Protecting from cold: hand warmers

[smatofu]

Hi,

here is my idea that I want to patent (kidding): using hand warmers to protect palms from cold.

A few hand warmers + a blanket should work very well. 

Big advantages: it doesn't depend on electric power, no thermostats, no extension cords; hand warmers never overheat. 

Cost: on amazon, $20/50 count. Well worth it if you are protecting a few thousands palm investment.

A sample item on amazon: Tundras Hot Hand Warmers 11 Hours Long Lasting - 40 Count - Natural Odorless Safe Single Use Air Activated Heat Packs for Hands, Toes and Body - Up to 11 Hours of Heat

S.

 

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by smatofu

[Allen]

Things like this and battery operated gizmos release only a small amount of heat compared to  say a string of mini Christmas lights.  While this might work for one night protecting a spear of a palm it is not going to protect much of anything this way.  These things only heat things basically in direct contact with them.   I don't have time to figure the watts but on a google search someone estimated chemical hand warmers at 2 watts.  Compare this with a single strand of mini Christmas lights that are rated for 40 watts or a Single C9 bulb which is 10 watts.  Watts = roughly the heat output you can expect.  So I use 80-120 watts on a small 8' Trachy so that is equivalent to 40-60 hand warmers per night usage per palm  

[smatofu]

25 minutes ago, Allen said:

Things like this and battery operated gizmos release only a small amount of heat compared to  say a string of mini Christmas lights.  While this might work for one night protecting a spear of a palm it is not going to protect much of anything this way.  These things only heat things basically in direct contact with them.   I don't have time to figure the watts but on a google search someone estimated chemical hand warmers at 2 watts.  Compare this with a single strand of mini Christmas lights that are rated for 40 watts or a Single C9 bulb which is 10 watts.  Watts = roughly the heat output you can expect.  So I use 80-120 watts on a small 8' Trachy so that is equivalent to 40-60 hand warmers per night usage per palm  

1. A blanket is an absolute requirement! 

2. A disaster freeze is frequently associated with electric power loss.

3. Many complications associated with electric power: extension cords, thermostats (we don't want to cook palms), GFCI breakers, wet conditions.

 

When it comes to my palms, I didn't need any cozy 70F temperatures.  If I could increase the temperature around the spear by +5F, it would make a huge difference! Hand warmers would give me that +5F. BTW, my electric power was mostly gone during the storm.

In addition, I wouldn't spend $50 protecting a $20 palm. But if a palm I worth $2k, it is a different story. 

 

 

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by smatofu

[Allen]

So since it’s coldest at 6 am and hand warmers lose a lot of energy after just a few hours you will need to go out in the cold at midnight-3am and wrap about 10 of these around the spear and cover.  But if it is icing already, you will have ice in the crown area already and this will be precarious.  If you need to do this multiple nights your wrapping/blankets will be frozen to the palm.  There is also no temp control to this setup and you can’t protect the trunk and fronds.  A generator and Christmas lights is far superior.

[smatofu]

46 minutes ago, Allen said:

So since it’s coldest at 6 am and hand warmers lose a lot of energy after just a few hours you will need to go out in the cold at midnight-3am and wrap about 10 of these around the spear and cover.  But if it is icing already, you will have ice in the crown area already and this will be precarious.  If you need to do this multiple nights your wrapping/blankets will be frozen to the palm.  There is also no temp control to this setup and you can’t protect the trunk and fronds.  A generator and Christmas lights is far superior.

My palms fronds span over 10-20 ft. I will never be able to protect them, neither I want to. Fronds are lost in an Arctic freeze no matter what I do.

My goal is protecting meristem and spear. 

If you have a reliable source of electricity and installation, electric power is superior to everything else.  For me, electricity is unreliable and complex, because of blackouts, thermostats, and GFCI breakers tripping in wet conditions. 

My palms survived protected with blankets only. If I warmed the spear area by a few degrees for 3 nights, the difference in palm damage would be huge. 

 

Of course, I don't mean hand warmers to protect palms during the whole winter season! I mean emergency situations like the 3 nights Arctic freeze in Texas.  Even during the Texas Arctic freeze, the days were not bad, around 20F; it is the nights with temp dropping to 0F.  

 

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by smatofu

[Swolte]

Hi Smatofu, I agree it may be a viable option for small-medium palms but the key would be to create a 'tight' protection (blanket/plastic) around the area of the meristem (which may mean cutting off fronds, which is totally fine, btw!) and putting the heat source within. Had a thread about it here: 

 

I actually bought the materials (socks, I believe...) and have them stored in a dresser somewhere but I have not conducted the experiment yet. I agree that a difference of 5 degrees would be a win. Of course this would be suited for those rare couple of hours in a night where those temps drop to extremes!

[smatofu]

9 minutes ago, Swolte said:

I agree that a difference of 5 degrees would be a win. Of course this would be suited for those rare couple of hours in a night where those temps drop to extremes!

Yes, exactly! Hands warmers can be practical only for extremes. If someone needs a long term protection, then heating cable + thermostat.

 I am planning to make a test next winter: wrap a large palm with blankets, put an outdoor wireless thermometer, and a few hand warmers. I will see if there is any temperature increase. Of course, because of energy in those pads, and a mass of the palm, I don't expect anything significant, but, judging from my palms, only a few degrees of warmth makes a huge difference in the degree of damage.

 

And again, fronds are gone, no matter what I do.

 

[Jimhardy]

This may work on a very small palm but a larger would would need

prefect insulation to keep the heat in...one easy solution is a Thermocube

that goes on at 35F/off at 45F,overheating issues solved.