Strange problem with Heating

Im using a herpstat 1, and 11" 20watt flexwatt to heat my rack.

I have my herpstat plugged into a wall outlet by itself. when ever I plug anything else into the second wall outlet, It robs power from my rack, and my flexwatt just quits and the tepreture just keeps dropping, untill i unplug everything and turn back on..

comments on why this may be happening?

What are you plugging into the wall outlet along with the herpstat? and do you know what else runs on the same circuit as that wall outlet? (should be able to tell from your breaker box)

does the herpstat register a power failure?

how many feet of flexwatt does your rack use?

Sounds like you have an electrical issue I would try using the Herpstat from another outlet and see what happens

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

What are you plugging into the wall outlet along with the herpstat? and do you know what else runs on the same circuit as that wall outlet? (should be able to tell from your breaker box)

does the herpstat register a power failure?

how many feet of flexwatt does your rack use?

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the herpstat dosent register anything, the tempruture just keeps falling. And it happens when i plug the hair dryer in to unthaw mice. and has also happened when i plugged in a heater to warm the room. but yet dosent happen when the washer machine is plugged into the same outlet, which is strange.

the breaker box is not labeled so will have to go threw it one day

Since you say hair dryer and heater cause the problems while the washer doesn't I am assuming the circuit may be overloaded. Try and locate the breaker I would assume for a home it would be 10 or 15 amps. Then figure how many amps you draw. The hair dryer and heater should be labeled. The flexwatt would be 20watts per foot. Then use this equation.....Amps = Watts/Volts. That should tell you if you're starting to overload.

You have some odd electrical issues. I don't actually know and am straight up guessing here but I would hope an overload would trip a breaker or fuse. Herpstats are very sensitive to 'dirty' power (need pure seine wave energy) if they are used with anything else they often don't work at all, or look like they are but do not regulate. I wonder if there is some feedback happening? Guessing here. I would talk to Dion, and talk to an electrician. There could be something VERY concerning in the wiring somewhere.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

I don't actually know and am straight up guessing here but I would hope an overload would trip a breaker or fuse. Herpstats are very sensitive to 'dirty' power (need pure seine wave energy) if they are used with anything else they often don't work at all, or look like they are but do not regulate.

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Very true a full overload would trip the breaker (if it's not faulty). Pushing high enough amps, close to but not high enough to trip the breaker could cause a voltage drop. With your explanation of the Herpstat needing the clean voltage that may very well be what is happening.

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Originally Posted by BPLuvr

Very true a full overload would trip the breaker (if it's not faulty). Pushing high enough amps, close to but not high enough to trip the breaker could cause a voltage drop. With your explanation of the Herpstat needing the clean voltage that may very well be what is happening.

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So why would a very small hair dryer, or floor heater, cause my rack heat too stop working. but yet we can have the clothing washer machine plugged in without issue.

Ill talk too an electritian at work and see what he thinks, something strange for sure

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Originally Posted by PythonOutlaw

So why would a very small hair dryer, or floor heater, cause my rack heat too stop working. but yet we can have the clothing washer machine plugged in without issue.

Ill talk too an electritian at work and see what he thinks, something strange for sure

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More then likely the small floor heater or hair dryer draw more amps then the washer. Now if the washer has any sort of heat also the herpstat may be doing the same thing when the heat engages on the washer. Without checking with a meter you can't tell for sure but you can try plugging a floor or desk lamp with an incandescent bulb in the same circuit. Most likely when the heater is turned on the light will dim. Also when looking at residential often 1or 2 rooms may be on the same circuit for recepticles so there can be other things to account for.