THG Heat tape. Dimmer question

Saying "I don't understand" was a tactful way of saying what you are trying to do is stupid and backwards.

Please explain WHY you want minimal intervention from the t-stat? If you have a proportional t-stat, it will NOT EVER shut the tape off completely, it will simply adjust the output constantly, dimming and jacking up the heat as necessary.

How do you plan on getting your probe to stay I place overtop f the substrate?

And yes. Ambient temps are an issue, even if you're talking about your hot spot. Ambient temps and any minute fluctuations effect the hot spot if there is a dimmer involved. Period.

Your original question:

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"I was wondering if anyone uses this with a dimmer?

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Answer:

No. Because it isn't accurate.

Wow wow wow.... :rolleyes:

Ok...let ME break this down and make it very simple to you. But first let me apologize for commenting in reply to a point you had made and then adding my own thoughts afterward. That must have been exceedingly confusing.

My original quote is in blue...my explanation of my words in black.

I've been using the same on/off thermostat for years without any issues. They won't "burn out" after a few month's usage...at least, not if it's a quality t-stat.

This was a response to this statement made by you:

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Originally Posted by seang89

You understand that if I use a traditional thermostat (on/off only). It is going to be turning the heat tape on and off every half hour or so.
A few months of that and I'd probably burn out my thermostat from clicking on and off 48 times a day.

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Your argument that the t-stat would turn on and off so frequently to maintain proper temps pretty much cancels out your argument that your ambient temps stay steady and therefore a dimmer switch should work. Both of those situations can't be true.

I do concede that this was worded poorly, but was hardly call for such a snarky, back-handed response from you. I was trying to be helpful. If the ambient temperatures in your home are as steady as you seem to think they are, then the t-stat will not have to switch on and off as often, and then you would have less of a "wear and tear" issue with it. (Not that I think that is a real issue, as noted above, but you seem to think it is.)

I've lived in a LOT of different houses of all styles and environments...and NONE of them ever kept ambient temps in a range precise enough to support using a dimmer switch to maintain critical temps in a reptile enclosure.

The ambient temperatures in whatever room you keep your enclosures is directly related to the ambient temperatures within the enclosures themselves...which is directly related to how efficiently your heating elements run. Even you pointed out that your own home fluctuates as much as seven degrees throughout the day. And unless you live in a cave, anytime the weather changes, your home temperatures will swing with the weather until you adjust your house t-stat.

ALL that is trying to point out is that a dimmer switch is in no way a suitable method for maintaining consistent temps on heat tape UNLESS you have a closed room with its own ambient heating/cooling source that maintains room temperatures within 2-3 degrees, at most.

A quality thermostat (on/off OR proportional) is the BEST investment you'll ever make for your reptiles.

Of course I know you already have a t-stat. I was simply reiterating the fact that a quality t-stat (one you don't have to fear will burn out after just a short few months of usage!) really is THE BEST investment you can make for keeping your reptiles healthy and safe. Rather than trust them to the ambivalence of a dimmer switch, I would much rather invest my money in a t-stat that I am sure will do the job that I want done. My apologies for trying to say that with too few words.

Obviously, you'll do whatever you wish to do. And frankly, I don't really care what you choose to do. I'm a bit perplexed about why you brought it up in the first place if you didn't want to hear any other options, but not surprised. People do that all the time. Maybe you're just in a mood for an argument or something. I don't know.

Go....take care of your snakes however you think is best. I hope they stay warm and safe, no matter what.

I understand what you are trying to accomplish.

We have used rheostats with heat tape any number of times over the years. They just don't give the same level of precision that a high quality thermostat does. Rheostats can be used, but they are def not ideal.

I wouldn't recommend the joint rheostat/thermostat setup that you are suggesting. I have seen it recommended before, but I always thought it was an odd setup, and I can't imagine it working all that well.

I think a better choice would be two high quality thermostats. One at the proper set point. And the second set 5-10 higher as a fail safe.

We used this setup for years with our incubators, with great success. Jeff Ronne The Boaphile used to (still does?) sell a double Ranco thermostat prewired precisely this way. Those are the ones we used for our incubators.

You could accomplish the same thing with the Vivarium Electronics thermos, and they are especially nice because you can stack them.

I would rather see you go in this direction, even if the intial investment is a bit higher. You will get more precise output, and a safer long term result. Best of luck.

Isn't the op using the dimmer as a failsafe? There is a TStat the attempt to limit the Max temp with the dimmer. I'd use a secondary t stay as it is more reliable in unstable temps but a dimmer should still work fine with a TStat.

I don't believe a two or three degree variation in the width make a difference in a rack the air space will even it out anyway.


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Originally Posted by kitedemon

Isn't the op using the dimmer as a failsafe? There is a TStat the attempt to limit the Max temp with the dimmer. I'd use a secondary t stay as it is more reliable in unstable temps but a dimmer should still work fine with a TStat.

I don't believe a two or three degree variation in the width make a difference in a rack the air space will even it out anyway.


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No. You would think so, but the OP has it backwards, IMO. The OP wants to turn down the output of the heat tape so that the thermostat doesn't have to do as much work:

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Originally Posted by seang89

The plan is to use a dimmer in there and try to get it so that it stays a consistent 90-92f on the hotside, It will however be hooked up to a proportional thermostat just in case(johnson 419).

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by seang89

THG heat tape is supposed to run at around 110-115f. I want to use a dimmer to lower the output so that it isn't getting as hot when its on.

Basically so that the thermostat will not have to shut off the heat tape unless something goes wrong, or for whatever reason it gets to hot.

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That is how I read it too. The op is limiting the Max temp with a dimmer. There should be no issue as long as he does not need the high end. I think a second TStat as a failsafe is better as it will adjust with ambients. The next question is if the receipt tests have concluded flexwatt to run cooler why not use that then the dimmer becomes moot.


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