Clamp Lamp Fears

[cherylim]

As many of you know, I'm preparing excessively for the arrival of my tortoise. I'll get her some time this month, and obviously I'm very excited as the time grows near. My wonderful fiance has put together my tortoise table, and I have my food and water bowls, and today my substrate and clamp lamp arrived in the post. I've been setting things up tonight, and it all looks fine, but I just can't help being scared of the clamp lamp and potential fire risk.

Can people reassure me, or offer advice to help me feel safer? I work full time so though I'm taking time off work to help my tortoise settle in, I'll then be out for nine or so hours, five days a week. We've clamped the light up, and it feels sturdy, and we tested it together, but I'm still worried that perhaps it will slip one day, or grow loose without being obvious, causing a fire when I'm out.

As far as a failsafe goes, my fiance has offered to tape the cable up, but I doubt tape will do a lot if the lamp slips or falls. I've been trying to think of an alternative, but I can't. I'm aware I'm probably being overly paranoid, but I've always had a fear of fire and don't want that fear destroying my enjoyment of my new friend.

 

[lynnedit]

As many of you know, I'm preparing excessively for the arrival of my tortoise. I'll get her some time this month, and obviously I'm very excited as the time grows near. My wonderful fiance has put together my tortoise table, and I have my food and water bowls, and today my substrate and clamp lamp arrived in the post. I've been setting things up tonight, and it all looks fine, but I just can't help being scared of the clamp lamp and potential fire risk.

Can people reassure me, or offer advice to help me feel safer? I work full time so though I'm taking time off work to help my tortoise settle in, I'll then be out for nine or so hours, five days a week. We've clamped the light up, and it feels sturdy, and we tested it together, but I'm still worried that perhaps it will slip one day, or grow loose without being obvious, causing a fire when I'm out.

As far as a failsafe goes, my fiance has offered to tape the cable up, but I doubt tape will do a lot if the lamp slips or falls. I've been trying to think of an alternative, but I can't. I'm aware I'm probably being overly paranoid, but I've always had a fear of fire and don't want that fear destroying my enjoyment of my new friend.

Is it for the UVB/heat bulb? if so, you would want to hang the fixture so it faces straight down, as they don't work well at a slant. You can use a lamp stand like
http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/EntryDetail.php?EntryID=83&DatabaseID=2&SearchID=20
and should be able to find this in the UK. or, you can fashion a cross piece out of wood and use chain to hang the light, which means you can adjust the light up or down based on temps.
If the clamp lamp is for a heat source only, try adding a "C: clamp that you screw down to secure the clamp lamp.

 

[Tom]

lynnedit said it best. I never use the clamps. I always suspend mine from above.

You are right to be worried about it. Many of us have had close calls in the past.

 

[Nay]

Hi there,
I came home one day and my substrate was smoking, for exactly the title. Clamp light, my RF Jack had pushed some dirt enough to knock the clamp light off. We ended up actually taking 2 screws and put them on each side of where they clamp, then took some wire and wired them together. I will take a pic if I get some time when I get home, but until I can come up with something better, we are happy. It was quite scary and glad I didn't do errands after work.
Good luck they keep us hopping!
NAy

 

[cherylim]

lynnedit said it best. I never use the clamps. I always suspend mine from above.

You are right to be worried about it. Many of us have had close calls in the past.

Thanks. I'm not a very practical person, though. How would I suspend it, and what with? This is the lamp as it's currently set up (I'm sure you've seen similar hundreds of times)

I have the following 'loop' on the bottom of the wood, to hang the lamp from, but I'm just not sure how to hang it safely and securely if I use that:

Edit: Also, please ignore the lack of substrate. Adding more once I get this light how I want it!

 

[Tom]

In that scenario a simple partially driven screw on the top, and a zip tie on that loop on the bottom, should secure it just fine.

The only problem I see is the inability to raise or lower it to adjust your basking temp.

You could also make an "L" out of 2x4s and attach it to that shelf so that the long part of the "L" over hangs the pen. Then you could hang the lamp from that and be able to adjust it up or down.

 

[cherylim]

In that scenario a simple partially driven screw on the top, and a zip tie on that loop on the bottom, should secure it just fine.

The only problem I see is the inability to raise or lower it to adjust your basking temp.

You could also make an "L" out of 2x4s and attach it to that shelf so that the long part of the "L" over hangs the pen. Then you could hang the lamp from that and be able to adjust it up or down.

Great, thank you!

As I expected, something very obvious has made me so much more confident, and I just couldn't see it.

I've just put the screw in the top, and tried to unclamp it and it's not going anywhere. Far more secure instantly. I'll buy a cable tie for the bottom in a few days, and will be confirming temperatures again once it's all set up. It'll be easy enough to go onto a more complex design if I don't get the temperatures right, but hopefully I will.

 

[lynnedit]

That will work! Nice lamp overall.

 

[cherylim]

That will work! Nice lamp overall.

Thanks! Didn't think they were quite so big until it arrived, but now that it's set up and feeling a bit more secure I'm really happy with it. Just need a companion to share it with now...hurry up tortoise!