# Modifying Use of Habistat Dimming Stat



## nfollows1982 (Aug 5, 2011)

Hi all,

This might be a very simple yes or no answered question but thought I’d see what people’s views and/or experience was!

Basically, what I want to know is this:

I have the day/night dimming stat; is it at all possible to plug an extension lead into the stat, which in turn has 2 heat sources set on timer to correspond with the day/night function?

So basically it would work like this: daytime temp settings controlling day heat source then when the timer for the night facility kicks in the daylight source timer goes off, and then the night time heat source timer comes on.

Would the stat pick up the switching of the 2 different heat sources running through the connected extension lead?

Thanks


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## Dan Bristow (Jan 12, 2008)

I think I know what you mean, basically stat plugged in the wall, extension in the stat which in turn has 2 timers plugged in which controls a day and a night heat heat source? I'm not sure,if that is the case,that it'd work, as the timers may not function correctly due to the dimming stat dropping the voltage thus affecting the timers function.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Only problem I see here is that dimming stats are for light sources and shouldn't be used for ceramics...as per info from microclimate. I would believe other stats are the same. Why not buy a an extra stat. Even a on off mat stat will do up to 100watt ceramic.
If your using two bulbs. The night one being red or blue then yes what your saying would work.


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

animalstory said:


> Only problem I see here is that dimming stats are for light sources and shouldn't be used for ceramics...as per info from microclimate.


When did they say that and why?

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## _simon_ (Nov 27, 2007)

The microclimate website says the B1 (dimmer) can be used to control _any _heat source up to 600w. I've used dimmers with ceramics for years.

In fact if you download the instruction manual for their dimmer stat it says it's for heatmats, ceramics, bulbs and other types of heat sources.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

_simon_ said:


> The microclimate website says the B1 (dimmer) can be used to control _any _heat source up to 600w. I've used dimmers with ceramics for years.
> 
> In fact if you download the instruction manual for their dimmer stat it says it's for heatmats, ceramics, bulbs and other types of heat sources.


My appologies, the dimmers can be used with ceramics. 
http://www.microclimate.co.uk/b1_user_guide.pdf
I got the pulse for ceramics bit right as they shouldn't be used for light emitters. Lol 1 out of 2! If using ceramics I would recommend the pulse though. 
Microclimate state pulse is just for non light emitting sources: 
DL2


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## peterf (Jul 27, 2007)

I am afraid you cannot run any timers on the output of a dimmer as the voltage to the timers is reduced and this slows them down!


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## jetsmart1 (Feb 7, 2011)

peterf said:


> I am afraid you cannot run any timers on the output of a dimmer as the voltage to the timers is reduced and this slows them down!


this is not the case for me, my timers work fine, and ive never had a problem with this, been doing it ages, if you have had this problem fair enough, but ive never had issues at all

my timer goes on 9 30 am and off 930 pm perfect unless i mess around with it or knock it, 

get digital timer from asda theyll work more accurate again only bout 6 quid


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Got to say I haven't ever had a problem with dimmers and timers either. The timer is just a switch. 
I don't have dimmers anymore all mine are on pulse with ceramics and light on seperate timers. Much better and longer lasting.


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## jetsmart1 (Feb 7, 2011)

a timer should not slow down considering all the voltage control (other than the fuse in the plug) with a thermostat is really the resistors etc that will control the current to the bulbs, not from the plug socket, the socket will simply put out the electricity at standard rate, through the switch (timer) then the thermostat alters the power usage to the bulb

hope i made sense but the logic is there


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

Peterf said it wouldn't work on the OUTPUT (heater plug socket). You boys are assuming it's the INPUT (mains plug) which works fine.

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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

mrhoyo said:


> Peterf said it wouldn't work on the OUTPUT (heater plug socket). You boys are assuming it's the INPUT (mains plug) which works fine.
> 
> Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk


Better to use ceramics on the stat and have a t5 or uv tube bulb set up on the timer and not use light as a heat source.


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

True but that's irrelevant to the point I was making.

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## peterf (Jul 27, 2007)

Thanks Mr Hoyo_ i couldn't be bothered to argue...


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

I wasn't going to argue there isnt an argument in my eyes, im listening as I have neve tried doing it and there's better ways to set up, Lol. I see what your saying i think. With an on/off stat you would loose loads of time but what happens with a dimmer?


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## peterf (Jul 27, 2007)

animalstory said:


> I wasn't going to argue there isnt an argument in my eyes, im listening as I have neve tried doing it and there's better ways to set up, Lol. I see what your saying i think. With an on/off stat you would loose loads of time but what happens with a dimmer?


The original question with regard to controlling 2 heaters would need the 2 bulbs to be on the output of the thermostat as the thermostat only has one output.
I can fully understand what is trying to be achieved and it makes sense!
The only way to do this is to use the same output but put a 2 way socket on the output with 2 heaters, one on each controlling and switching each with 2 timers.
The problem with, as you say a temp, or indeed a dimmer is that the power supply to the timers would go up and down and as a concequence would slow the timers down and immediately put them out of synch.
One way of doing it would actually be to attach a sun/ moon switch to teh output and then attach 2 lamps to each side of the output. That way it would switch from one to the other.
The only problem would be that you would have to trigger the sun/ moon switch with a light source nearby. Perhaps a timer on the fluorescent in the cage that, when it turns off at night would then trigger the lamps to swap!
Hope that makes sense!


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

peterf said:


> The original question with regard to controlling 2 heaters would need the 2 bulbs to be on the output of the thermostat as the thermostat only has one output.
> I can fully understand what is trying to be achieved and it makes sense!
> The only way to do this is to use the same output but put a 2 way socket on the output with 2 heaters, one on each controlling and switching each with 2 timers.
> The problem with, as you say a temp, or indeed a dimmer is that the power supply to the timers would go up and down and as a concequence would slow the timers down and immediately put them out of synch.
> ...


Lol. Yeah, nice explanation. Hope that helps the Op and others. 
I would be interested in seeing how many use ceramics over bulbs. Think I might start a thread tonight.


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

animalstory said:


> Lol. Yeah, nice explanation. Hope that helps the Op and others.
> I would be interested in seeing how many use ceramics over bulbs. Think I might start a thread tonight.


Not me. They're good for ambient temperatures but they heat they're rubbish for real hot spots. We were struggling to get 45c with ceramics so switched to high quality halogen bulbs. They're about half the price of ceramics and have lasted just as long. They allow me to get hot spots of 50+ (at around 12" distance) yet still keep the cool end at room temperature.
Use ceramics for tropical snakes though.

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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

mrhoyo said:


> Not me. They're good for ambient temperatures but they heat they're rubbish for real hot spots. We were struggling to get 45c with ceramics so switched to high quality halogen bulbs. They're about half the price of ceramics and have lasted just as long. They allow me to get hot spots of 50+ (at around 12" distance) yet still keep the cool end at room temperature.
> Use ceramics for tropical snakes though.
> 
> Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk


The sun/uv lamps get a good temp, unsure what there cut of temp is as they have a built in cut off and not to be used with stats. The 150w gives good heat though, used them for my bosc. 
what you keeping for temps like that? must be some lizard. 
most snake keepers and even lizard keepers dont need more than what a ceramic can throw out. i would have though a high watt ceramic would have thrown 50c easily? what stat are you using for those temps or is it a case of not needing one like on the sun/uvs?


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

Various lizards will bask at that.
The problem with the ceramics is getting a hot spot significantly different to the ambient. To get a 50c basking spot (without it being right next to the bulb) you would end up having a cool end of 35c+ in a 4x2x2. They're less focused then spotlights which is great for tropical species but awful for desert dwellers.

Those temperatures can be achieved with an ordinary dimmer thermostat. It's less about controlling the hot spots than the ambient temperatures. If the basking spot is too warm they can go elsewhere. If the ambients are too warm they will die.

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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

mrhoyo said:


> Various lizards will bask at that.
> The problem with the ceramics is getting a hot spot significantly different to the ambient. To get a 50c basking spot (without it being right next to the bulb) you would end up having a cool end of 35c+ in a 4x2x2. They're less focused then spotlights which is great for tropical species but awful for desert dwellers.
> 
> Those temperatures can be achieved with an ordinary dimmer thermostat. It's less about controlling the hot spots than the ambient temperatures. If the basking spot is too warm they can go elsewhere. If the ambients are too warm they will die.
> ...


Yeah i understand what your saying and agree. you have to sort the general temps and them add the hot spot in large vivs. Your running hot spots then without the stat as most stats wont go to 50c but using them for ambient temps, that correct? My bosc enclosure was like that. I had ceramic on a pulse and a UV/heat 150watt without a stat on 12 hours a day creating a hot spot. Viv was 3 ft high so light was about 2ft from the slab on the floor which warmed up nicely. Cant remember the exact temp it got to now though but a good 40c.
http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/foru...62137-enclosure-heating-poll-please-tick.html


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

That's sounds low for a bosc.
If you read the microclimate instructions they recommend you have a cool end, warm end and a "controlled" area in the middle which is where the thermostat should be.

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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

The viv had a shelf in half way up and the full length. He would bask inches from the bulb (guarded) so he had the heat. The shelf itself would get to 36 as the tube heater was under it. He's slab would get to mid/low
40c so it was a lot warmer where he would sometimes go to bask. I don't know the exact temp. Don't have him or the set up now.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

mrhoyo said:


> That's sounds low for a bosc.
> If you read the microclimate instructions they recommend you have a cool end, warm end and a "controlled" area in the middle which is where the thermostat should be.
> 
> Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk


I see how you using it. Yeah probe position is an art depending on what your trying to achieve.


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## jetsmart1 (Feb 7, 2011)

like this


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## jetsmart1 (Feb 7, 2011)

also wouldnt this be better for people who need a hotter basking point? its a high temp thermostat, i found it on the microclimate website>









HT STAT


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

jetsmart1 said:


> also wouldnt this be better for people who need a hotter basking point? its a high temp thermostat, i found it on the microclimate website> image
> 
> HT STAT


Depending on what I'm keeping I like to have my probe nearer the heat so that I can get the max temp I set. Ie snakes on mats the probes on the mat. Different animals, different prob placements. That high stats the first time I've seen it but a great idea my microclimate. Not many animals need it hotter than 45c


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## mrhoyo (Mar 29, 2007)

jetsmart1 said:


> also wouldnt this be better for people who need a hotter basking point? its a high temp thermostat, i found it on the microclimate website> image
> 
> HT STAT


Stupid idea. Your basking spot isn't what needs controlling, it's the ambients. Very few, if any, animals need ambients that high.
Putting the probe on the basking spot means that the basking spot will go no higher than you set it. It also means that if the basking spot was set to 45c and ambients had risen to 40c it wouldn't stop heating the enclosure unless the probe read 45c.
Reptile keeping is almost always about the gradient rather than the temperatures themselves. I've got stuff that will happily bask at 10-15c above the recommended temperatures because they can cool down to 22-24c in the other end.

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## jetsmart1 (Feb 7, 2011)

only wanted to put it out there incase it helped someone, no one ever mentions this stat


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

Obviouly a demand and a reason for it or would not have been made. 
Some might only want 40c at the warm end of a large viv ambiant and not want the hot spot as such. The probe being nearer to the heat source. In a large viv there would be still a large gradient of temperature. Say 40c > 26c All depends on what your keeping and how you set it up and the size if the enclosure. 
Know I've wished the normal ones were able to go a bit higher at times.


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## jetsmart1 (Feb 7, 2011)

yay lol, now i dont feel stupid :2thumb:



animalstory said:


> Obviouly a demand and a reason for it or would not have been made.
> Some might only want 40c at the warm end of a large viv ambiant and not want the hot spot as such. The probe being nearer to the heat source. In a large viv there would be still a large gradient of temperature. Say 40c > 26c All depends on what your keeping and how you set it up and the size if the enclosure.
> Know I've wished the normal ones were able to go a bit higher at times.


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## BenjaminBoaz (Jan 6, 2006)

jetsmart1 said:


> yay lol, now i dont feel stupid :2thumb:


It's not you that would look stupid it would be microclimate for making something not worth while!


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