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Under Tank Heating

R

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Howdy all...

I'm still trying to search the archives here for an answer to this, but I thought I'd throw up a post while I was waiting. I'm pretty seriously considering a ball python, and wanted to get everything lined up (tank, heating, accessories) before hand so that I could get temps and humidity where they need to be.

I was looking into UTH, and I basically just wondered if there was any particular brand that anyone would like to mention (Zoo Med, T-Rex, Hagen, etc...) as being either good... or bad. Thanks much for your help, ta-ta for now!

~Derek
 
Welcome to the forums.

We had as many as 32 zoo-med UTH's running at 1 time and never had any problems with them. We wound up using flexwatt for all of our new racks because it was alot easier.
 
I would use flexwatt as well... Just alittle FYI exo-terra pads are Flexwatt.. made by the same manufacture...
 
I even use the zoo-meds in my incubator, 3 years now without a problem.

Are you aware of folks having problems with these mats?
 
Thanks for all the replies so far :spinny:

At the present, I'm looking into getting heating stuff for both me and my sister... I think I'll probably have a 10-20 gallon tank, and the tank that she has is about 5. I like this flexwatt stuff, but I wonder if it's really that cost effective for such a limited application. Not to mention that here at school, I haven't got ready access to tools (wire cutters, soldering iron, crimping tool, etc).

I guess basically what I'm getting at, is that it almost seems as though it might be easier just to do a ready-to-go UTH, rather than something that I'll have to take home and assemble.

Lemme know any thoughts, and thanks again for your previous replys! ta-ta.

~Derek
 
NEWReptiles said:
I even use the zoo-meds in my incubator, 3 years now without a problem.

Are you aware of folks having problems with these mats?
Click to expand...

Unfortunaty yes I do Al, me. have had bad experiences with these heat mats.Extreme hot spots, ceasing to work to a few hours then turning back on rampint.. I like the idea of a premad UTH, Exo-terra and Cobra's are my persona fav. I really dont care for any of zoo-meds items except for the the UV tubes and their CHE's. Now they seem to be a good product..
-MG
 
It sucks that you had problems, but with a finely tuned temp controller I should be ok.

I am however, glad I switched all of my new racks to flexwatt after hearing this.
 
Well the controler was a helix..lol.. But the part with the probe has the correct temp then 4" or so from if was like 107 and it was supposed to be 88... I was lucky...
 
how hard is it

How hard is it to put togeather the flexwatt? It seems you have to buy a lot of extras just to use it. I am bad at putting things togeather. Is it as hard as it sounds? You need the flexwatt, metal clips and insolatiors, stripped cord and foil tape, and a dimmer right? Did I mis anything. I want to use it but dont want to buy the parts and not be able to put it togeather
 
It isint hard at all.. Personally I sell the clips, inselators and cord in a set. I dimmer or thermostat is a must for any heating element..
 
:) I know I was looking at your site and was thinking about getting them. I saw you have a set that is already hooked up "ready to plug in" but how hard is hooking up the dimmer? I would idealy have 1.5ft of flexwatt but 2 feet would do. I would also need a second one for a 20gallon long tank, what would I need for that (that one is for a corn snake). Could you shoot me an email me how much it would be and how long it would take to get it?
 
Rheostat, Thermostat, Potentiometer, Dimmer... help?

Alright, so I picked up a few UTH's for myself and my sister, and I wanted to know your opinions on different ways of trying to control the temperature inside the terrariums. Most of the thermostats that are in my price range seem to be the "on-or-off" style, which I'm not crazy about. I was looking at the rheostats available, and I wondered how they differ from a potentiometer, or a regular old light bulb dimmer.

I was thinking that we should probably get seperate heat controllers (my sister and I), since the two snakes will have different temperature needs... and that really makes it more difficult to justify spending $50+ on a thermostat, since I'd be buying two of them.

ANYWAYS, this post could have probably been summed up into about 24 words... what's the most cost effective way to control temperatures inside a terrarium, given that I will be monitoring the temps every chance I get?

Thanks :) ta-ta.

~Derek
 
A dimmer and rheostat are the exact same thing. An on/off thermostat will give you more control than a dimmer. A dimmer will allow the temp to flux with the temp in the room. Of course a proportional thermostat will always be more accurate then a straight thermostat. This is one reason they are cheaper than a pulse. But then again they are more accurate thean a dimmer. Hope this helps,
-Matt
 
Fair enough...

I've got another question :). In looking for thermostats (pulse or standard on/off), the one's that I'm seeing are capable of handling 150-1000 watts of power. Now, I'm all for factors of safety on merchandise, but the total combined power of the two heaters that I'd be using is 10 watts. Is there a thermostat that has power handling capabilities closer to 25-50 watts? I guess what I'm hoping for is to find a thermostat that runs a bit cheaper than the ones that I've been seeing.

Granted, there's the thermostats from ESU and Zoo-Med that are closer to $20, but I guess I was a bit skeptical of their overall quality and temperature controlling abilities.

If anyone has experience with either of those products, or similarily priced thermostats, I'd be very interested in listening to whatever you had to say. Ta-ta for now.

~Derek
 
I wouldn't trade my Rancos

for the cheap stuff. I had a Zoo Med Thermastat that burned out in a year. It wouldn't heat evenly and all around sucked. I now use Rancos and love how tight I can control my temps. I'm using a Big Apple Herp Thermastat that is working out well but the temp probe is 1/2 in diameter and limits the unit as far as where I can use iton my cages. I'd go with the best Thermastat you can afford. You wouldn't buy anything cheap that YOUR life depended on and a good T-stat is cheaper than replacing your pet.Not to mention you can hook up multiple cages on a good T-stat.
 
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