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Controlling my heat mat

Hypancistrus

Hypancistrus

New member
I was at Walmart today and I was looking at the "dimmer" switches as a possible alterative to a thermostat. The one I looked at had a sliding switch, which seemed nice, but it appeared that you have to wire it into the lamp, or, in this case, heat mat. :confused: I don't have any electrical no-how, and I tried asking the guy at Walmart but he was really intense in kind of a serial rapist sort of way, so I decided to leave. :uhoh:

So can someone briefly explain my options for controlling my Cobra heat pad? It heats to a "steady" 100 degrees F. I am not opposed to buying a thermostat, if necessary, but I have to order it. Petsmart only sells the cheap ZooMed kind and I don't want to waste my money.

If y'all think I need a thermostat, I'm gonna need a website link because I don't know where to get a good one from. :shrugs:
 
Go back to your Wal-mart and see if they have the plug in type lamp dimmers. You may have to look for them, but that's where I got mine. Very easy to use. You just plug the dimmer in, then plug the heat mat into the dimmer. Use the slide to control the temp. They work great.

P.S. If you can't find them at Wal-mart, most hardware stores should have something similar.
 
I just bought a plug-in dimmer at wal-mart tonight .I'm fixing to plug it in and check it out. I found the one at walmart that you had to wire up too but luckily the worker there was a nice lady and helped me find the plug-in. they are there you just have to get good help.
 
Yes, the guy I was talking to really creeped me out so I left.

I will try a different Walmart, see if I can find the plug-in kind. I also have to get a thermometer. I found the kitchen kind, like for meats, but I don't think those are what I need. Where do they stock the digital probe kind?? The kind with a probe seperate from the reader?
 
In mine, the digital thermometers are over with the outdoor thermometers and stuff, near the plumbing section, just before the garden center.
 
The same company that makes the slider one you have to wire in (assuming its the brand I have for about $15) makes one like mine that you plug into.

If you cant get one at Walmart go to Lowes, thats where I got mine.

I have seen reference to a thermostat that you can plug into somewhere on here for around $25. If you can afford the extra $10 I'd use that so you know its controlled by temp instead of just setting it to a certain level and watching it. (Dimmers adjust voltage so if room temp changes the Viv temp will change. Thermostat controls temp so room temp wont have the same effect)
 
Is the $25 thermostat the ZooMed one? I've read that it's a piece o' crap and doesn't work. Does anyone have any suggestions/links for a reliable thermostat that doesn't cost $150?
 
Hypancistrus said:
Is the $25 thermostat the ZooMed one? I've read that it's a piece o' crap and doesn't work. Does anyone have any suggestions/links for a reliable thermostat that doesn't cost $150?
Click to expand...

I use the ZooMed ReptiTemp *with probe* and it works just fine. Well worth the $23 each plus shipping. Where did you read that it didn't work? Now the cheaper Zoomed WITHOUT probe doesn't work at all...

reptiledirect.com has the zoomed with probe for 22.99 plus shipping. Local stores want 39.99 for the same item.


It's an off/on thermostat so don't expect exact proportional temp control, but it keeps the temps within 3-4 degrees up ro the set max point.
 
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