Zoo Med Repti Heat Cable

[Kyle@theHeathertoft]

Okay, so I'm always up for some product testing, right? While I spend a LOT of my time in the salon, I occasionally get called out to work the floor, and as such I like to know which products to reccomend and which to tell people to avoid (for example, I don't think our store has sold a heat rock in over a year, we all warn people how bad they suck). I picked up the Zoo Med Repti Heat Cable and plugged it into a rheostat set as low as it could without being OFF, and let it get warm. The package says you can use it in a zigzag as an UTH, or stick it to the side of the tank, or (GOD FORBID) actually put it RIGHT IN THE TANK, say...wrapped around a decoration or something.

After a few hours of being plugged into my rheostat, I checked on it...and oh my god it was a BILLION DEGREES. Okay that's a slight exaggeration, but still...it got WAY too hot for ME to touch, much less for my reptiles to sit on!

I returned it and made them put "I HATE THIS" for the reason for the return on the slip.

Just figured I'd share. If anyone considers this product...AVOID AVOID AVOID, I'm sure it'll cook your snake. Given how hot it got when using a dimmer, I can't imagine the harm it could cause if some idiot just plugged it straight into a wall!!!

[seeya205]

It probaly would be okay on a thermostat! Thanks for the warning!

[jfreels]

I think you got a bad one (rheostat). I use to use it with a rheostat on the cool side of my boa cage. I never had an issue with it. I was using the light dimmer at Home Depot to control it.

I would have thought the 8 watt heat pads would have been an issue because the use so little current. I don't have any issues with those either. I'll go along with you on not using it in the cage though. At least with any reptiles I have.

[waltah!]

If it's the ZooMed rheostat those things are notoriously bad. Anything I plug into them on the lowest setting get super hot. Lots of people use them with a Helix or Herpstat with no issue.

[The Mad Baller]

I have 50 feet of it inside some shelves which I used for baby geckos for the last year and it has always worked fine. I have it hooked uo to a helix thermostat though.

[Bruce Whitehead]

Heat cable is not ideal, due to inconsistent heating, but with a thermostat and a heat gun it is fine.

I have two that I use for backups when I have a snake on top of my rack as a temporary housing situation.

You cannot use a rheostat and then critique a heating element, you need a proper heat control product (thermostat). I would use a dial light dimmer for 3.0$ before I would use a zoo med rheostat.

Bruce

PS: not ripping on you.