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Misting and Heat Mats.

Plissken

Plissken

Crazy Snail Lady
Hi guys,

As some of you may know I use wooden vivariums which require the heat mats to be inside instead of on the outside of the viv, and thinking about this has raised a question - is it okay to mist my enclosures while the electrical mats are inside the tanks?

I know obviously heat mats shouldn't be gotten soaking wet, but is there any danger to spraying the tanks while the mat is under the substrate? How wet is too wet?
 
While I'm always under the premise that electricity and water don't mix (even if these are coated heating pads), I'm sure there are bound to be a lot of possible issues that might not materialize until after the damage is done. I always suspected that one of my Zoo Med UTH's died due to water when I would take the tank outside and give it a good hosing down, although I cannot verifty that entirely. It did seem like it was rather short lived and became somewhat dilapidated after said hosing was done. But this was also an older UTH, so who knows. It's possible that a slight amount of moisture could build up where the cables are inserted into the pad possibly causing a short or worse :shrugs:
 
Hmm, well I have just bought a new heatmat and on the instructions it does say that you are not to get the heatmat wet.

In my wooden viv I have the heatmat inside and I have it setup like this:
TOP
--- Substrate
--- Glass
--- Heatmat
--- Polystyrene sheet
--- Wooden bottom

Therefore with the layer of glass, the heatmat wont get wet and the snake won't come into direct contact with it. A sheet of glass wont cost too much if you want to buy one, the one I got was roughly 3ftx1.5ft and cost me £13.68.

Hope this helps
 
I would also suggest a sheet of glass to cover the mat... Thats what I would do.

I know people who simply use the glass from an old photo frame to cover just the right amount of mat :)
 
I do have my mats covered with ceramic tile which keep the snakes off the heat and stop any excess moisture getting in, however I can't cover the "block" on the mat - not sure what it's called - the plastic piece through which the wire and the mat are connected. It's raised and if there was a tile or glass on it, it wouldn't lay flat so water would run underneath it anyway.

I've never really thought it a good idea to spray close to the mat like this... as DeadMouse pointed out water and electrics don't mix... but I've been having problems raising humidity any other way. If anyone has suggestions which would boost my humidity without risk of getting the mat wet, that would be great.

Thanks for your replies so far.
 
Sorry for the lateness in reply but about the plastic block bit (Iknow what you mean, lol)

Thats one reason I have polystyrene under the heatmat, if you cut out a square on the edge of it big enough for the block to sit in, then the heatmat lays perfectly flat.
I use polystyrene ceiling tiles which I got from B&Q for about £3 for 20, but I imagine most hardware shops should sell them.

I hope you understand what I mean, I'm kinda tired.
 
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