DIY next gen table heating with remote mobile phone control

[lesedwards]

you will need to do some testing, distance from the slates, distance from the framework, mounting supports, time to gain slate temperature, etc
great effort though, love the SMS activation, reminds me of the US-program where the guy had a remote to pre-flush the toilet

Your right with that Dean, I have already gone through this with my table. I bought what we call NU Heat up here and had it all figured out and then I started talking to Geoff Large and I quickly changed my mind. The problems out weighed the benefits, warping the slate can occur and also problems with frame work. I talked to Terry and he had bought Damp Chasers which he never installed so I bought them off him and installed them under my table. 30 watts each. They keep my table right around 22 degrees and are only warm to the touch.

[840aj]

I'm just setting up my table and had the same idea with the electric mat. I have it mounted under the slate. I've notched out the cross members to allow the wiring to reach the next section. I put a bit of the insulating mat under the wire so it doesn't sit directly on the wood and insulation under the mat to increase efficiency. I'm a bit concerned about expansion and contraction of the slates and its effect on the joints. Any suggestion on temperature settings and should you increase it gradually?

[lesedwards]

I'm just setting up my table and had the same idea with the electric mat. I have it mounted under the slate. I've notched out the cross members to allow the wiring to reach the next section. I put a bit of the insulating mat under the wire so it doesn't sit directly on the wood and insulation under the mat to increase efficiency. I'm a bit concerned about expansion and contraction of the slates and its effect on the joints. Any suggestion on temperature settings and should you increase it gradually?

I talked to a guy from Strachan and he told me just above room Tempature which is around 22 to 24. Mine are in 24/7 and keep it right around 22. With your setup I would really watch how hot you set it. Maybe throw the question at Geoff Large. That was my concern when I was going to use the Nu Heat. You don't want the joints seperating or lifting due to access heat.

[drjef28]

i have done it like this for a 12ft snooker table. 6 100cmX50cm foils laid on thermal insulator and MDF board. connected and checked to a thermostat and floor sensor on one board. it takes around 10 mins for the slate to get warm. they are 4cm away from the slate. the slate get warm from the air in the space between slate and heater element.10538742_747261438667240_1845114293_n.jpg 10597414_694651380629787_251585613_n.jpg

[Geoff Large]

Even on continental carom tables the heating element which is bare coiled wire , they do not touch the slate , so any heating element that is touching the slate is a no go area .

As long as the heat is a gentle 20 Deg c then all will be ok , it is when long term spot heat which is very close to the slate is used that some slate will warp .

you will not know what damage you are doing to the slate until it is too late ,I have seen some extreme slate movement from overheating snooker table slate , it has to be a gentle heat and not too severe.

a carom heating element ,
http://gclbilliards.com/wp-content/u...thermostat.jpg
note how few heating elements there are and the spacing and that they are a good 2 inch below the slate bed

[snookergr]

Geoff,
What do you think of the damp chasers mentioned above ?
Are these the ones ? http://www.thestorageshop.com.au/sho...productid=7695
thanks

[Geoff Large]

I have never come across the damp chasers before so cannot comment on them

I am not a big fan of too much heat having witnessed at first hand what this will do to slate , short term it may be ok , but after some years of use the slate will become warped if too much heat is applied .
It is a like a rising heat forcing the slate upwards too ...over time .
one table I witnessed this from was a gas flame under the spot end only , a chinamans steel hat type thing was over the single gas flame and the heat was supposed to overflow from around the edge of this .
This gas flame I was told had never been extinguished since the early 1900s . the black spot end was like a hill .
The table was in a club in ilkeston Derbyshire , but it is now not there .
I have also seen convector type heating used that has affected the slate , this is too severe and enclosed heating elements are my recommendation such as tube heaters or oil filled radiators , and placed below the muntins not above the bottom edge of these , heat will rise anyway .
I would say as a guide the heating tubes or any element to be safe should be positioned no less than 4 inch away from the underneath of the slate . and set to around 20c to 23c and have a thermostat

Having said the above I am not against new ideas and new products as long as they are not doing any damage then use them .

[snookergr]

Are these the official hetaing elements of the Star tables ?
http://www.snookermania.co.uk/star-snooker-table.html
The reason I am asking is that I had seen somewhere that Star tables used a similar to the carom tables heating wire system running in-between the slates.

In any case they look like the damp chasers mentioned above.

[lesedwards]

Are these the official hetaing elements of the Star tables ?
http://www.snookermania.co.uk/star-snooker-table.html
The reason I am asking is that I had seen somewhere that Star tables used a similar to the carom tables heating wire system running in-between the slates.

In any case they look like the damp chasers mentioned above.

My Damp chasers are about 6" from the slate. I have 4 of them. I figure if they use them in Fine pianos they won't hurt a snooker table. Without going with the real Star Table Heaters these are the safest alternative.

[snookergr]

My Damp chasers are about 6" from the slate. I have 4 of them. I figure if they use them in Fine pianos they won't hurt a snooker table. Without going with the real Star Table Heaters these are the safest alternative.

many thanks for your reply, they seem quite good.....:-)

[147_shark]

I found these :

http://www.cnmonline.co.uk/thermotub...-pr-16970.html

Does anyone use these? This is what the FAQ says

Can I use tubular heaters to warm my snooker table slate bed?
Yes we have supplied many tubular heaters to professional snooker players that want a cheaper option to heat the slate bed; The desired temperature of a snooker table - slate bed is in the region of 25-30Celcius (77-86F) this helps to keep the moisture out of the cloth and more importantly to reduce friction in the table to aid the balls rolling and rebounding in a consistent manner, and generally makes a table play faster. To heat a full sized snooker table you would need 4 x 3ft thermo tubes (made from Aluminium), placed underneath and fixed horizontally e.g. pocket to pocket, equally spaced along the table. Two tubes can be connected together in series so you would need two power supplies, total 720watts. They are only needed for a short period of time especially in winter when rooms are more likely to be cold and damp!

[DeanH]

ouch never heard of a table being slate being at 25-30C!
at that temp I would be very worried about slate deformation and wood drying and cracking as mentioned previously by Geoff Large.

did you see the piece below the main text:
"This thermo tube heater does not come with a UK plug and lead they are purchased separately..."

these are like any general heater for outside extensions, any can work well, these do look quite nice and compact but I dont see any mention of a temp control and you need a separate plug-in thermostat.
maybe 4 for a table is too much, as Geoff mentioned before as long as you get an overall ambient temp the table will get to that temp and will settle, so getting a room temp steady - without cold/hot fluctuations - is best.

For my "potting shed" I hope to have steady ambient temp/humidity and have not totaly decided on under table heater/s yet

[lesedwards]

ouch never heard of a table being slate being at 25-30C!
at that temp I would be very worried about slate deformation and wood drying and cracking as mentioned previously by Geoff Large.

did you see the piece below the main text:
"This thermo tube heater does not come with a UK plug and lead they are purchased separately..."

these are like any general heater for outside extensions, any can work well, these do look quite nice and compact but I dont see any mention of a temp control and you need a separate plug-in thermostat.
maybe 4 for a table is too much, as Geoff mentioned before as long as you get an overall ambient temp the table will get to that temp and will settle, so getting a room temp steady - without cold/hot fluctuations - is best.

For my "potting shed" I hope to have steady ambient temp/humidity and have not totaly decided on under table heater/s yet

Me either like I said in an earlier post I spoke with a guy at Strachan in regards to my 6811 running slow and he told me if I heated my table it would speed it up but the perfect temp was just above room temp which is around 22. I also have a de humidifier running keeping my room at 45% Anyone thinking of heating their table I would advise you to listen to what Geoff has to say.

[itsnoteasy]

30c sounds excessive ,that's around 85 ish F I think, that would be hot to the touch.

[Geoff Large]

Fo any one using tube heaters without thermostat cutt off , please consider useing one of these available on ebay

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THERMOGUAR...item27c5257421

Heaters are available also

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-FT-ELECT...item58a703222b

I would recommend 4ft tube heaters three of them in the three sections under the table defined by the main cross sections to all legs .

never place these heaters close to the slate , leave plenty of space for heat to dissipate evenly and not spot heat like some have fitted , temperature setting ? , well through discussion i think 23 to 25 C would be the ideal temperature setting on the main thermostat , place this central on the main cross member between middle legs towards the bottom edge so heat has to fill the void and bleed down to thermostat , otherwise the thermostat will be clicking out at the highest point rather than the lowest part of the void you are heating under the table .
Experiment with temperature , and take a reading above the slate with a separate thermometer to see what is actually coming through the slate , in the middle of the slate and towards the side cushions , you will then get an idea of any spot area's that are getting more heat .
The lower you place the heating tubes the better it is for the slate and the overall pattern of heat in the bed of the table being more consistent over its length and width .
Be careful with any heat source placed under the table that you do not fowl the area or cover the tubes with anything .

I know of one club who had one 8ft long tube heater 4 inch above the floor , and decorators threw their dust sheets under the table at night time to clear the area , result one burned down club !
Suspend them under the table but away from the slate as much as you can without seeing them hanging , you may have to improvise and fit cross timbers along the bottom edge of the inner frame to fit the tube heaters to which most come with the brackets to do this .
A 3 way plug socket from the thermostat will allow you to plug each heater into , a typical heater is 240 watts x 3 = 720 watts , far below the 3000 watts allowed for the controlling thermostat.