Closed Chambers - Lighting setup, Fire hazard concerns?

Texas Scott

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Hey All -

Im looking to create my first closed chambers enclosure for my Indian Star and was wondering about lighting setup. For starters the wooden "box" i was planning on using is 36" H X 24" W X 48" L . Ill being using an 22" HO T5 fixture with Arcadia bulb, along with Che on a thermostat @80 degrees as well as a flood light for basking on a thermostat @100 degrees.

My biggest worry with it being wooden and closed is the potential to start a fire. So im just wondering what is the best way to prevent a fire or am I overthinking it? Hopefully as long as the thermostats are working, everything should be okay, I assume.

Which leads me into my next question. I dont want my thermostats to fail on me and dehydrate my Star. What is a good fail safe option?
 

wellington

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If your cutting holes in the top to set the Che and basking bulb, then line the rim of the hole with tin foil. This even prevents plastic from melting. If all lights and heat will be closed inside, do not place any hay, grasses, or plastic under the heating elements and with a high humidity, there will be less of a risk. However, there is always a risk, but this is true with any light, even a lamp bulb in your house lamp has a slight risk.
 

Tom

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Hey All -

Im looking to create my first closed chambers enclosure for my Indian Star and was wondering about lighting setup. For starters the wooden "box" i was planning on using is 36" H X 24" W X 48" L . Ill being using an 22" HO T5 fixture with Arcadia bulb, along with Che on a thermostat @80 degrees as well as a flood light for basking on a thermostat @100 degrees.

My biggest worry with it being wooden and closed is the potential to start a fire. So im just wondering what is the best way to prevent a fire or am I overthinking it? Hopefully as long as the thermostats are working, everything should be okay, I assume.

Which leads me into my next question. I dont want my thermostats to fail on me and dehydrate my Star. What is a good fail safe option?

Hi Dork. :)

You are over thinking it.

No need to go that tall. 24" will do it. You are just heating another 12" of air for no good reason at 36" high. This will also work better for your lumber since plywood comes in 4x8' sheets. Oh yeah… Use PLYWOOD, not OSB or any other kind of "particle" board.

I hang regular Home Depot ceramic based fixtures inside my 24" tall chamber and they work great. I use 65 watt flood bulbs set on timers for basking and 100 watt CHEs set on thermostats for night heat. I hang my HO UV tubes using a UV meter to get the height right. In your smaller chamber you might only need a 50 or 35 watt flood bulb. I like my ambient to creep into the 90's during the day and let my night temps drop to 79-80.

Like this:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/
 

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