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Have a quick question for someone who can answer this...

Maize411

Maize411

Hooked for life!!
Okay..so I am faced with a dillema here..I now have 3 corn snakes..3 UTH but only 1 thermostat to control them all..the thermostat only has 2 outlets..to control 2 of them..my question is..if I were to plug a multi-plugger into one of them..and then plugged in my 3rd uth..would the thermostat still control the 2 uth that would be plugged into the mulit tap?? For those that I might be confusing here is a verbal diagram of what I mean..

"2 Under Tank Heaters (plug into) Multi-socket device (plug into) thermostat"..

My guess is since the thermostat is controlling the amount of energy the heaters get based off the setting I have it on and the probe on the original heater then it should keep the other 2 at equal temperature..am I right?? sorry for confusing everyone...
 
I'm not sure, but I don't think I would do it. If the thermostat has 2 outlets there is probably a reason, like there is a limit to the wattage it can handle. If you read the package it came in it probably will tell you the exact amount. By trying to put a splitter in there for the extra outlet you may end up putting more of a load on it than it is designed to handle. I hope someone with more electrical savvy than me replies though.
 
:shrugs::shrugs::shrugs::shrugs::shrugs::shrugs::shrugs:

I am not sure I would try that, unless I really had to but then I wouldn't sleep... When can you remedy the situation (get a homeade rheostat / store bought?)?

That would solve the above problem. My only concern is power drain, and frying your thermostat (chain reaction = cold or hot snakes).

Let me know what you do, and how things go. I wish you the best!
 
Also, there are tempguns for like 15-20 you can get to temp the cages and set the rheostat that deons't have a thermometer in it. I only have 1 cage thermometer'd (helix) and that one controlls all 11 other in the rack. But I temp them 4+ times daily in a "Mock" cage I have at the top, and bottom (because my rack isn't full yet). I heard Helix brand thermometers can fail after a while, and fry your snakes. So I am really OCD about checking it.

I hope that helps :D
 
::sigh::...well so much for that plan then...I won't try anything that could end up hurting my snakes..I'm just gonna have to try and save up about 30 bucks for a thermostat..that's pretty much the only way I see this getting solved..thanks everyone :0)
 
The best answer I can give you right now is just get a nice rack system. Go to AP and order an economy rack and then get 3 more snakes. ;)
It has heat rope and you can get a nice thermostat.
See this is the best answer for you, you can get more room by getting rid of cages and uth. And you know you are going to get more corns. ;) its a win win situation for you.
 
You need to see how many watts your thermostat can handle and then how many watts the UTH draw. If it's less than what the thermostat can handle, then by all means hook them up. On my herp stat, I have several power strips connected to it running elements. Works fine for me.
 
I have a setup where I run 3 UTHs from one stat. My proviso would be that the UTHs all have to be the same size/wattage and the vivs the same size/shape, otherwise you'll get differing temps.

I have mine in a stack of three vivs, with the stat probe in the middle viv. There is a slight variation in temp (the middle and top vivs get a little residual heat rising from the lower one(s)), but it's only a degree or two difference - all within the proper range.
 
I've tried doing that before, and it didn't work. And it was only being split between two tanks. The thermostat only had a single outlet, so I plugged a multi-plug into it and hooked up both the mats, as you said. Because the probe was in the bottom viv, the heat mat at the top went to like 120F in order to try and heat the area where the probe was. It was well within the wattage limit, but as I said, it didn't work.

So I had to fork out for another thermostat.

But, I agree with Jim. :D
 
blueapplepaste said:
You need to see how many watts your thermostat can handle and then how many watts the UTH draw. If it's less than what the thermostat can handle, then by all means hook them up. On my herp stat, I have several power strips connected to it running elements. Works fine for me.
Click to expand...

Matt has the answer. As long as you don't exceed the wattage of the thermostat, you have not created a hazard.

The thermostat is going to control the amount of current that flows. You will get the same current through each of the outlets. Where you might have a problem is if the different UTH have different wattages. If this is the case, the same current through each will not give you the same temperature in each. So be sure and check temps carefully after you hook everything up. What ever temps you get should stay constant once the settle in.
 
I agree with (most recently) wade and the rest that say go for it. I have used this method before with no ill affects. Most thermostats are up to 500 Watts. Even your largest (commercial) UTH is 25 Watts each . . . that would be 20 UTH's that you could hook up . . . :sidestep:

Short answer, yes it'll work fine.

Long answer, even with same sized UTH's and same sized tanks you are going to see differences in temperature for each tank because the probe is only registering the tank it's in and the thermostat is on/off for that tank. The other two could be hotter or colder or right on. Quite honestly, 1 or 5 degrees isn't too big a deal if you're talking adult snakes. If there's one tank that is regularily lower, then just switch the probe to that tank. This should create a situation where the other two tanks are warmer, and THEN it's just a matter of using a simple rheostat plug in if you wanted to go that far. :shrugs:

Just be sure to pay attention to your temps etc.
D80
 
It will work fine as long as you are still well below the wattage limit on the thermostat and the 3 UTHs and enclosures are identical.
 
Thank you everyone..I am going to try this method but first I have to get a 20L gallon tank and a UTH for that size tank..right now she is living in one of those large "reptile ranch" plastic keepers and the uth I had bought for that was for a 5 gallon tank..so I don't think it would work out very well..For now I have her plastic tank right on top of my uromastyx tank so half her tank is getting some heat from uromastyx tank (plus the light that shines into the lizard's tank is right next to her so she can also get heat from that..and the other half is off to the side and is cooler..so I have created a small heat and cool gradiant for now..but I will be getting the proper tools soon :0) Thank you everyone for your advice :0)
 
Maize411 said:
Okay..so I am faced with a dillema here..I now have 3 corn snakes..3 UTH but only 1 thermostat to control them all..the thermostat only has 2 outlets..to control 2 of them..my question is..if I were to plug a multi-plugger into one of them..and then plugged in my 3rd uth..would the thermostat still control the 2 uth that would be plugged into the mulit tap?? For those that I might be confusing here is a verbal diagram of what I mean..

"2 Under Tank Heaters (plug into) Multi-socket device (plug into) thermostat"..

My guess is since the thermostat is controlling the amount of energy the heaters get based off the setting I have it on and the probe on the original heater then it should keep the other 2 at equal temperature..am I right?? sorry for confusing everyone...
Click to expand...

well you could use the thermostat on 2 of them, and then build your own rheostat for the third one, I built my own and it only cost me $10.18 to make it, all the stuff came from Wal-Mart ;)
 
I would buy a ZooMed thermostat for $21 before I spent close to that on another UTH just to put 3 on 1 thermostat.
 
I would like to retract my statement above. I am not an electrician and can't offer you the advice on that piece. Though you should do some homework before you decide what to do, I found this clip with a large BP breeder and his thermostats run 30 cages each. Mine runs 11, and they run the same kind of heat. Please excuse the first few mins of the film, its a well informed video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ouig7kXAFo

I hope this helps. It seems you are clear for launch to plug in the other cage.
 
No, thank you! I am glad you watched it, as it really enlightened me as to just how much I really have to spend to expand (which is a lot less than I had though originally).
 
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