Heat Pad too HOT!

Hi, just put my new zoo med heat pad on, but it goes all the way up to 105! IS there anyway I can lower the temperature without buying a rheostat? Perhaps, if I tape a whole bunch of heat tape on the heated area followed by the substrate, will that cool things down? Also, I heard newspaper is okay, but I was wondering if catalog/coupon newspapers are okay too?
Help me Please! thanks

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...atalogId=10053

They have them in the lighting section at Home Depot (not in the Electrical section!), and they're only about $10. I assume cost is the problem with the real rheostats?

I have these dimmers on all my tanks now, and they work pretty well. You have to check the temps and tweak them every other month or so.

Definitely go get a dimmer. No matter what substrate you use there will be the chance that your BP can get under the substrate and reach those high temps. I use paper towels and every so often I find one of my BPs rearranging its tub and hiding under the paper towels. That's why I'm so careful with the UTH temps!

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Originally Posted by Kuzar

Hi, just put my new zoo med heat pad on, but it goes all the way up to 105! IS there anyway I can lower the temperature without buying a rheostat? Perhaps, if I tape a whole bunch of heat tape on the heated area followed by the substrate, will that cool things down? Also, I heard newspaper is okay, but I was wondering if catalog/coupon newspapers are okay too?
Help me Please! thanks

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You need to purchase a lamp dimmer like loonunit linked you to ASAP!

105 is WAY too hot!!!

As everyone else already stated, the only way you can get the temp to lower is regulating the power flow to the pad with a dimmer/rheostat, or thermostat.

Not sure if I misread, but were you considering putting tape inside the tank? Just to let you know, there should NEVER be tape used inside of their enclosure... not a pretty sight when they get stuck, as they most likely will. :oops: And yes, definitely buy a dimmer asap!

Dimmers only work in a stable room temperature, get a t-stat even a repti-temp 5000R is better than a rheostat/dimmer in a room that has fluctuating temps.

http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiT.../dp/B0002AQD9A

ooops double post...

Thats a great idea snakeRkewl:gj:

thanks everyone. I went to home depot and got a lamp light dimmer. It works pretty well, but everytime the temperature changes in my room, the heater gets hotter or colder, so I have to check every hour.

I also have to check mine every hour but am about to get my thermostat. Dimmers really suck if the heat changes in the room.

Kuzar, I use a lamp dimmer for my one and only tank and it is set very much below half way, how are you measuring the temps of the bottom of the tank/tub and above the substrate? I live by my temp gun, if your using a digital thermometer they are not as accurate with the hot spots and can be easily pushed out of the way by your bp and give inaccurate readings. I suggest the dimmer as a short term thing with a temp gun (tempguns.com has a great model on sale for $35), the dimmer won't protect your bp if it decides to short out or there's an issue with the power. A thermostat however, will.

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Originally Posted by LGray23

the dimmer won't protect your bp if it decides to short out or there's an issue with the power. A thermostat however, will.

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Actually, a t-stat will fault out to full power while a rheostat fault out open and no power will pass though.

Try this one on for size.
http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...3126231&sr=1-1

i use the repti-temp 500r myself and although i have to monitor the temps VERY closely and adjust the thermostat every now and then, i really dont mind cuz it just gives me something to do.

It baffles me that one wouldn't want to purchase a thermostat to protect their pet. It's one of the single most important investments that you can make for your animal. When you calculate the cost in terms of the lifespan of your snake, it's just pennies a day investment.

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Originally Posted by LGray23

Kuzar, I use a lamp dimmer for my one and only tank and it is set very much below half way, how are you measuring the temps of the bottom of the tank/tub and above the substrate? I live by my temp gun, if your using a digital thermometer they are not as accurate with the hot spots and can be easily pushed out of the way by your bp and give inaccurate readings. I suggest the dimmer as a short term thing with a temp gun (tempguns.com has a great model on sale for $35), the dimmer won't protect your bp if it decides to short out or there's an issue with the power. A thermostat however, will.

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I see, well I'm currently using one of those thermometer/hydrometer combos. I haven't yet recieved my snake (coming tomorrow), we'll see if it gets the job done. However, I do eventually want to get a thermostat, but I heard they are pretty expensive.
Anyone know any cheap and reliable thermostats available?
PS: I stickied the temp wire directly to the hot spot on the inside of the tub, opposite the heat pad, then put some newspaper over it. If it reads 95 degrees, how much heat is lost going through the newspaper?
Thanks for the help everyone:)

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Originally Posted by TheWinWizard

Try this one on for size.
http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...3126231&sr=1-1

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Sorry for sounding dumb :confused:, but how does it work?
Do you plug the heat pad cord into the thermostat, then plug the thermostats cord into the wall? Then you can control the heat pad temperature with the thermostat? Thanks, this seems to be the most stressfull part of keeping snakes.:tears:

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Originally Posted by Kuzar

Sorry for sounding dumb :confused:, but how does it work?
Do you plug the heat pad cord into the thermostat, then plug the thermostats cord into the wall? Then you can control the heat pad temperature with the thermostat? Thanks, this seems to be the most stressfull part of keeping snakes.:tears:

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That's basically how it works. You tape the probe from the thermostat to the bottom of the heat pad. You sill need to use a thermometer though. Want to make sure it's no too warm.

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Originally Posted by TheWinWizard

That's basically how it works. You tape the probe from the thermostat to the bottom of the heat pad. You sill need to use a thermometer though. Want to make sure it's no too warm.

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So, it isn't an actual plug? You tape the probe to the heat pad and it can control the temps just from the probe, no plug ins?

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Originally Posted by Kuzar

So, it isn't an actual plug? You tape the probe to the heat pad and it can control the temps just from the probe, no plug ins?

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No, your first assumption was correct. You plug your heat pad into the thermostat, the thermostat plugs into the wall. You adjust the temp on the thermostat and it regulates the power output to the heat pad... The probe from the thermostat reports the current temp back to the Tstat so it knows if it needs to output more or less and adjusts accordingly.

Personally I'd recommend a good thermostat. One that has the ability to deliver accurate temps the 500r isn't good at that, and the hydrofarm specs are also not so great. A good proportional T-stat that is twice as accurate as the fore mentioned runs in the range of 100$ it isn't that much money especially when you look at heating costs and caging costs, and animal costs. Any of the big four produce great gear pick one. (helix, herpstat VE300 or ecozone) My opinion, any of the proportional systems are designed with reptiles in mind and do what you expect them to do.

Can u reccomend one for around that price that will be able to control 6 diff pieces of flexwatt?

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Originally Posted by Kuzar

thanks everyone. I went to home depot and got a lamp light dimmer. It works pretty well, but everytime the temperature changes in my room, the heater gets hotter or colder, so I have to check every hour.

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Hey Kuzar, it doesn't need to be precisely 90F all the time. It's natural for everything, including the hot spot, to be a little cooler at night. Just make very sure it's never getting above 95F at the hottest time of the day, and check it again in another day. Once you get it adjusted properly, you can draw a mark on the dimmer with white-out or a washable marker, and then you shouldn't have to mess with it more than once a month.

Yeah, a real helix or herpstat would be better. But if this is your first and only animal, you should be able to make this work for your situation for a good long while.

Oh, and general rule of thumb: you want to see the snake thermoregulating itself during the day. If the animal is ALWAYS in the hot spot, you probably want to check the temps and consider bumping them up a couple degrees. If the animal is NEVER in the hot spot, you probably want to check the temps and because you might want to bump them down.

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Originally Posted by loonunit

Hey Kuzar, it doesn't need to be precisely 90F all the time. It's natural for everything, including the hot spot, to be a little cooler at night. Just make very sure it's never getting above 95F at the hottest time of the day, and check it again in another day. Once you get it adjusted properly, you can draw a mark on the dimmer with white-out or a washable marker, and then you shouldn't have to mess with it more than once a month.

Yeah, a real helix or herpstat would be better. But if this is your first and only animal, you should be able to make this work for your situation for a good long while.

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One question: Does the substrate (newspaper) take away alot of heat? If so, how much degrees?

That depends on how many sheets you have in there. You need to take the temp on top of whatever substrate you use, it will tend to be cooler then what you have the pad set to.

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Originally Posted by fonzi1289

Can u reccomend one for around that price that will be able to control 6 diff pieces of flexwatt?

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What were you planning on for the flexwatt? If it was used in an identical set up a herpstat helix would do the job if they are 6 different set ups you need 6 systems.