Dimming Thermostat help

LeanneW

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2018
Messages
34
Location (City and/or State)
Oxford
Hi Everyone,

just looking for a bit of advice, I have a Habistat high range dimming thermostat capable of holding a 600w 230v bulb
which i used a 100w bulb in and for the most part it works well heating to temperature fine and warming Pebble lovely.

Lately though i have noticed that the thermostat is not as receptive as it used to be, i have it turned up as high as it can go just to get output and its not responsive to the prove in tank.
the thermostat is now longer dimming now just more on/ off.
I also know it isn't heating up as well as it used too, certainly it does not give off the same amount of heat as before.

so my question is:

Do you think it could be fuse issue or do you think I need to replace the whole thermostat?

I don't know what the lifespan of thermostats are and this on is 2 years old.

Thank you!
Leanne
 

Blackdog1714

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5 Year Member
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Jul 30, 2018
Messages
4,666
Location (City and/or State)
Richmond, VA
have you changed the bulb recently, especially to an LED. That seems like a very robust thermostat so just wondering if its what lamps you are using
 

Tom

The Dog Trainer
10 Year Member!
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Jan 9, 2010
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63,264
Location (City and/or State)
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Hi Everyone,

just looking for a bit of advice, I have a Habistat high range dimming thermostat capable of holding a 600w 230v bulb
which i used a 100w bulb in and for the most part it works well heating to temperature fine and warming Pebble lovely.

Lately though i have noticed that the thermostat is not as receptive as it used to be, i have it turned up as high as it can go just to get output and its not responsive to the prove in tank.
the thermostat is now longer dimming now just more on/ off.
I also know it isn't heating up as well as it used too, certainly it does not give off the same amount of heat as before.

so my question is:

Do you think it could be fuse issue or do you think I need to replace the whole thermostat?

I don't know what the lifespan of thermostats are and this on is 2 years old.

Thank you!
Leanne
I wouldn't use a dimming thermostat for a heat lamp. The sun needs to be out all day in an indoor enclosure. You also want a warmer spot of 95-100 degrees (36-37) directly under that basking bulb, but you certainly don't want the entire enclosure heating up that much. Your basking bulb should be on a timer, not a thermostat. If your basking bulb is running too hot, the solution is to raise it up, or get a lower wattage bulb.

Thermostats are for maintaining ambient heat. Use it with a CHE or a RHP. If it is not maintaining temps it could be because room temp is now too cold (winter) and you don't have enough wattage to do the job.
 
O

Olive_Hermann

Guest
I wouldn't use a dimming thermostat for a heat lamp. The sun needs to be out all day in an indoor enclosure. You also want a warmer spot of 95-100 degrees (36-37) directly under that basking bulb, but you certainly don't want the entire enclosure heating up that much. Your basking bulb should be on a timer, not a thermostat. If your basking bulb is running too hot, the solution is to raise it up, or get a lower wattage bulb.

Thermostats are for maintaining ambient heat. Use it with a CHE or a RHP. If it is not maintaining temps it could be because room temp is now too cold (winter) and you don't have enough wattage to do the job.


Tom, I feel like I need to explain why these thermostat would be useful.
Where I am in the UK is very cold at the moment so the centre heating is on all day, therefore the room temperature rises and drops all day, but around late afternoon it’s probably at the warmest temperature of the day around 38c, which is too hot for baby and she goes off to hide. I’m using an Arcadia 100w flood.
I could raise the bulb lamp higher to cool the area underneath it but then once the bulb switches off (timer on for 12 hours) I then have to lower it again for temperature to be right for the next day etc etc I really dont want to do that, it’s not consistent, so the dimming is there so in the afternoon when temperatures peak the dimmer dims the bulb so the temperature is within ideal temperature of 35-37c.
I’ve tried using a lower watt bulb but it doesn’t heat up enough unless I want it very close to tort and I’ve read it is better to have a large lamp holder with higher watt bulb at a further distance then lower closer to tort (tortoisetrust.org). I don’t want the temperatures too hot everyday as this can be drying. We can’t get the incandescent light bulb in the UK as they not made anymore (I learned this and few weeks back, I read your post about them, then went to B&Q and couldn’t find them and had to ask a staff member ?...). So just to clarify why I am going to starting using one, to control the temperature at the hottest time of the day, so temperatures aren’t too hot and dehydrated. I know tortoises would normal go hide in nature but elements would be different in nature as well. ??‍♀️
Regards, Jay
 
O

Olive_Hermann

Guest
Tom, I feel like I need to explain why these thermostat would be useful.
Where I am in the UK is very cold at the moment so the centre heating is on all day, therefore the room temperature rises and drops all day, but around late afternoon it’s probably at the warmest temperature of the day around 38c, which is too hot for baby and she goes off to hide. I’m using an Arcadia 100w flood.
I could raise the bulb lamp higher to cool the area underneath it but then once the bulb switches off (timer on for 12 hours) I then have to lower it again for temperature to be right for the next day etc etc I really dont want to do that, it’s not consistent, so the dimming is there so in the afternoon when temperatures peak the dimmer dims the bulb so the temperature is within ideal temperature of 35-37c.
I’ve tried using a lower watt bulb but it doesn’t heat up enough unless I want it very close to tort and I’ve read it is better to have a large lamp holder with higher watt bulb at a further distance then lower closer to tort (tortoisetrust.org). I don’t want the temperatures too hot everyday as this can be drying. We can’t get the incandescent light bulb in the UK as they not made anymore (I learned this and few weeks back, I read your post about them, then went to B&Q and couldn’t find them and had to ask a staff member ?...). So just to clarify why I am going to starting using one, to control the temperature at the hottest time of the day, so temperatures aren’t too hot and dehydrated. I know tortoises would normal go hide in nature but elements would be different in nature as well. ??‍♀️
Regards, Jay

 

LeanneW

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2018
Messages
34
Location (City and/or State)
Oxford
Thank you all for your replies,

I agree with Tom, as I keep pebble in my room which is a converted garage with no heating using the summer had meant I could maintain a constant temp throughout the day that meant it was hot enough.

However I think the thermostat was at the end of its life and so I have taken advice and switched it to the on/off thermostat which fingers crossed and at present is working well.

With one happy tort ?
 
O

Olive_Hermann

Guest

Can I just say this isn’t the correct thermostat for a tortoise, it needs to be the higher temperature one! I made the mistake and ordered this only to return it and reorder..
Also I would like to note that I changed my lamp bulb holder from black dome to a silver metal one today and the temperature difference was a big change, the silver metal one gets temperatures much higher. I went out a bought an Arcadia 75w from 100w and still can get it down to 35c. I definitely agree with Tom about changing bulbs to see if you can get the right temperature from switching to higher/lower watt bulb. Will try a 50w next and if that doesn’t work I’ll have to use dimmer.
 
O

Olive_Hermann

Guest
Hi,

I just wanted to update this. I was wrong! I didn’t end up getting another thermostat but tried the 50watt bulb in the metal bulb hold and the temperature is perfect. I am sorry I was a bit defensive but I truly though there wasn’t a way of getting the temperature steady.
so in case anyone reads this and see my last message and thinks buying this type of product based on what I said I wanted to correct this...
Thanks
 

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