Quote Originally Posted by JLC View Post
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.

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'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.

A quality thermostat (on/off OR proportional) is the BEST investment you'll ever make for your reptiles.
Did you not read that I said I already have thermostat? The argument your posing makes no sense to what I actually said.
You need to read things better before you try to formulate a response.

Theres just so much wrong with your first sentence I'm not even going to pick it apart and show you what you're looking at bass ackwards.

I maintain a hotspot of 92-93 with ambient temperatures of 77-83 All year round. I don't know what kind of houses you lived in, if you have so much trouble keeping ambient temperatures. Ambient temperatures are not an issue for me whatsoever.

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Moving forward.

I've already got the answer I've been looking for. What I want to be done can be achieved(though it may not be as consistent as needed) . I've already got a few strips hooked up in parallel connected to a dimmer. Im going to be taking readings from it for a couple weeks checking how consistent each strip is staying heated. If it passes that test. I'm going to end up using it (even if failure rate with dimmers is higher) cause if my dimmer fails, the strips will go full power and my T-stat will just shut everything down.

If readings arn't consistent when hooked up to a dimmer, there's no point of using this method. And I will use standalone t-stat with the heat tape.