| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| tracym |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 18:34:15
I have a heat mat and stat on the side of the viv and a 20w heat lamp on during the day off during the night. After about 6 weeks the heat lamp bulb stops working, this had happened on several occasions so I took the lamp and bulbs back to the shop. They plugged it in and it all worked!!! He said the plastic might expand if it was warm so said to try a ceramic light fitting. I have had this for approx 6 weeks and this morning the bulb is not working!! I have changed the bulb and its still not working. I have had out my electric wand thingy (technical term) that checks for power and there is power all the way to the ceramic fitting but still won't work when I put in a new bulb.
Anyone have any ideas?? I don't want to keep paying out for bulbs at £10 for 2 and we have checked the electric, fuses etc. |
| 17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| a33272 |
Posted - 08/03/2012 : 11:50:35
depends if you got big ears that suffer from heat loss |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 08/03/2012 : 11:46:14
What is it with shops and using mats at the side? You wouldn't mount the hot water bottle you were using that night to the head board of your bed XD |
| a33272 |
Posted - 08/03/2012 : 11:02:12
yeah thought it might of been them. trust me the mat on the side is pointless for a corn. id say 90% of users here are using mats on the base or lamp but non that i know of have it set up like you.
as Paulie just said snakes get burnt on mats for 2 reasons either its not stated (an to be fair corns are unlikey to suffer burns as they can just move away from it) or the mat is being used for a heavy bodied snake like a royal etc in which case they dont get burnt because of faulty equipment its because of thermal blocking due to there size an weight.
a mat is fine for corns :D |
| tracym |
Posted - 08/03/2012 : 10:40:52
Yes it was Evolution Reptiles in headington. He said he does this with his snakes and has never had any problems, which to be fair neither had I until the stupid light/bulb stopped working.
Rusty eats well, sheds well and comes alive in the evening when I turn off his light so hopefull he will be just as happy without his little lamp.
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| paulie78 |
Posted - 08/03/2012 : 10:21:09
quote:
Originally posted by tracym
Hi All
thanks for your replies. I have a 2ft viv, a mat on the wall with a mat stat and a 20w halogen mini bulb with cage. The bulb doesn't alter the temperature much but it just gave Rusty somewhere to sit if he needed a little extra warmth (it really doesn't get very hot)
I cannot fathom out what is wrong with either the bulbs or the light fitting so when I change to a 3ft viv in a couple of weeks I will try the mat on the floor with the stat and buy a much lighter colour so that I can see him
A mat on the floor is perfectly safe for corns as long as its statted royals on the other hand is a no no you definately dont need both id do as the others have suggested lose the bulb stick to a statted mat |
| a33272 |
Posted - 08/03/2012 : 08:08:09
acctually think i got an idea from the set up u got. was it a shop in headington? |
| a33272 |
Posted - 08/03/2012 : 08:07:02
just side the mat on the floor now, will sort the issues for once an for all. what shop told u to get in up that way? |
| tracym |
Posted - 08/03/2012 : 07:35:22
Hi All
thanks for your replies. I have a 2ft viv, a mat on the wall with a mat stat and a 20w halogen mini bulb with cage. The bulb doesn't alter the temperature much but it just gave Rusty somewhere to sit if he needed a little extra warmth (it really doesn't get very hot)
I cannot fathom out what is wrong with either the bulbs or the light fitting so when I change to a 3ft viv in a couple of weeks I will try the mat on the floor with the stat and buy a much lighter colour so that I can see him |
| a33272 |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 22:36:43
a mat on the side of the viv does nothing but change ambiant temps, which is no good for a ground dwelling corn. how were u controling the temp of the bulb? if u had it on a dimming stat that could be the issue as they need a minimum loading to work correctly
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| Okeetee Mick |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 21:27:47
quote:
Originally posted by lotabob
quote:
Originally posted by Okeetee Mick
A 20 watt bulb won't heat much!
You'd be surprised how hot a unstatted bulb will get inside a wooden box.
If I was you I'd just call it a day on bulbs in the vivarium if you are using a heat mat, you dont need more than one heat source and a light through the day is not required as nature provides us all with a free light source through the day. Also if you don't have it controlled by a thermostat it can raise the temperatures in the vivarium to too high a level.
Bob, that's why I asked what size the viv was. As you may be aware I use both heat sources in my 4ft vivs on stats and timers and I can say with full confidence that a 50 watt bulb struggles to get above 27 degrees with no noticeable rise in ambient temp, which is why I enquired about viv size. I agree completely with you if a 3ft or smaller is being used as my own trials have proved.
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| Georgina |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 21:09:56
you can use led push light, stuck wit sealant or glue gun, not tape, and aslong your mat has a stat then its absolutly fine to go on the floor of the viv. but again weigh it down, do not stick it with tape x |
| Redshift Spec |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 21:09:05
As long as your heat mat is on a thermostat it'll be fine. My reptile shop told me to not worry with a stat and put it on the side. I did that and temps went up-to 40+C (it was only a 7w mat). I use these, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/190622869839 I have a thermostat and a thermometer so the temps are checked and then confirmed with the thermometer. |
| tracym |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 20:53:59
One last thing.......if the mat is in the bottom of the viv, does that mean you don't vary the temp i.e lower at night than in the day? I am used to turning off the basking lamp so its cooler at night. |
| tracym |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 20:51:54
We have been using the mat on the side of the wall with the 20w basking light following advise of a good reptile shop. He said he works with vets and has seen a lot of burns on snakes if the mat is on the floor. I know most of you do it this way but am a bit wary as he was so insistent of not putting the mat on the floor.
The mat is attached to a mat stat so I know it will be okay just need some reassurance before I do it.
Unfortunately we have a dark brown viv and you can't see 'Rusty' without the basking light on, do you all have any other kind of lighting? or should I just get a lighter coloured viv when we get a bigger one. |
| lotabob |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 19:50:26
quote:
Originally posted by Okeetee Mick
A 20 watt bulb won't heat much!
You'd be surprised how hot a unstatted bulb will get inside a wooden box.
If I was you I'd just call it a day on bulbs in the vivarium if you are using a heat mat, you dont need more than one heat source and a light through the day is not required as nature provides us all with a free light source through the day. Also if you don't have it controlled by a thermostat it can raise the temperatures in the vivarium to too high a level. |
| Okeetee Mick |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 18:43:51
How big is your viv? A 20 watt bulb won't heat much! |
| eeji |
Posted - 07/03/2012 : 18:37:34
yup, bin the bulb and use the mat on the viv floor. |
