Setting up Thermostats

[trippr]

Hi,

I have been reading this topic
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=397.

I kind of understand it but am unsure of what i need to get my viv at the right temps.

COOL SIDE

I understand that i need a dimming switch to control the heat the basking spot light is producing so that the cool side is x amount cooler than the hotside.

So.. this is where i get lost.

QUESTION 1

I need to buy a dimmer stat. Put the probe in the cool side and set it to??

Am i correct in thinking that if the cool side goes over this temp the heatlamp will reduce in WATT and get cooler untill the cool side is cool enough?

QUESTION 2

What happens if the coolside never gets cool enough and in turn never gets the basking spot hot enough for my BD to digest his food?


I have plenty of more questions on this subject but i will wait for a reply on these two before i ask more..

Thanks alot in advance!

Cheers

Rob

[JoshuasMummy]

Hi Rob, getting the thermostat / temps right for us at first was a total nightmare - so I understand how you feel!

It is all trial and error - first of all put the probe in the cool side and set the thermostat to around 80, be prepared to tweek the temp on the thermostat (the temp never seems to end up being what the thermostat is actually set to) and be prepared to have to move the probe around the viv as some people (like us) have the probe in the cool side, some have it in the middle of the viv, it really depends where you get the best results.

Concentrate first of all in getting the cool temp right first (as above) - once you have that sorted then concentrate on the basking temp. You may need to make your basking spot higher or lower to get the right temps on the basking spot.

The dimming stat works by ensuring the bulb is on full whack as the temp is warming up - once the temp has been reached then the bulb will 'dim' down - once the temp has dropped too far then the bulb brightens up again.... You end up with a bulb that is constantly on (the on/off stats for beardies are no good as beardies don't have a clue where they should be basking).

Is is very much trial and error...lots of tweeking and adjusting....and frustration! Once you crack the temps you should never really have a problem with them again though. If you still don't understand or have more questions - just ask!

[trippr]

Thanks for the reply.

What i don't understand is...

Should I place the probe of the stat in the cool end and also plug the heater part of the stat into the heatlamp under the basking spot?
If i do this, when the timer comes on it switches the heatlamp to full until the cool side reaches the temp set on the stat. And then it will dimm if it goes over this heat.

What happens if the cool side gets too hot so the heat lamp dims but the basking spot has not got hot enough? Is this likely to happen?

Sorry if these seem like dumb question..

Cheers

[Rick]

It's OK it does take a while to grasp the mechanics of it.
Yes - you do place the probe at the cool end and set the stat to a temp of around 28C. The "heater part" is plugged into the heatlamp and as you say this will dim down once the temp stabilises at 28C on the cool size. However the other end will still be quite a bit hotter even if the lamp dims, if the temp on this side is not quite 39~42C you can either lift the basking spot up a bit or move the probe a little nearer the cool end. It is a matter of trial and error and can take up to a week at time to get right but once you've set it up you'll see how it works better!

Rick

[trippr]

Cheers Rick..

My digital thermometers have arrived today..

My cool end is fine at 85f but the hot end is way too hot at 115f.
Shall i get a 40w lamp? I have a R80 60w installed at the moment.

Or is 115f ok on a hot day like today? He had been spending little time under his basking spot and alot in the cool end.

Thanks for the great advice guys. Just want to give our BD the best care we can.

[JoshuasMummy]

Yes the temps putside do have an impact on the viv temps.

If you take temp readings at different parts of the day, you will see that you have an assortment of temps in the viv. The best thing to do is to take temps at different times of the day and take it from there. You may find that the higher temp is only when the bulb is on full whack getting the temp up on the basking spot and they then cool down after a short while ?

Our basking spot gets up to around 110-115f late morning and then drop down to 105f ish after a while.

Look at it this way - your beardie needs a high temp on the basking spot to digest food etc, so obviously the basking temp is very important - BUT as long as you have a constant 'cool side' of the viv (not over 85f) then your beardie has somewhere to go to 'cool down'....so, if your basking temps are a little on the 'high' side for a short part of the day your beardie should have the sense to move around the viv to regulate his own temp (as he has done today by the sound of it). Sometimes our beardie basks just to the side of the basking spot as he probably feels most comfortable there (as it's slightly cooler than directly underneath the bulb). So what I'm trying to say (and waffling a bit, sorry) is that if the temps in your viv are constantly high through the day then you need to do a little tweeking/probe moving etc.....but if the higher temps are only there part of the day then don't worry too much about it as he will move around the viv when he feels the need to.

Don't feel silly asking questions, we have all been there and asked the same ones!

[trippr]

Hi

I was checking the temps all day and they did settle and drop as the day went on.

I moved the log over away from the basking spot so just the edge of it is under the lamb and i have rocks directly under the basking spot.

The temp is around 96f on the rocks now and a bout 108f.

The cool side is about 81f at the moment.

So all is looking good.

He's getting big and putting on weight fast! Grows about 1/2inch a week.

[JoshuasMummy]

Sounds like he's coming on great

[trippr]

He is getting on great...

He's now at 8 and 1/2 inches and 24 grams. Getting too big for the scales!

Here is a photo of him on only the 26th of July.




and here is one i took today!

[JoshuasMummy]

He's looking really great, looks really cheeky!