Experimenting with infrared 250 watt lamps- 25-35F cold front, heaters maxed out.

M

Matt Gruber

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Infrared penetrates deep into the body, nearly 2 inches!
I had this bulb in a box, made in 1962 by GE. We had several fixtures with 5 bulbs each that baby chicks would crowd under in the winter in NJ. I saved 2 bulbs. measures 260w at 122v. Way too much heat so i'm using a dimmer. 160-190w in NICE :bigthumb:
Can't wait for a really cold day to test. it is fantastic to warm up fast.
see Medcram for LED infrared videos. says it has health benefits!
 
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Good Q :bigthumb:found this
"
The exact peak varies with filament temperature. The hotter it is, the shorter the peak wavelength. But in any case, the peak is always in the IR region"
since i'm using a dimmer, wavelength is longer and varies depending on power.
BUT, my #1 source is the early morning and late day sun :cool:
 
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Got some colder temps here in FL, down in the 50's :eek:
my feet got cold, so i went for a quick warm up an inch from the bulb, power turned up :bigthumb:
a few seconds and before i knew it, my socks were SMOKING :eek:
WTF? i did not feel any excessive heat! WTF?
nearly set my socks on fire 👿
 
I've been using lizard lamps and lights for 3 years now with great success. Seasonal affective disorder is now a thing of the past.

I use a light which is intended to do a 96% accurate representation of the sun's entire output, omitting the harmful UVC.

Here's my video on that:

 
as i recall, the panic over skin cancer from the sun was when the ozone layer had a big hole in it, and they said it let in too much UV.
then they banned R22 to fix it. not sure if that worked?
 
i put the heat lamp 3 feet above my kitchen table :bigthumb:
on a cold morning it gives instant heat, like being in the sun.
impressive as my kitchen/dining is unheated and about 63F. only 250w and the temp on the table goes to 80-86F :)
 
Matt Gruber said:
Infrared penetrates deep into the body, nearly 2 inches!
I had this bulb in a box, made in 1962 by GE. We had several fixtures with 5 bulbs each that baby chicks would crowd under in the winter in NJ. I saved 2 bulbs. measures 260w at 122v. Way too much heat so i'm using a dimmer. 160-190w in NICE :bigthumb:
Can't wait for a really cold day to test. I don't know about faster healing, but it seems fantastic to warm up fast.
see Medcram for LED infrared videos.
Click to expand...


Healed myself. TDP lamp and SOTA pemf were key


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My Instrumented Light Spa Setup.

UVA UVB UVC lamps not marked in photo. My Instrumented Light Spa Setup. #lighttherapysetup #lighttherapyhealing #lahkovskyoscillator #lightspasetup #infraredtherapysetup #infraredspasetup #lighttherapyengineer #artificialsunligh…
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Just got 2 more 250w from tractor supply. free ship! Made in korea :bigthumb: 9.57 total for 2 :bigthumb:
I put a 10 amp 1000v diode in series, 130w. better because on full power they can easily start a fire.
stay warm 😻
 
Just hooked one up in the living room, thru a diode to cut the power, UPS says 140 watts. Will be testing it as soon as it gets colder. I like looking out the bay window.
IMG_20251104_083554_657 (1).jpg
 
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according to Google AI,:
To maintain a core body temperature of 98.6°F (37°C) in an ambient air temperature of 50°F (10°C), a lightly clothed, resting adult human body would need to generate and retain approximately 160 watts of heat.
and
  • Basal Metabolic Rate: The average adult human body at rest typically produces around 100 watts of heat due to basic metabolic processes.
so maybe it only takes an extra 60 watts being absorbed to keep warm? if so, the 140w lamp should be toasty warm.
.
still not cold here, was 70-79F today. maybe next month.
so I asked AI about a 30F room up north for you guys:
In summary, a 1,000 to 1,500-watt infrared heater, positioned effectively, is a common and appropriate power range to provide adequate warmth and comfort for a person in a small room with a 30°F ambient temperature.
  • Room Size & Insulation:For a general small room heating to a comfortable air temperature (which is different from just spot heating a person), around 10 watts per square foot is a standard rule of thumb. However, the efficiency of an infrared heater makes it possible to feel warm without heating the entire air volume to 98.6°F.
    • Practical Application: For personal use in a small, cold room (especially one with poor insulation or drafts), a typical portable infrared heater, which usually operates between 600W and 1500W, would likely be sufficient to counteract the heat loss for a person sitting nearby and maintain comfort. Higher wattage heaters (1500W) are generally more effective in larger or less insulated spaces.
  • Infrared Heating Principle: Infrared heaters work by directly warming objects and people in their path, rather than the surrounding air. This "spot heating" effect can make an individual feel comfortable even if the air temperature remains low.
 
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My experience is the side facing the IR is nice and warm, but the side facing away freezes so you have to keep turning around. Dual lamps could fix that. Or maybe a rotisserie.
 
Just added a turbo switch. this will boost power of the IR lamp by 85%. it just bypasses the diode for about 260w instead of 140.
Goal is to heat the room as LITTLE as possible, while keeping me warm and comfy. Room should be in the 50's as a
39F cold front is due tomorrow. with 15 mph wind.
I also have the free 1000/1200 watt space heater which has a fan and will heat the air in case I can't reach my goal.
 
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Moved away from the fan space heaters and trying to only use the oil filled no fan. Like the quite, only place them in the cold areas and run them on low.
 
Works great! Had to put a 30w 12"X24 heating pad under my feet as the slab is not insulated and without it I got cold feet.
so 140w + 30w = 170w or $0.17 for 10 hours. is that cheap or what?
Tried the turbo 260w but it is too bright, like looking at the sun. at 140w it is more like a nice and close sunset :bigthumb:
outside 40F, inside 60F. Was still 60 20 minutes later, so it is not heating the room at all, just me :)
Back was fine as my chair is warm and comfy.
I'll be going outside to rake some leaves, so i'll put on a sweater and leave it on.
This is great for a single person, but more people and you need a lamp for each.
It did help wake me up, so I see that the study saying it elevates your mood seems accurate :cool:
 
I'm so impressed I just put #4 in my den :bigthumb: with diode, 140 watts. I had a 700w heater under the desk, but it has an odor and takes 1 minute to start heating. Lamp has no odor and within 5 seconds I feel the "sun".
this time I put it off to the side, attached to a bookcase. There is a thermometer 18" above the lamp and it went up to 62F from 61. BUT I am toasty warm. At the kitchen table it gets up to 80-87F, so it is plenty warm under the lamp. It just does not heat objects out of range.
If there is a power failure, I could use my bike 14s10p pack to get some heat, direct, no inverter.(no diode)
 
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offGridDownUnder said:
Perhaps you have covered this earlier, but have you considered putting, say, a 1/2" dense foam pad under your feet?
Click to expand...
No. Earlier plan was to make a pole lamp with 2 IR lamps, one aimed at my legs. one at my chest. Wired in series.
Then I thought about just 1 with a diode, but the heat zone doesn't reach my feet; too far.
The floor has a carpet pad with a nice thick carpet.
Neighbor suggested thick socks. I have some around here somewhere. But having 30w of heat feels nice :bigthumb:
Got the heating pad years ago when I had central heat for the same problem, cold feet. That was before I switched to basebed heaters and the IR lamp. So I don't have another need for the pad, might as well use it.
Thanks for your reply.
 
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They're good stuff, i got a guy on staff with an autoimmune disease who seems to benefit from a weaker one during winter when things flare up.

I'm using the big one in my video since 2020 and i love skipping insanity season that SAD creates for me.
 
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