New Ball Python Owner....?

[Kaorte]

Sure the OP should get a thermostat.
Wiring up a dimmer takes about 10 minutes. I would rather waste ten minutes on a patch then have my snake not have heat or have to much heat.
The OP had no idea what to do. Now the OP has a couple options.
You provided what you consider to be the simplest solution. You and I have no idea what other factors are at play for the OP.
The OP bought dimmer switches and was asking how to wire them. I was not making the OP's life harder. I was answer a direct question. You know....like we do here...on the forum.

For someone who is experienced, yes it wouldn't take much time at all. But the fact that he was even asking means he was struggling. I am not trying to start a fight. I know you were just trying to answer his question but personally, your answer made no sense to me. I figured if I didn't know how to wire a dimmer, and neither did the OP, he would also not understand your answer. So I gave him a different solution.

I don't understand why you are trying to achieve by arguing about this.

[Slim]

They sell piggy back dimmers that you can just plug the uth into. No wiring involved. They look like this:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...10000003+90401

This is THE way to go until you can get a T-Stat. I have used them, and still use them for some applications. Cutting and rewiring a UTH is not a safe option unless you have some electrical experience.

Personally, I have a strict rule about messing around with stuff I can't see...electricity falls into that category

[Egapal]

For someone who is experienced, yes it wouldn't take much time at all. But the fact that he was even asking means he was struggling. I am not trying to start a fight. I know you were just trying to answer his question but personally, your answer made no sense to me. I figured if I didn't know how to wire a dimmer, and neither did the OP, he would also not understand your answer. So I gave him a different solution.

I don't understand why you are trying to achieve by arguing about this.

I am not arguing. You are attacking my post and I am defending it. I think you and I just interpret things a bit different. I took the fact that the OP was asking as a sign that they wanted to learn. The fact they are posting on an internet forum shows they have the whole web at their fingertips. I understand that my answer made no sense to you, but I was not answering your question. If you don't know how to wire a dimmer its because you don't want to know how. The OP was asking, I gave the general idea and said to contact me if they need more info. I think your solution is great and apparently so did the OP. The reason we are still talking about it is because I believe that my answer was a perfectly logical answer to an asked question. You had already covered the one option. I was just giving another. Why do you hate my solution so much. Take a look at how its done. You might recognize this site. http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ghlight=dimmer

[Egapal]

This is THE way to go until you can get a T-Stat. I have used them, and still use them for some applications. Cutting and rewiring a UTH is not a safe option unless you have some electrical experience.

Personally, I have a strict rule about messing around with stuff I can't see...electricity falls into that category

I have the utmost respect for electricians and what they do. That being said. Its not exactly brain surgery. Of course no one should play with electricity without giving it the respect it deserves but it does not take a lot of education to learn how to safely wire a dimmer switch.

[Slim]

Its not exactly brain surgery. Of course no one should play with electricity without giving it the respect it deserves but it does not take a lot of education to learn how to safely wire a dimmer switch.

With age comes wisdom, and I have learned my limitations over the years. While wiring a dimmer switch may not be up there with launching the space shuttle, it's not something I feel is with-in my capabilites. I'm sure I'm not alone in that feeling. I'm happy that you have these skills, I'm sure they serve you well; not everyone is so blessed. It pays to keep that thought in mind when giving out advice to others.

[Egapal]

With age comes wisdom, and I have learned my limitations over the years. While wiring a dimmer switch may not be up there with launching the space shuttle, it's not something I feel is with-in my capabilites. I'm sure I'm not alone in that feeling. I'm happy that you have these skills, I'm sure they serve you well; not everyone is so blessed. It pays to keep that thought in mind when giving out advice to others.

Slim I see a picture of you holding an automatic rifle. They don't hand those out to people who don't know how to use them. If you can clean that gun, you can wire a dimmer switch. These are not skills that were hard to come by. If you have the desire you can obtain the skills. I am surprised how little credit we give others. So are you sticking by the statement that you are incapable of wiring a dimmer switch? If you had to wire one up tonight or your snake would die you are telling me your snake would be dead in the morning? You don't think you could look up the info you need on the computer you are reading this post on and figure it out. Electricity can be dangerous when not respected. I learned how to wire up simple switches and light bulbs in middle school shop class along with a whole lot of people that later went on to prove they are not all that bright.

[Slim]

Slim I see a picture of you holding an automatic rifle. They don't hand those out to people who don't know how to use them. If you can clean that gun, you can wire a dimmer switch. These are not skills that were hard to come by. If you have the desire you can obtain the skills. I am surprised how little credit we give others. So are you sticking by the statement that you are incapable of wiring a dimmer switch? If you had to wire one up tonight or your snake would die you are telling me your snake would be dead in the morning?

To paraphrase a quote from "Kill Bill", I'm a :cens0r:ing surgeon with an automatic rifle! I can also calculate the impact velocity of every air to surface weapon in the DoD inventory, in my head, based purely on initial release speed, release altitude, and slant range. However, that doesn't make me qualified to mess around with electrical wiring. I'm not trying to say a lot of others are in my boat, but I'm sure some are.

Could I wire up a switch if my snakes were gonna' be morts in the morning if I didn't, sure, but I really think that's taking your point out to edge of the cornfield.

[displacedinbc]

Hey Guys:

Relax please, no one needs to be a hero here. If you read what I posted, my concern was the ground wire. I have hooked up many light switches for walls as they all had receptacles for ground wires and 3 pronged plugs. My concern was whether I needed a ground wire hooked up to the UTH as it only has a 2 prong plug. I was concerned about electrical shocks as I was unsure if the dimmer needed to be grounded.

Anyways, I'm working on getting the 2nd tank set up as I type this.

And again, thank-you for all your help guys

[JeffJ]

i greounded my home made dual socket dimmer. its ALWAYS a good idea to ground. even if the devices you're using are not. if there is an internal or external short the outlet and dimmer being grounded out can prevent a fire.

[Slim]

Hey Guys:

Relax please

I'm cool as a bucket of ice...just talkin' amongst the boys