Heat Shut Off (Prevent Overheating)

[AmandaGal]

I've been reading horror stories of thermostats malfunctioning and CHEs killing animals. Is there any kind of emergency backup type protection you can get for a reptile tank? Obviously, my leopard will be my first reptile, but I did have a reef tank at one point and I actually did have a heater malfunction wipe out my tank. I don't want to fry him.

I thought about getting something like an Accurite thermometer that sends temperature alarms and plugging the power strip into a smart plug I could access remotely, but that seems like a pretty complicated solution to something that should exist. There are quite a few solutions that send you temperature alerts, but I couldn't find any that actually allow you do anything about it.

 

[jaizei]

A thermostat set to go off at x* temperature.

Secondary, larger enclosures provide a greater opportunity for them to escape the heat/allows for an actual cool end.

 

[AmandaGal]

Thermostats malfunction is my concern. If it were to malfunction while I was away at work and turn the CHE on full blast, wouldn't it likely fry a tortoise in a closed chamber?

 

[JoesMum]

I've been reading horror stories of thermostats malfunctioning and CHEs killing animals. Is there any kind of emergency backup type protection you can get for a reptile tank? Obviously, my leopard will be my first reptile, but I did have a reef tank at one point and I actually did have a heater malfunction wipe out my tank. I don't want to fry him.

I thought about getting something like an Accurite thermometer that sends temperature alarms and plugging the power strip into a smart plug I could access remotely, but that seems like a pretty complicated solution to something that should exist. There are quite a few solutions that send you temperature alerts, but I couldn't find any that actually allow you do anything about it.

I can't say it's something I've seen of concern on here. And we have thousands of members.

Having a backup thermostat could make sense, but my gut feeling is that the risk is low.

A CHE is used to provide additional night time heat. Having it on a timer means that you know it will definitely go off in the morning when the basking bulb comes on.

The basking bulb must not be on a thermostat as the tort needs constant access to basking. Again a timer is good.

There's a bigger risk from fire, in my opinion, if the lamps are not securely hung over the enclosure. The lamp clamps can fail and let the lamp tip down. It's far better to hang lamps from some sort of lamp stand.

 

[Pearly]

Yes, there has been at least one tragic accident related to thermostat failure that I recall reading on here and several babies ended up dying. Most of the members here have thermostats and seem to like them I don't but I didn't work for my babies first year so they had lots of attention. I know that once I move them outside full time I'll have to have a thermostat in their night house.

 

[AmandaGal]

I can't say it's something I've seen of concern on here. And we have thousands of members.

Having a backup thermostat could make sense, but my gut feeling is that the risk is low.

A CHE is used to provide additional night time heat. Having it on a timer means that you know it will definitely go off in the morning when the basking bulb comes on.

The basking bulb must not be on a thermostat as the tort needs constant access to basking. Again a timer is good.

There's a bigger risk from fire, in my opinion, if the lamps are not securely hung over the enclosure. The lamp clamps can fail and let the lamp tip down. It's far better to hang lamps from some sort of lamp stand.

I already have thought about fires, but I mounted both lights far enough away from the walls that I don't think it should be an issue (and there is a remotely monitored smoke alarm above the enclosure...not that that would save the tortoise if I were away).

I actually never thought to put the CHE on a timer too. That would probably make me feel better, if the basking lamp can keep the ambient temps up. I'll have to experiment with that. It's an idea I never thought of. Currently, I have the basking light on a timer on one side, the heater in the middle hooked to a thermostat and the probe for the thermostat is at the cool end. I have it set to 80.

I'm probably just being paranoid. I should stop reading stories of baby tortoise deaths. Or maybe I should just turn them all on and see how hot it gets / how long it takes. *Note: I don't have a tortoise yet. I said that before, but the last part sounds really mean if you didn't catch that**

 

[JoesMum]

The thing is that it's the horror stories that you find reported. What you don't see is all the thousands of people who use them day in day out without a problem. Why would you?

Yes, there's a risk. What you have to do is take precautions to minimise risk (like hanging lamps and not using clanps)

Having two thermostats might be overkill, but it's up to you whether you do it and can afford it or not.

 

[saginawhxc]

You could always run two thermostats, but honestly it seems like overkill. I would have to think accidents from the thermostats failing would be rare and far between. Freak accidents really.

I guess it could happen, but so could a million other things we can't control. I personally wouldn't worry too much about it.

This brings up a question though to those that are using pet industry thermostats. How reliable are they? How durable? I'm a HVAC control electrician, so I always have access to quality thermostats that I've used in my enclosures. I've never used any of the store bought ones made for the pet industry. Just curious.

 

[wellington]

I think the risk your worried about might have details missing in some of those stories. Like what a Jaizei said. Too small of an enclosure could and is dangerous even with it over heating. Heat rises, so with a proper sized enclosure in length and height, I would think the risk would be low.

 

[keepergale]

Reptile Basics among others sells thermostats paired/wired together so it would take both thermostats failing at the same time to cook your babies.

 

[Tom]

The dual thermostat thing wold work, but also, if your CHE is of the correct wattage the chamber should not overheat to deadly level even if they stuck on.

What size is your closed chamber and what wattage CHE are you running?

 

[AmandaGal]

It's 5 feet by 31 inches wide by 30 inches tall. The CHE is 100 watts. I'm going to test it full on and see what happens.

 

[saginawhxc]

Allowing that the CHE probably hangs 6" down or so, plus a couple of inches of substrate, I'm guessing you sit at least 18" above the surface of your substrate. While 5'x2.5' is by no means a huge nclosure I would assume it gets him enough space to get away from the CHE itself to avoid being cooked. I also can't imagine the single 100w bulb cooking the entire enclosure, but maybe I'm underestimating the heating power of CHE's.

 

[Speedy-1]

Allowing that the CHE probably hangs 6" down or so, plus a couple of inches of substrate, I'm guessing you sit at least 18" above the surface of your substrate. While 5'x2.5' is by no means a huge nclosure I would assume it gets him enough space to get away from the CHE itself to avoid being cooked. I also can't imagine the single 100w bulb cooking the entire enclosure, but maybe I'm underestimating the heating power of CHE's.

I would agree . Good example I have a Kane heat mat in Speedy's night box , on a cool night he sleeps right on top of it. Yesterday was sort of warm all night and he slept in a corner away from the mat ! If they have the room they will "self adjust" , that is the whole warm side cool side idea !
When Speedy was inside I also found that a 100 watt CHE was too much for summer night heat , so I got a 60 watt one for the summer so as not to overheat the enclosure ! The CHE,s do get pretty hot !

 

[AmandaGal]

So, I've had all the lights/heaters on full blast since I last posted (so about 5 hours) and I guess I'm paranoid for nothing. The warm side of the tank is too warm (under the basking light is 107) but the cool side is still only 89 (my house to thermostat is set on 77 degrees). It's actually hotter directly under the CHE than the basking light (its 115 under the CHE). There's moss to climb under on the cool side too (it's probably cooler under the moss). He might be uncomfortable, but I think he'd survive.

The horror stories must, like you guys said, have smaller enclosures. I still think I might get a thermometer with an audible alarm so I could be alerted as soon as nearby that the temp was high (or too low, but that's not as worrisome as I usually keep my house fairly warm. I think I'm part reptile).

Thanks for humoring my paranoia

 

[Tom]

Thanks for humoring my paranoia

Thanks for caring enough to be paranoid.

 

[Kevin Tran]

If there is a cool side to an enclosure, is there a real danger of "heatstroke""? I'd assume a tortoise would just wake up and move to the cool side if it gets too hot.

 

[AmandaGal]

I was honestly overestimating how hot those heat emitters got. Reading about them malfunctioning, I was imagining them be oven hot and I saw several warnings never to run them without a thermostat for fear of them melting fixtures, setting fire to substrate, etc. which is why I hadn't really thought to run it without one, until everyone here said it was no big deal. Something that heats up to ~400 degrees would probably heat the whole thing fairly quickly, even the cool side.

It didn't seem any warmer than a normal 100 watt incandescent bulb, which is definitely hot enough to melt plastic or burn skin, but I think the fear of spontaneously combusting substrate is unwarranted, unless the fixture fell on.

 

[Speedy-1]

I was honestly overestimating how hot those heat emitters got. Reading about them malfunctioning, I was imagining them be oven hot and I saw several warnings never to run them without a thermostat for fear of them melting fixtures, setting fire to substrate, etc. which is why I hadn't really thought to run it without one, until everyone here said it was no big deal. Something that heats up to ~400 degrees would probably heat the whole thing fairly quickly, even the cool side.

It didn't seem any warmer than a normal 100 watt incandescent bulb, which is definitely hot enough to melt plastic or burn skin, but I think the fear of spontaneously combusting substrate is unwarranted, unless the fixture fell on.

I wouldn't want you to underestimate them either Amanda , I recently tested my 60 watt CHE and after allowing it to warm up for 1 hour it read 240 degrees F. !