How to make your own Rheostat for less than $7! Detailed instructions.

Originally Posted by DdotSpot

Depending on what you wanna do, yes. I have my Rheostat hooked up to the top outlet and the other half is a regular constant hot outlet. You CAN hook up another Rheostat to the other outlet like Energi2er did, but you will need a bigger box. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Sorry it took me so long to reply. I've been in the process of switching all my junk to a new computer.

Hey no problem, I thank you for the reply, I just wanted to check to see if you needed to run another hot to bottom of outlet.
Keep up the great work on the post !

If you're lazy like me (after all, I did buy a snake not a dog), these can also be bought pre-made for $2-3 more.

I am not trying to diss on anybody's creativity or frugalness. However I feel that if you cannot afford to buy a UL listed item to control your UTH, you can't afford to own a snake. In both Designs I saw no attempt to secure the wiring to the electrical boxes. Black electrical tape is NOT sufficient. I am not against custom electrical work (just check out my garage) but if you are going to do something, it is worth doing right and safe. I will post links for items that can be used to secure your wires to the case that holds the dimmer and outlet. Whenever working with electricity around a wet environment it is imperative to have a GFI outlet, like the one in your bathroom that shuts off when overloaded (say if you throw the hair dryer in the full bath tub). Grounding is also ultra important. Thats why building code now requires that your outlets be grounded. Remember you are working with electricity and when you lose respect for it, it is not if but when will it bite you. You are taking care of an animal, care for it and don't endanger its life or mame it to save a few bucks. Sorry to be such a buzzkill or rain on anybody's parade, but you have to do whats right. I got my respect for electricity after losing it first, please learn from my mistake and don't create your own.

polypropolene wire clamps, http://www.radioshack.com/category.a...4%5F000&Page=1

Wire Clips, http://www.radioshack.com/category.a...8%5F003&Page=1

Project boxes, http://www.radioshack.com/category.a...2%5F000&Page=1

Originally Posted by djsethall

...please learn from my mistake and don't create your own.

I am sorry, but it's hard to learn from someone else's mistake if we don't know what that mistake was.

Honestly, I think you are going overboard when you say "if you cannot afford to buy a UL listed item to control your UTH, you can't afford to own a snake." I see nothing wrong with wiring your own rheostat (or heat tape for that matter). I've been using self-wired flexwatt heat tape for 4 years now. I also use a few of these rheostats. I have not had any problems with either one. Has anyone else had any problems?

Djse...

Hrmm..ok I'm not an electrician, but a big part of my job involves repairing power tools and doing basic wiring for 440v welding machines. I've built several dimmers myself, granted I use "strain relief" set ups to secure my cords to the dimmer housing, and have had zero problems.

If you're using a double insulated cord (i.e. one prong wider than the other) you have basic grounding. I have no issue with the recommendation of using a GFCI outlet, whether you're near water or not. A power strip set up with GFCI protection works well too.

To be honest there are a LOT of junk, brand name rheostats on the market, and they're UL listed. You're more likely to cook a snake over the long haul using them.

Your statement came off a bit harsh :

However I feel that if you cannot afford to buy a UL listed item to control your UTH, you can't afford to own a snake.

I have no problem with you making recommendations to folks, especially where safety is concerned, but household home made dimmers have been used for years by herpers with out problems.

Originally Posted by djsethall

Grounding is also ultra important. Thats why building code now requires that your outlets be grounded. Remember you are working with electricity and when you lose respect for it, it is not if but when will it bite you.

Interesting point, since there is NO way to properly ground a heat mat or heat tape, and the only part grounded on a heat lamp is the reflector. Many heating devices do not come with a ground pin on the main power supply, so having a GFCI outlet is totally pointless, city code or not. Sure, have the outlet, it isn't going to help squat with perfectly "legal" appliances (aka heating devices in this case).

I wasn't trying to be harsh, just honest. Lots of things work for years but it is always that one time when it failed that everyone remembers. That is all that I am trying to say. I personally would not use something of that quality in any outlet in my home. If anyone has questions as to safety, ask anyone that has experience in building such items. Even just asking the guy at Home Depot or Radioshack as to how to make something as safe as possible and they will be glad to help you out. Research is key to starting anything new. Like me for instance, I had no idea how to care for a snake until researching husbandry and checking out forums like these. As to the mistake I made, I was building a 3 foot Jacobs Ladder and didn't ground it properly. I was charged with about 55,000 volts and discharged when I went to unplug it. Luckily for me it was all volts and no amps. A hair raising experience to say the least.

Experience, I have been a licenced/working electrician for over 15 years and I would almost guarantee you have ungrounded appliances somewhere in your home.

Please do not take this as an argument, just stating my oppinion as you are. We just differ is all, that's what makes us human.

The dimmers come with wire caps. I have built one and have been using it for awhile, no fires yet. My comment is this: If the dimmers (meant to be used with wire caps) are so un-safe, then why do they sell them? COme on, its the same thing building a rheostat with it as it would be if you installed it in the wall to control the light (only IMO a little safer because Ddotspot suggests wraping electrical tape around the wire caps). Take apart one of your light switches, or fixtures in your home. what do you see? Wires, and caps.. The same thing thats inside the rheostat.

Charles, yes if you take off the plate on a light switch or an outlet there are wires and caps. If you go a little further past the gang the wires leading to the gang are generally secured to the framing of the wall with a large staple or some other type of fastening. Also the wires in your walls you really don't have to worry about tripping over. All that I am saying is that if you are going to build a custom unit like this, make it safe so that if maybe somebody pulls on the wires somehow (tripping over it, trying to straighten it, whatever) that you don't have live bare wires hanging out. Try this sometime. Put two wires together using a wire nut and see how hard it is to pull apart.It is not that hard. I am not against making custom units, just make them safe. The original post is a great idea, but can be improved upon easily for safety's sake.