Very Scary, Heat Pad on Fire

Hey,

I really just had to post this, as a reminder so no one else does what i did that was so stupid.

I had just upped my Ball python to a 40 breeder, and had a large Zoo-Med UTH from the old tank that i wanted to switch over, Well i figured that I've done it a ton with a heating pad (smallest size), from zoo-med with no problems, so I gently, and safely peeled the heat pad off without bending it any more then it is when you put it on and not pulling the cord, And put it on the new tank. Perfect temps ext, so I left it.

The past few days I've smelt a melting plastic smell, so i just move the CHE away from the fake plants, and figure its that, well today it was stronger, and the temps were all wacky, I went down to see if everything was working and the smell was stronger. There was a red spot near the cord of the UTH, and after i unplugged it and took it off, there's a hole in it.

I now have to go out and pay the pet store prices on UTH's, and be careful this time.

So just a note, Don't try to save money or make things easy by moving the UTH from one tank to another, It can be very dangerous as different threads on here have said, I wish i saw them earlier and not after it happened, but I'm glad at least that the heat pad shut down and i caught it early, instead of overheating and harming my snake directly above it (well through the glass).

My Ball is fine, but it was a scary moment and im an idiot :confused::(
Ben

i am pretty sure there is a sticky on how to remove UTHs the correct way. Also, what kind of tstat were you using?

here you go
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=66262

Thanks, I had read it after the fact, Would have been nice to read it before it, luckily nothing bad happened to my snake.

As for T-stat, Though i think it is irrelavelt to the UTH failing, its the Zoo-med Repti-Temp 500R, which i know is nowhere near top of the line, I do plan to update it soon, but it in itself has caused zero problems, and works perfectly.

Thanks

I wouldn't trust in your tstat too highly. It could have very well gotten stuck in the on position and caused your UTH to overheat and catch fire. I know there are people who argue they've used them with no problems but if I had to pick b/w the UTH failing and the Tstat failing with the options available I would pick the the tstat as the likely culprit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Crazydude

Thanks, I had read it after the fact, Would have been nice to read it before it, luckily nothing bad happened to my snake.

As for T-stat, Though i think it is irrelavelt to the UTH failing, its the Zoo-med Repti-Temp 500R, which i know is nowhere near top of the line, I do plan to update it soon, but it in itself has caused zero problems, and works perfectly.

Thanks

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Thats fine, whatever works for you. Everyone does this or that and has their own opinion about it also. Right now i am just using a little tstat to and havent had any problems.

I used to have a Zoo-med heat mat on my hypos cage. I was with my girlfriend looking at him and I noticed glue on the chord, where it goes under the aquarium. I said, hm..thats weird. It looked like it got pulled out so I pushed it softly back in when it erupted into a massive spark that charred the surface it was on, and the chord fell off. Maybe I just got a crappy mat. I never pull the chord or anything, even touch it, so Idk what the heck happened there. Bought a diff brand to replace.