Plastic tubs and heat

Sounds like you are measuring your temps but I have not read anything about your humidity level. How's that doing?

About dimmers: so you won't think that you've been jipped into paying 90 dollars more for a thermostat that "does the same thing." Dimmers can be set to only let your heat souce put out a fixed amount of heat. The problem here is if you have temperature fluctuations in your house. If you set your dimmer on a cooler day in your house, then if it gets warmer around summer time, your dimmer won't know that, and it will continue to deliver the same amount of energy to the heat source. The higher ambient temp in your house will cause your heat source to also raise in temperature. Thermostats are "smarter" than dimmers in the way that they are always reading the temperature of your heat source, and will always adjust the energy given to keep the heat source at the temperature you have set it to stay at.

The difference between a Helix or a Ranco/Johnson's is that Helix thermostats are proportional and the latter are an on/off type. Proportional thermostats will give a constant amount of energy to your heat source to keep it at a certain temperature. On/off types do just what the name suggests. They will send energy to your heat source until it reaches the desired temperature, then turn off until it falls to the pre-set limit (usually one degree lower), then turns on again. This leaves more room for temperature fluctuation, but as long as it is pre-set correctly, there shouldn't be a huge difference in fluctuations when compared to a proportional thermostat.

About using one thermostat for multiple strips of heat tape: this is possible as long as the watt ratings are equivalent to each other. You would not want to plug in a 50 watt and 100 watt heat source into the same thermostat.

That all being said, one of the set ups I use is a rack with 4" heat tape controlled by a Helix. I also have an oil-filled area heater to keep ambient room temperatures higher and more constant.

Humidity is an excellent question. Let me go check...

Ugh. It was at 37%. I misted and brought it up to about 60 for now. I don't like the way the humidity is fluctuating, but we're working on that too. As soon as we have our heat set up properly, we can work on getting a sustainable humidity system too. In the mean time, I'm misting every couple hours or so (Carey's at work supporting our family, so I don't mind misting his snake occasionally).

Thanks for all the details on the thermostats, etc. It's all so confusing, but I think it's starting to sink in... We greatly appreciate all the help! Ya'll were a lifesaver last night while Carey was fiddling with all the equipment and I was typing furiously away looking for answers and solutions. :) Thank you.

Heather

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Originally Posted by tmlowe5704

1986 is a 40 qt and is about 26 x 18

I think you are referring to the 1860/1960's:)

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Nope, I use the 1986, http://www.sterilite.com/Category.ht...uctCategory=35#

About humidity, do you have your water bowl set up? Have you made holes in the tub?

Low humidity is a good reason to switch to a shorter tub and/or lose the CHE and find a different way to increase your ambient cool side temps (ie oil-filled space heater).

The cage size question is a good one for Carey (SongOfMyself is his screen name). I'm allowed to help with ancillary services, but he makes all the decisions regarding the snake :P. Hopefully, he'll poke in and respond later. He actually has to work a real job, so he's not "here" as much as I am.

I do appreciate the thoughts on cage size, though. It does seem a shorter enclosure would be easier to maintain temp-wise. Thanks,

Heather

Oh, about the holes and what-not. No, there are very few holes in the tub except the opening for ventilation and heat where the CHE is (about five by five inches square with wire mesh).

I hope once we have heat tape and thermostat that we can do away with the CHE altogether. The room temp is in the upper 70s, so I would think we wouldn't need supplemental heat once we have heat tape. Once we're set up without the CHE, we'll hopefully have better luck with humidity. Still, I'm sure Carey will be giving thought to the tub size.

I've also set up a vaporizer in the room with the door shut. I'm hoping if I can bring the ambient humidity of the room up, it will help with the humidity in the tub. But, really, I think the CHE is the big problem right now, so once we solve that, I hope we'll be in business on humidity.

Reptile Basics, where we ordered our supplies, is not too far from us (an hour or two), so I'm hoping that means our supplies will arrive pronto. Anyone know if they're generally pretty quick about packing and shipping?

Thanks!!

Heather

Reptile Basics rocks and your supplies should arrive shortly.

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Nope, I use the 1986, http://www.sterilite.com/Category.ht...ctCategory=35#

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hmm never heard of people using those. is this an adult tub for you or a sub adult/juvie?

I believe that tub is larger than the 1960. I bought one for my Borneo python but she seems to have outgrown it.

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Originally Posted by Rapture

I believe that tub is larger than the 1960. I bought one for my Borneo python but she seems to have outgrown it.

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26 1/8"L x 18 1/4"W x 6 3/8" 1986
34 3/4"L x 16 1/2"W x 6"H 1960

The 1986 is taller and wider, but a good bit shorter length wise