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I got my lovely Vitapod propagator set up over two weeks ago, ready for my chilli and pepper seeds. I then realised that the thermostat wasn't working properly; it would not go lower than 29` even when the probe was put in cold water.

Spoke to the manufacturer who agreed to pick it up, repair with a new thermostat and return in two days for £40, which considering it is five years old I thought was a better deal than having to purchase a new unit for £150?

The seeds were all sown, so I bought my scrappy little old propagator which heats up to a minor degree and doesn't have a thermostat indoors to try and get enough heat to germinate them. Packaged the old unit carefully in bubble wrap and cardboard and it was picked up the Tuesday before last.

When it didn't return by the Friday I rang to see what was happening, and was told the unit had arrived damaged, so they had been unable to repair it. Bugger. However, they offered to send me a new unit with a separate thermostat. Hurrah! But they can't post off before next Tuesday ..bugger. No sign of the seeds I'd already sown germinating though....sigh.

Wednesday arrived and when I came back from a long walk with friends it had arrived! Hurrah again!! But guess what......can't plug it in, two pin plug!!! Double bugger!!!@#* They had sent me a European version.......so now waiting ANOTHER week for a UK one to arrive, and collect the wrong one.

In the meantime, no peppers or chillies have shown their faces yet, I hope the seeds haven't rotted because the temp has been too low........Arrrrrrgh!!!!!#!!? Getting Fed up now....

How frustrating! There's so little we can get on with at the moment with the ground soaked etc. then even what you can do is thwarted! Hope it's sorted soon!

I was thinking of buying a vitapod this year😐

To be fair it has worked brilliantly until now, because the heat is adjustable I get peppers and chillies popping up in a few days at 30 degrees, and I also use it as a hardening off aid, take the lid off and have a bit of bottom heat for young tomatoes once I've finished germinating. I only have  a single tier and that fits rootrainers in, and it's big enough  for me to grow everything I need to in succession. I just need to get going now!!!!!!

I know it's not the same as getting the right plug first time, but couldn't you just buy a converter plug? I have them for my various bits and pieces bought outside the UK - pizza oven, wafer iron etc. They sell them in the larger Boots, and probably lots of other places.

Or fit a UK plug yourself? 
http://www.diyfixit.co.uk/electrics/wiring-a-plug.html

Quote from: sparrow on February 21, 2016, 01:58:17
I know it's not the same as getting the right plug first time, but couldn't you just buy a converter plug? I have them for my various bits and pieces bought outside the UK - pizza oven, wafer iron etc. They sell them in the larger Boots, and probably lots of other places.

Hope you get the right one back now fast and you can get going again. Sounds frustrating! X s

Deb Sorry about your lack of heat... Wife and I have some some seeds started in propagators. (free from old allotment rubbish) they did not have thermostats, so as I am a bit of an electronic geek I made one, keeps steady temp (20c) , geraniums up in 5 days ... Did you know you can get soil heating cables .. make your own any size you like... 

Unfortunately it's not that easy to just fit an adapter plug, it has a double cable with a large transformer thing that also needs an adaptor.........I just want what I had before realky, and as I usually have it set up in my greenhouse I need to be reassured it will not cut out or muck about when aIr leave it unattended. Trying to be patient!!

Hopefully for not much longer.  Still plenty of time, but having to start again is always frustrating.  Did you get anything from the earlier sowings?

Quote from: Deb P on February 22, 2016, 01:28:43
Unfortunately it's not that easy to just fit an adapter plug, it has a double cable with a large transformer thing that also needs an adaptor.........I just want what I had before realky, and as I usually have it set up in my greenhouse I need to be reassured it will not cut out or muck about when aIr leave it unattended. Trying to be patient!!

Having a plug sealed on sounds the best as it's going to be out in the greenhouse. Hope you don't have to wait much longer.
I haven't put my vitapod on yet, perhaps I should get it up and running to check it out, mine is about the same age as yours.

Quote from: galina on February 22, 2016, 07:57:38
Hopefully for not much longer.  Still plenty of time, but having to start again is always frustrating.  Did you get anything from the earlier showings?

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No nothing so far unfortunately. From what I remember it used to take about two to three weeks to get chillies to grow in my old propagator, which is why I invested in the posh vitapod in the end. I had a good look this morning as I've got it indoors to try and get the temperature up as much as possible, but nowt. I think it will be best if I resow when the new propagator gets here, but it's annoying because I'll have to purchase some more of the expensive pepper seeds I got cheap in last year's seed sales, some packets only had four seeds in each!

Getting better today.....the new base and thermostat arrived yesterday as planned, I was working nights so didn't get a chance to set it all up until this morning. It's all working well so far, I've kept it indoors to keep the temperature up as much as possible to try and maximize the chance of the chillies and peppers I've already sown germinating. Went to bed at 09:30, woke up at 15:00 and checked the temperature.....30 degrees as it is supposed to be, then.....bloody hell, 8 seeds had popped up!

Coincidence I'm sure after two weeks of barely warm conditions, but I'm just grateful I haven't lost them. No chillies yet but I'm hopeful now. Happy bunny! 

Yay! 

But not that surprising.  After all, nature does the same.  Temperatures are a bit variable and seeds still germinate.  Although peppers are always some of the most fickle and like a bit of bottom heat.  Hope the rest will follow soon

Quote from: Deb P on February 24, 2016, 16:57:25
Getting better today.....the new base and thermostat arrived yesterday as planned, I was working nights so didn't get a chance to set it all up until this morning. It's all working well so far, I've kept it indoors to keep the temperature up as much as possible to try and maximize the chance of the chillies and peppers I've already sown germinating. Went to bed at 09:30, woke up at 15:00 and checked the temperature.....30 degrees as it is supposed to be, then.....bloody hell, 8 seeds had popped up!

Coincidence I'm sure after two weeks of barely warm conditions, but I'm just grateful I haven't lost them. No chillies yet but I'm hopeful now. Happy bunny! 

Quick update....the heat has done the trick, now have 24 sweet peppers and 4 chillies showing their leaves! As a bit of an experiment I've sown some more hot chillies yesterday to see how long they take to germinate.....I'll keep y'all posted!

Quote from: Deb P on February 27, 2016, 00:14:44
Quick update....the heat has done the trick, now have 24 sweet peppers and 4 chillies showing their leaves! As a bit of an experiment I've sown some more hot chillies yesterday to see how long they take to germinate.....I'll keep y'all posted!

Great stuff!  It will be interesting to see whether they come up quicker and how much quicker.   

All of the sweet peppers have germinated now, and most of the chillies. Two varieties are a no show so far, the Mexican chillies and my usually reliable tropical heat mix, if nothing comes up in the next couple of days I'll have a furtle and see if they are still ok and haven't suffered from the cooler temperatures they had to put up with for the first few weeks.

No sign of the later sowing of chillies yet....but it h as only been a couple of days!

I sowed a dozen Trinidad Scorpion seeds alongside some Nagas and Hot Jalapenos - I am beginning to think I forgot to actually put the scorpion in the tray as I have had zero come up while the others are at around 70% germination.  Still I promised myself not to have too many chilli plants this year!

Quote from: BarriedaleNick on February 28, 2016, 11:40:08
Still I promised myself not to have too many chilli plants this year!

Yeah I do that every year too......but then I see another variety that looks interesting and can't resist!

Potatoes are going in next sunday and the trays with soil for the seeds are being put out tomorrow to warm up prior to the seeds going in.