CHOOSING A SUITABLE HEATING SYSTEM
The choice of a suitable heating system is an important matter for anyone
designing, building or refurbishing a kennels or cattery. The main points to
consider are:-
1. Provision of an adequate degree of warmth and comfort for the
animals.
2. Reasonable capital cost, as regards both equipment and installation.
3. Reasonable running costs.
4. Ease of maintenance.
5. Floor and walls to be unobstructed for ease of cleaning.
6. A system which can be extended or modified simply if extra accommodation
is added or the layout of the kennels is changed.
7. A healthy environment which minimises the risk of infection.
These requirements are, we believe, best met by the Wren infra-red dull emitter system. Infra-red dull
emitters are electric heaters which are suspended, one per compartment, usually
over the bed, whelping box, etc. The units emit no visible light, just a gentle
penetrating downward radiant heat which warms the animals and their bedding
without too much heating of the surrounding air. This is an important point
because cross-infection is more likely to occur at higher air temperatures. The
units are available with a wide range of heat ratings to suit different breeds,
and to cater for sick animals, whelping bitches, etc. If it is necessary to
change the level of heating in a compartment because of change of occupancy,
etc., this can easily be done by changing elements, just as different powered
electric light bulbs can be plugged into a table lamp. Also, because each
individual section or compartment has its own heater, it can be switched off
when not in use without affecting the conditions for other animals.
THERMAL INSULATION OF KENNELS
As with any heating system, insulation is important. Because of the way
infra-red heating works and its great flexibility, animals can be accommodated
comfortably in buildings which would themselves be impossible to heat by
conventional means. The important points are to provide insulating walls and
ceiling for the individual compartments and to eliminate draughts, especially
at floor level. Materials such as plasterboard, preferably of the foil-lined
type for extra heat-reflection can make a tremendous improvement when used to
line walls and ceilings and will quickly repay their cost. In addition to
conserving heat in cold weather, such insulation will help to keep animals cool
in hot weather.
WARMTH WITH SAFETY
As valuable and sometimes rare species or new strains are placed under Wren
Lamps, we give careful attention to safety and reliability. It is approved and
used by many animal welfare societies and veterinary surgeons. It is also
extensively used in boarding kennels and catteries.
WARMTH WITH ECONOMY
Not only does the efficient design of the Wren lamp give maximum useful
warmth from every unit of electricity, but also the wide selection of element
ratings means you can choose exactly the right power for the job: no need to
use 250W where 200W or 150W will suffice.
Read our other guides on Kennel Heating Lamps...
ELECTRICAL REQUIREMENTS
Because of their low electrical consumption, a normal 13A ring main, protected
by a 30A fuse or circuit breaker, can supply as many infra-red heaters as there
are sockets provided. In fact, the heaters can be connected to any kind of
3-pin socket, as even the small 2A size will comfortably supply a 400W heater –
the highest wattage in the Wren range. Heaters should never be connected to
2-pin sockets or plugged into lamp-holders because these do not have the
necessary earth connection for the metal reflector. The plug which is supplied
with the unit is fitted with a 3A fuse.
The Use of dimmers, Energy Regulators etc will also help to reduce energy
costs, and in the case of fit, adult animals a thermostat which automatically
switches the heating off if the weather turns suddenly milder, is certainly
worthwhile. Heaters in compartments containing sick animals, young puppies,
etc, which need to remain on, can be connected separately to ensure continuous
supply of warmth.
The careful design and high quality construction of the Wren Lamp ensures
the maximum useful heat for every unit of electricity consumed. Extra cable of
any desired length (up to the recommended maximum) can be supplied fitted to
the unit. Recommended maximum is 20 metres for the Major and 40 metres for the
Standard.
CIRCUIT WIRING
For efficiency of control, we suggest splitting any installation into small,
manageable sections, ideally of between 6 and 12 heaters, depending on the
overall size of the installation. This will also provide security as, in the
event of a fault in one circuit, the remainder of the installation can still be
used. Each section of heaters may be controlled through a main switch, a time
switch, a thermostat, an Energy Regulator and then each heater should also be
individually switched. The main switch will allow the section to be isolated for
maintenance or alteration, the time switch can be used to bring the heaters on
at pre-set times, the thermostat can switch the heaters on or off in the event
of a dramatic change in the outside temperature, the Energy Regulator will
provide an electrical saving, and the individual switches will enable each unit
to be switched off when empty. Any or all of these control devices may be used,
depending on the size and type of installation and the funds available. As each
installation is different, these suggestions should only be used for guidance.
MOUNTING HEIGHT
The best mounting height for infra-red heaters depends on the circumstances.
They should of course be mounted above head height for the animals, but not too
high or the intensity of the heat will be reduced, although the area covered
will be greater. Generally, the lowest mounting which meets other practical
requirements is most economical. The final test is to observe the behaviour of
the animals and adjust the height of the unit to suit them. To cover a greater
area with the same heat intensity, raise the unit and fit a correspondingly
larger element. We offer suspension chain fitted with a spring clip on one end
which makes it very easy to adjust the height of the unit from day to day if
necessary. This is suitable for either the Standard or the Major unit and can
be supplied in any length to order. Please see price-list.
MAINTENANCE
Keep reflectors clean and polished, because the efficiency of the unit
depends upon it. Dull reflectors absorb the heat instead of reflecting it
downwards which not only wastes heat, but allows the element holder to heat up
unduly, and may damage the electrical connections.
GUARANTEE
All Wren Lamps are designed and quality built for many years trouble-free
service, and are guaranteed for twelve months against constructional faults.
Elements are also guaranteed against failure due to manufacturing faults.
HOW MANY WREN LAMPS DO I NEED
Boarding and recovery kennels
Where a number of Wren Lamps are to be used in a well-insulated building
divided into sections, a general warm glow will result as all surfaces become
warm. It may therefore be possible to use slightly less powerful elements than
those suggested above by relating total wattage to size of building, e.g. 3000
watts total for a building 25’ x 20’ by 8’ high. However, the individual
requirements of different breeds in separate compartments should not be
overlooked.
Catteries
A Wren Standard with 150 or 200 watt element is recommended for individual
cats or queens with kittens in well-insulated houses. A reduction to 80 or 100W
should be possible in small, well-insulated boarding compartments. For general
warmth in a stud house or where a number of cats are kept, we suggest a Wren
Major with 350 or 400W element. If the cats share a bed, 250 to 300W should
suffice.
Read our other guides on Kennel Heating Lamps...
The Diamond Edge range of Wren Heating Lamps
Regulating Heating Power
Dog Breed Guide for choosing a Wren Heating Element
