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Heat Mat Question

kc261 said:
I just want to make sure this is clear for anyone reading this thread. A dimmer switch (also called a rheostat) is NOT a thermostat. It does regulate the heat, but in a different way. A t-stat actually measures the temp, and adjusts the amount of electricity going to the heat mat to control the temperature. There are proportional t-stats that will turn the heat mat all the way on, halfway on, all the way off, or anywhere in between based on the temp the probe is reading. Proportional t-stats are considered the best because they usually keep the temperatures very stable. On/off t-stats don't have a way to turn the heat mat halfway on; it is either on or off, and thus the temperature will vary a little bit more. Both kinds of t-stats are responding to the temperature as measured by the t-stat probe, and thus are able to adjust to changes in the room temperature.

Rheostats/dimmer switches are somewhat like the proportional t-stats in that the heat mat can be turned all the way on, halfway on, all the way off, or anywhere in between. However, rheostats DO NOT do anything to respond to changes in the room temperature. For example, if the A/C in your house should fail during a hot summer day when you are at work, the rheostat will continue sending just as much electricity to the heat mat, and the hot spot is going to get quite a bit hotter than it should be.

Rheostats/dimmer switches are good ways of regulating the temperature in places where the room temperature is reasonably stable, as long as the person using them is aware of the limitations.
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I wish I had had that explanation when I was setting up our viv. Live and learn. :p

We have a heat mat, and based on my reading here and other places I knew I needed to regulate it, so I also purchased a rheostat, and those dial temp gauges. They were in the reptile department, made my a reputable company, so I figured they all went together and that's what I needed. Unfortunately I didn't do ENOUGH reading to know that A) thermostats are preferred to rheostats due to their better adjustment for ambient air temp, and B) dial gauges suck.

We still use the ZooMed rheostat on the heat mat, but I have long since replaced the dial gauges (and strip thermometer :p) with the simple Walmart indoor outdoor thermometer often recommended here. The thermometer and rheostat probes are on the glass right over the heat mat (held down with command adhesive cord clips, seems to work great so far), and the main thermometer unit is in the tank on the cool side to measure temps there.

Since the thermometer and the rheostat are in no way connected, it means we have to manually monitor the temps, and dial the rheostat up when the the weather turns really cold, and dial it down when we have a warm snap. It's an extra step we wouldn't have to do if we had a thermostat, but we are going that route until it dies. Which they seem prone to do, it which case it will be replaced with a thermostat. I really haven't found the temperature fluctuating too wildly even though it is just a rheostat, and it's just habit for everyone in the house to check on the viv when they walk by and make sure the warm side is where it belongs. If it starts needing more than the occasional tweak, that rheostat will get replaced.

Out setup looks very similar to the one posted. Heat mat on underside of tank, plugged into rheostat, rheostat probe on glass inside tank above the mat, rheostat plugged into wall. The thermometer probe is right next to the rheostat probe adhered to the glass, and the thermometer base unit is on the other side of the tank and runs on batteries. Every once in a while Bartholomew gets rambunctious at night and knocks the thermometer base unit over, but for the most part he is uninterested in it.

Hope that helps.
 
How do I attach the thermostat to my glass tank? Do I do it from underneath or do I have to attach it from above? If I have to attach it from above, don't I have this electric cord hanging in my terrarium?? Please correct me if I'm getting it wrong!
 
brindle said:
How do I attach the thermostat to my glass tank? Do I do it from underneath or do I have to attach it from above? If I have to attach it from above, don't I have this electric cord hanging in my terrarium?? Please correct me if I'm getting it wrong!
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I attache mine inside on the glass right above the middle of where the UTH is located. Yes you'll have the cord in the viv. I use Elmer's Tack to hold the wires in place, some use hot glue.
 
In the background is an example of how I do my thermostat and thermometer probes, I added more Elmer's tack later as I had ran out, but you get the idea how I do it.
esutu4y8.jpg



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brindle said:
I have a sliding screen top on my terrarium and there is no space to run a wire out of? Now what do I do?
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Look on the back where the screen slides into. Most of them have "knockouts" (a small tab that you can remove to let the wire pass through). If yours doesn't have knockouts you can cut a notch for the wires to pass through.
 
The Zilla's with the sliding screen tops have little breakouts for cords. Is there a spot where the plastic rim is scored to snap out?
 
Or there might be a tiny gap in the corner of the top. That is where mine go in, and unfortunately you do have to have the wire running in the viv. I try to keep the majority of the wire running down the corner of my viv, it is less obtrusive there, then run it to where it is over the top of the UTH.
 
I actually found a couple of breakouts for the cord. I will be ordering a thermostat some time this week. Thank you guys for your patience.
 
So I believe that some of you mentioned gluing the thermostat probe with a hot glue gun... this doesn't hurt the wires at all? Doesn't burn anything?
I'm going to be ordering a thermostat today and I'll also be buying another heat pad and a glue gun. Should all be ready in two weeks or so!
I'm buying a pet store brand heat pad (Flukers, Zoo med or something similar)- do I get the "tropical" or "desert" named heat pad?
 
"Deserts" are Exo_terra's hotter pads, I always opted for them over "rain forest."
 
Only if the wire gets pulled or bent. Be sure it's cord stays in the punch out if running the probe inside the tank. I personally don't run any cords inside my enclosures, and usually put the probe directly under the UTH, then a layer of camping foam underneath that.
 
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