i wouldn't use this under water. it's just for heating air. i've got other vids on how to heat water with 12v. you can use 12v ceramic heating tablets or a 12v water heating element (similar to the kind you use in a standard water heater). 🙂

[@cikaconi]

If it’s hot as you say how the fan frame doesn’t melt? And did you try testing the heater without fan? Is it just stay hot or burn out? Thank you this is a great video

[@desertsun02]

hi. the fan frame won't melt. not even close. the air rushing thru the fins keeps the actual edge cool enough. you can definitely run the heater without the fan if you want to. it's just a ceramic chip that heats the fins. those are made to run dry so it will hold up fine. it's similar ceramic to the ceramic in the tablet style ptc heating elements (the ones with the aluminum casing). check my channel for PTC videos if you want to see those. 🙂👍

[@cikaconi]

@@desertsun02 Thank you for your reply, your channel is amazing

[@desertsun02]

@Cika Coni i appreciate that. i was just thinking that i've been making videos for 14 years now. wow. time really has flown by. enjoy watching any or all the videos. ✔😎

[@davidlewis3551]

Could I splice them together into a cigarette lighter plug? I would then plug them into a solar generator.

[@steveoz32]

Could you run this off of a standard car battery? How many amps does the element use?

[@desertsun02]

hi there. you could run it off a cars battery if the car was running. it's best to use a 12v deep cycle battery if no car. the element is 12v 6a.

[@Steve-ob2zg]

@@desertsun02 great thanks! I was thinking of running it off of a 105ah agm leisure battery in the van just to generate a bit of heat if we stop over somewhere on a cold night.

[@bytime2762]

Just wondering can you run the ceramic heater with out a fan? or does it have to have a fan? Thanks

[@desertsun02]

hi. it wouldn't work very good without the fan.

[@bytime2762]

@@desertsun02 Thanks

[@OTline]

I want the use of chargeable batteries

[@samnewman5129]

What battery would power that and how long for ?

[@desertsun02]

hi. any good size 12v deep cycle battery powers it. 10-12 hours is possible

[@resole4176]

would you be kind enough to make a little diagram on paper for the connections? Thanks !!!!!

[@nict41]

It's as simple as hooking up the fan and element to the supply in parallel

[@gentlelove]

Where did you get the element? Shalom you are loved

[@desertsun02]

hi. i get those elements on amazon. to find it just search 12v ptc ripple element

[@christianorino1032]

where i can buy it?

[@desertsun02]

hi. the elements can be found on amazon. you can find them by searching 12v ripple ceramic heating element. ripple is the key word to use to find this type of element.

[@johnkozaczok3713]

Great video. What's ceramic about it ?

[@desertsun02]

hi there. the ceramic part is located directly in the center. it's initially what gets hot, and then it's heat is transferred to the aluminum baffles or fins.

[@rjkkumar2808]

You can use electric Iron's heating element with putting heatsink both sides.

[@LakhsTsoyknikas]

the best heater

[@deanervik]

Where can I buy the elements? And what do they call them?

[@desertsun02]

hi. i get them on amazon. they are called ripple PTC elements

[@grandcreator11]

Cool so much u can apply that too... Car defrost and much more

[@ВасянНирванов]

hack it with increased voltage to 20V for more power! 24V max. How much power it will consume?

[@rsantiqueshop]

How many amps is your 100 watts solar panel?

[@desertsun02]

hi. i have several 100w ones that i use. the range is 5.5 amps to about 6.1 amps. to get the full amps to run heater (even with sun low in the sky) consider a slightly larger panel (maybe 12v 120w or 12v 150w one).

[@junaidiqbal5815]

I am astonished that why people don't ask the very basic and important question re it's effectiveness. Can this heater warm up a room of 10 x 13 = 130 sqft? Is this heater able to raise the temperature of a 130 sqft room from around 10C to about 18C? And if so in how much time? Otherwise it's a toy only or can be used to heat up a small 3 x 4 incubator. Please Comment, thanks.

[@PinkFZeppelin]

I’m astonished you don’t know this “basic question” is unanswerable with the given information.

[@junaidiqbal5815]

@@PinkFZeppelin sorry, I could not understand what you meant exactly? I mainly wanted the maker to tell or if anyone else expert in this field. My question was that would this heater be able to warm a mid size room 10x12?

[@PinkFZeppelin]

@@junaidiqbal5815 It depends is the answer. It depends on how well the room is insulated and how cold it is outside.

[@story1234]

@@PinkFZeppelin You also lack the ability to provide an example therefore your whole reply have been completely pointless and have no value. Junaid didn't learn anything new. You just said it just not possible without providing a path to a solution. Undereducated tends to do exactly what you do in real life.

[@rsantiqueshop]

How many watts is your solar panel?

[@desertsun02]

hi. i usually use a 100 watt 12v panel. any 12v panel that is at least that size works good.

[@victormbagwu8813]

where can we find ptc heaters

[@desertsun02]

hi. amazon and ebay are two good places.

[@virgil78ro]

How big of a space can you heat with this?

[@desertsun02]

hi. generally just the localized space around you or a smaller area of a room.

[@jcon6115]

Hi thanks for the video! Would this work hooked up to a 12 volt cordless battery? If so approximately how long would it run?

[@desertsun02]

hi. you can run this on a 12v battery. how long it would run depends on the size of the battery. the air heater draws about 6 amps.

[@fnice1971]

if this is a real video, can you pick it up and turn it around cant see other side.

[@desertsun02]

?

[@tomm2812]

Neat. How long might it run on a 12V Marine RV deep cycle Battery? Overnight? Best

[@desertsun02]

hi there. this is just an estimate but... since it pulls about 6 amp hrs per hour, and assuming 50% discharge of a 120 amp/hr battery, you might get 10 hours of run time.

[@tomm2812]

@@desertsun02 Thanks, what I am looking for to put in my future shed/cabin. It is slick. You are a clever guy. Best

[@vnminotaur]

You don't need heat controller? Just wonder.

[@desertsun02]

hi. no, it never seems to get too hot. ✔

[@vnminotaur]

@@desertsun02 and how many hours can it run continuously?

[@bertkooijmans4769]

Add a thermal cutout

[@jasbirkumar9745]

Bro I need that heater eliment

[@roteldorel]

o me god u forgot to conect to satellite of NASA espres cafe show lallaa

[@harethmillion]

1

[@baddog9320]

You're not offgrid until Amazon won't deliver. Lol. I can't get Amazon to deliver to me. ...... you can be offgrid with Amazon delivering to you.... but my point is sometimes off grid you can't get Amazon. Be good if you said where to get things brick and mortar

[@desertsun02]

hi. you can get computer case fans at computer supply and electronics stores but the only place i know to get the heating element is amazon or ebay. if you search for 12v ceramic ptc ripple heating elements you'll find them.

[@lightingthedarkremoteviewi8086]

Someone please make this for a car and let me buy it!!

[@desertsun02]

hi. this would work well in a car or van. it only draws 6 amps so it will easily run on a cars 12v power port 🙂

[@seekingtko3146]

Cha Ching

[@WickedGod-l7x]

Everything is made to use god$ power. Not natures powers and resources. Economics always win over nature