PalmsNorth.com – Cold Hardy Palm Forum
Growing palms and tropicals in cold climates
Notifications
Clear all
Cold Hardy Palms
5 Posts
4 Users
0 Reactions
7,945 Views
Topic starter
Long story short. You've all seen my stacked barrels I am using for protection this year. Each barrel has a couple landscape stake lights inside, one in the ground facing up and one about three feet up near the crown and tied into a thermocube. All in I have 8 lights on one 20 amp circuit and that is all that's on it. I've checked my limit and I am good with how much juice I can run thru that circuit.
I have one barrel that has been a problem for me and its the same light. It gets so much condensation in it that it trips my GFI. I tried changing my stake light socket and the same thing happened with a new bulb in it. None of the other sockets that are staked in the ground are getting this issue and each drum is identical. Any idea what it could be?
See some pics I snapped with what I'm dealing with. Also, there's snow on the bulb b/c when I pulled it out I stuck it in the snowbank, inside the barrels there's no snow or way for moisture to get inside.
<a href=" 
.html" target="_blank"><img src=" 
" border="0" alt=" photo 5DC6AB15-8ECE-474D-8AE5-08D3D7296453_zpsoylktm67.jpg"/></a>
<a href=" 
.html" target="_blank"><img src=" 
" border="0" alt=" photo EB39E014-838B-4C02-8DCE-324B8BB37165_zpsv6zye3nv.jpg"/></a>
<a href=" 
.html" target="_blank"><img src=" 
" border="0" alt=" photo F262525B-7706-4747-AB84-F00A98679E84_zpsafgdcifh.jpg"/></a>
<a href=" 
.html" target="_blank"><img src=" 
" border="0" alt=" photo C1F41FE9-705E-4208-8541-D0C4CF85E052_zpswayuqsf9.jpg"/></a>
<a href=" 
.html" target="_blank"><img src=" 
" border="0" alt=" photo 6EA86289-995E-41D6-994F-372AFD8DD37B_zpsgex9gm1q.jpg"/></a>
Posted : 01/01/2016 1:11 pm
Never had a bulb break, but experienced enough short lived bulbs and lights that I threw them away. I now only use Christmas lights.
Posted : 01/01/2016 6:47 pm
I have been using infrared heat emitters instead of 100 watt bulbs that can burst. Ceramic sockets are required for them though.
Posted : 02/01/2016 11:26 pm
Make some holes for ventilation. It will help for preventing condensation. Im doing that with the mummywrap and it work well. And don't worry, windmill can take at least 5F. So even with 2 small holes ( 1 square-inchs) on 2 opposite side of your barrels, the temp. will never go down under the critical temp. 😉
Ben
Posted : 03/01/2016 8:01 am
Topic starter
The slits in the drums give a ton of ventilation. At the top I have the top slit horizontally half way around the top and it's only covered with a tarp. I guess the plus of the infrared is hopefully no blow outs, but I have the lights to know that things are working.
I just can't figure with the ventilation I do have that there's as much moisture in there condensating on the bulb. The upper bulbs that are three feet up the trees have not blown out at all on any of the enclosures.
Posted : 03/01/2016 9:37 pm
