Making Your Patio Heaters Actually Smart
If you’ve ever run a nightclub patio, you know the struggle. You’re fighting a constant battle against damp air and that biting chill that makes guests want to head inside the second they feel a breeze. The secret to winning that battle is shortwave infrared. Most heaters try to warm up the air around them, but on a windy night, that heat just blows away. Infrared is different. It sends heat directly to the people and the furniture. The moment you flip the switch, your guests feel it. No waiting around. No shivering. Just instant warmth. The Nitty-Gritty Hardware Since these live outdoors, they have to be tough. We use IP65-rated housings, which is basically a fancy way of saying rain and spilled drinks aren’t getting into the electronics. Inside, we use quartz or carbon fiber elements. They can handle the jump from freezing to scorching hot without cracking under the pressure. Now, here is where people usually mess up: the wiring. You can’t just plug a 2000W heater into a cheap smart switch and call it a day. Do that, and you’ll fry your board in record time. Instead, we wire the smart controller to a heavy-duty contactor. The controller tells the contactor to close, and the contactor handles the actual heavy lifting of the power. It keeps everything safe. Setting the Vibe The best part is how this feels for the customer. Imagine a guest walking out onto the deck and you trigger “Patio Mode” from your phone or a voice command. They feel the heat hit them instantly. It’s like stepping into a sunbeam in the middle of January. We usually pair these with temperature sensors. If the air drops below 10°C, the heaters just kick in on their own. You can even link them to your POS system, so the heat only runs when there are actually people sitting at the tables. It saves a ton on the electric bill. A Few Things to Watch Out For It isn’t all plug-and-play. These things pull a massive amount of power. If you throw ten 2kW heaters on one single circuit, you’re going to trip the breaker and leave everyone in the dark. Give each zone its own dedicated circuit. Also, keep in mind that shortwave IR has a pretty strong glow. If you mount them too low, you’re basically giving your guests a flashlight to the face. Mount them high. You’ll still get the heat throw, but you won’t blind anyone.