Can I attatch my ZooMed Heat pad directly to tub?

[suzuki4life]

Do you even know how proportional thermostats work? There are no "switches" envolved.

On/offstage thermostats do use relays, so yes over time they will wear out, but they are considerably cheaper.

The temperature of a resistor is greatly influenced by the ambiant temperature around it. So unless the room stays constant the temperature of a UTH will change. Zoo-Med themselfs admit that a thermostat is necessary in rooms over 80 degrees. That proves that the temperature is dependent on the ambiant temperature.

Look to be within the safe/ideal range you have to lower the temperature of a UTH by at least 30 degrees. No single pane of glass or sheet of plastic commonly used in the reptile industry is capable of that, heck my cages that are made of 1/2" thick PVC can't do that.

A proportional thermostat varies the temperature slightly, even the cheaper pulse proportional thermostats and high end on/off style thermostats do this. Large temperature swings aren't great, but the point of a good thermostat is to keep the temperature constant. So there isn't going to be more than a few degrees in temperature flux.

if they can turn on and off, they use some variation of a current interrupting device (aka a switch). A relay is essentially a switch that cuts a power source when another source causes it to.(or vice versa)

[The Serpent Merchant]

I'm sorry but how does putting the probe in the tub/cage fix the hot spot issue? You are still only measuring one spot... So other areas could be hotter or colder than the spot where the probe is.

[The Serpent Merchant]

if they can turn on and off, they use some variation of a current interrupting device (aka a switch). A relay is essentially a switch that cuts a power source when another source causes it to.(or vice versa)

Ok, I try to keep things non-technical, but for this I have to get technical...

Most if not all thermostats use Triac's to control the output. The Triac has a gate that allows current to pass through or stops the flow of current. When you apply a trigger pulse at a controlled phase angle on an AC cycle, you can control the % of power that flows through like a flood gate. This is called a phase fired controller. Basically it is a self synchronized PWM (pulse width modulation) by syncing the gate signal with the input signal (AC sinwave) you can control the output with great precision.

All of this is solid state... No moving parts, nothing just semi conductive materials and physics. If solid state devices wore out easily (due to heat cycles or turning on/off rapidly) computers could not exist. A Triac will not wear out ever... Something else will break before it does.

[suzuki4life]

Ok, I try to keep things non-technical, but for this I have to get technical...

Most if not all thermostats use Triac's to control the output. The Triac has a gate that allows current to pass through or stops the flow of current. When you apply a trigger pulse at a controlled phase angle on an AC cycle, you can control the % of power that flows through like a flood gate. This is called a phase fired controller. Basically it is a self synchronized PWM (pulse width modulation) by syncing the gate signal with the input signal (AC sinwave) you can control the output with great precision.

All of this is solid state... No moving parts, nothing just semi conductive materials and physics. If solid state devices wore out easily (due to heat cycles or turning on/off rapidly) computers could not exist. A Triac will not wear out ever... Something else will break before it does.

so by your explanation and theory they should never break or wear out...

[suzuki4life]

I'm sorry but how does putting the probe in the tub/cage fix the hot spot issue? You are still only measuring one spot... So other areas could be hotter or colder than the spot where the probe is.

I've gone and dug out my zoo med Rh-4 UTH and my pyrometer. I'll post the average temp found in 15 minute increments for one hour. Will that suffice?

[The Serpent Merchant]

I don't see how that will measure the hot spot issue... And those things take days to get to their max temperature.

[suzuki4life]

I don't see how that will measure the hot spot issue... And those things take days to get to their max temperature.

set a time frame. I want to settle this.

[The Serpent Merchant]

I still don't understand the exact purpose for this test, but I would say that a week with temps measures a few times a day would yield an accurate data set.

[Hellacious]

[suzuki4life]

I still don't understand the exact purpose for this test, but I would say that a week with temps measures a few times a day would yield an accurate data set.

right off the bat we are all speculating what temps will transfer through the tub and exactly what kind of temps the pad will generate.

I've had pads fail. When they do, they stop working and go cold. I can't see this as a burn issue for a tub or a snake. However max temp and its impact is.

I've used these pads unregulated on roach bins without issue of a melted anything. Worst case scenario is the room goes warm and pad temp climbs, but does it reach a max? I have this in my sun room and in the next few days it should see temps from low 80's to mid to high 90's. (currently at 85)

so rather than bicker and argue we can see what happens.

pad is a zoomed rh-4
tub is a sterlite 28 qt
I will measure max temp found in the tub and then the temp of the bottom of the pad and compare.

This plastic does not melt at 140 degrees. So I feel safe from a fire but just in case there is a smoke alarm nearby.

You say 108 will fry the snake. Let's see if we get the temp and go from there.