Thermostats with CHEs

pawsplus

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I have only used very low-wattage CHEs in the past--and not since Beasley's baby enclosure many years ago. I am experimenting with a 160 watt CHE in Beasley's 4x6 open indoor enclosure, and man is it hot. I raised the lamp it's in way up and have gotten it to be 90F in that area, which is OK, but I know many of you use thermostats on CHEs. Can someone tell me more about using them and what, exactly, to get? How do they work? With a lead into the the enclosure to determine the temp? Thanks!
 

Byron Todd

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This is what I use.

It has a probe that I've drilled into the enclosure so just the metal part sticks out. The settings on it are a little difficult to get a hang of but it basically works like this: You set a minimum temperature and a temperature difference. The heater clicks on when it hits the minimum temperature and continues to heat until it hits the minimum temperature + the temperature difference.

e.g. I set it to 85f with temperature difference of 5f. Heater clicks on at 85f and turns off at 90f.
 

pawsplus

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OK. I'm not sure how I would manage the probe. My enclosure is wood with 4 concrete mixing tubs inside, but there is also a plastic panel wall above the wood. Going through that would be ugly, and I'm not sure I see how that would protect the probe. Right now I put one in there, over the wall, when I need to check temps but I worry that Beasley will try to eat it so I don't leave it unattended. The same thing would be true of this probe, wouldn't it? It can't be lodged in the wall because then it would not be right under the CHE, so it would be loose in the enclosure and a swallow risk. Maybe I'm not understanding? Wish the probes were bigger.
 

pawsplus

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I guess I could set it so that it turns off when it gets to the temp where I known the actual temp under the CHE is higher? That could work.
 

Tom

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I have only used very low-wattage CHEs in the past--and not since Beasley's baby enclosure many years ago. I am experimenting with a 160 watt CHE in Beasley's 4x6 open indoor enclosure, and man is it hot. I raised the lamp it's in way up and have gotten it to be 90F in that area, which is OK, but I know many of you use thermostats on CHEs. Can someone tell me more about using them and what, exactly, to get? How do they work? With a lead into the the enclosure to determine the temp? Thanks!
First and foremost, we need to know what species you are housing? And what size tortoise?

Thermostats are simple and easy to use once you have one in your hands. Plug it into the wall, hang your thermostat on the cool side away from the heating elements, plug the CHE's fixture into the thermostat's receptacle, and use the thermostat's controls to set the ambient temp where you want it.

Tortoises usually won't mess with the probes, but you can hang it just out of reach if you want.
 

pawsplus

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Redfoot, 22 years old and about 11" SCL. I know I can hang it it out of the way, but then it's not under the CHE LOL.
 

Tom

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Redfoot, 22 years old and about 11" SCL. I know I can hang it it out of the way, but then it's not under the CHE LOL.
You don't want it anywhere near the CHE. If you put it under the CHE, it will shut off prematurely and the rest of the enclosure will be too cool. You want the probe far away from the CHE so that the coldest part of the enclosure away from the heat source stays as warm as you want it to.
 

Toddrickfl1

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I have only used very low-wattage CHEs in the past--and not since Beasley's baby enclosure many years ago. I am experimenting with a 160 watt CHE in Beasley's 4x6 open indoor enclosure, and man is it hot. I raised the lamp it's in way up and have gotten it to be 90F in that area, which is OK, but I know many of you use thermostats on CHEs. Can someone tell me more about using them and what, exactly, to get? How do they work? With a lead into the the enclosure to determine the temp? Thanks!
Imo experience there's really no need for a thermostat in an open top. The thermostat is really more for a closed enclosure that would have a risk of overheating. There's no risk of that in an open top. I only use them in my Redfoots hides that are heated. I also have a che mounted in the open enclosure but I don't use a thermostat on that one. The CHE will only create a small hotspot it won't warm the whole enclosure unless it's sealed.
 
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KarenSoCal

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Maybe a rheostat would help you. You can use your higher wattage CHE, lower it down closer to the table, and the rheostat limits how hot it can get.
 

pawsplus

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OK. I'm happy not to use one. I have a space heater in the room, which is small and closed off from the living room with a curtain. The enclosure ranges from 78 to 90F and now that I've raised the CHE up higher I feel pretty comfy with the temp directly underdog (90F or a little higher but no longer terrifyingly high). I have been able to turn down the space heater and still have good temps. So I guess we are good! Thanks everyone!
 

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