# Can i attach more than one heat source to my thermostat???



## Crazy Pete (Jan 6, 2008)

Hi eveyone, hope you can help me. I have a Heated cabinet racking system which i keep my royals in, i need to get it hotter in there as its not reaching the temperature that it should be. It is currently heated by a 12 metre (100 Watt) heated cable which is plugged into a thermostat which can take a maximum of 300 Watt. The thermostat is plugged into a 4 way extension cable which has a 13 amp fuse in it which is plugged into the wall (the other 3 plug sockets on this extension are not used).

Would this work if i were to buy another 4 way extension cable with a 13 amp fuse in it, plug that directly into the thermostat socket then plug the 12 metre (100 Watt) heat cable into that extension which would be controlled by the thermostat aswell as two 35inches x 12inches Microclimate heat mats which are 47 Watt's each, will this work?

Basically im wanting to put 3 heat sources on 1 Habistat thermostat, the 3 heat sources add up to a total of 196 Watt's and the thermostat says 300 watt max, id be plugging a 4 way extension into the thermostat to connect the 3 heat sources to it as the thermostat only has one original socket.

Im asking because im not sure myself and realy dont want to start a fire...

leave a post or PM me.

Thanks


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

in theory yes, no real chance of a fire as you're probably only using less than 1 amp in total.

where your problem will be is that you've got two 47watt mats and a 100watt cable, with only one probe. You can use multiple mats on one stat but you need to try and stick as close to the same wattage as possible.


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## Crazy Pete (Jan 6, 2008)

Meko said:


> in theory yes, no real chance of a fire as you're probably only using less than 1 amp in total.
> 
> where your problem will be is that you've got two 47watt mats and a 100watt cable, with only one probe. You can use multiple mats on one stat but you need to try and stick as close to the same wattage as possible.


So your saying i can have the two mats on the thermostat but not the cable? don't entirely understand sorry.

Thanks for the comment though, keep them coming please people.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

pretty much. as they're different heat sources and wattages there's a chance they'll heat at different speeds. So the heat cable could heat at twice the speed which means depending where the probe is; something could be too hot or not hot enough.


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## Crazy Pete (Jan 6, 2008)

Even with the heat cable at its hottest it is no danger at all, i can grip it with my hand it is hot but not hot enough to cause any pain. As soon as the cabinet reached the temperature required, the thermostat will turn all three heaters off, the probe attached to the thermostat that measures the temperature is in the centre of the cabinet hanging on fishing line which is taped to the centre of the top of the cabinet. What do you think?
Thanks


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## Crazy Pete (Jan 6, 2008)

Please keep your answers coming people 
Thanks


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

it may not be hot enough to cause you pain but it will be too hot for a royals hot spot. They need around 32c and the heat cable could be 45c upwards.


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## SiUK (Feb 15, 2007)

I totally agree with Meko, I run multiple same watt mats off of one stat, but I wouldnt run different heat sources


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Crazy Pete said:


> Even with the heat cable at its hottest it is no danger at all, i can grip it with my hand it is hot but not hot enough to cause any pain. As soon as the cabinet reached the temperature required, the thermostat will turn all three heaters off, *the probe attached to the thermostat that measures the temperature is in the centre of the cabinet hanging on fishing line which is taped to the centre of the top of the cabinet. What do you think?*
> Thanks


just spotted that bit...

if you do that you might as well sell the thermostat. The thermostat is supposed to control the heat, it can't control the heat if it's dangling aimlessly nowhere near it. 
If you're running heat mats or heat cable you need to put the thermostat on the mat / the floor of one of the tubs. If you have it dangling down at the top of the cabinet and that hits 32c, the floor (and the snake) will be about 70c


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## Crazy Pete (Jan 6, 2008)

my thermostat is saying that it is 74F in the centre of the cabinet which is about 24C i've added a small heatmat next to my royals in there on their hot side of the RUBS for the time being but will be ordering the two big mats on monday and an extra thermostat if needed...the heat cable can't even reach 32C at its hottest so no worries about it reaching 45C LOL


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

i'd double check the heat cable. The heat cable i'm using for my carpet python gets hot to touch.
Your body temperature is 37c so 40c isn't going to be 'hot', 32c only is midly warm to us.


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## Crazy Pete (Jan 6, 2008)

Meko said:


> just spotted that bit...
> 
> if you do that you might as well sell the thermostat. The thermostat is supposed to control the heat, it can't control the heat if it's dangling aimlessly nowhere near it.
> If you're running heat mats or heat cable you need to put the thermostat on the mat / the floor of one of the tubs. If you have it dangling down at the top of the cabinet and that hits 32c, the floor (and the snake) will be about 70c


Right, i think il stick the probe into the centre rub on the hot side and set that to 88F that will give a more accurate reading of the temperature that the snake is getting. Thanks for this really helped keep the comments comming.


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## Crazy Pete (Jan 6, 2008)

Il check the heat cable in 45 minutes when i get back home and will put the probe on it and check what temperature i get from it by slowly turning down the thermostat until it turns off  
Thanks for all this help and advice please keep it coming.


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## Crazy Pete (Jan 6, 2008)

Crazy Pete said:


> Il check the heat cable in 45 minutes when i get back home and will put the probe on it and check what temperature i get from it by slowly turning down the thermostat until it turns off
> Thanks for all this help and advice please keep it coming.


Just checked the temperature of the heat cable and small heat mat together with the probe about 2 cm away from them and the highest it reaches is about 85F(approximately), remember that the snakes are in RUBS and the heat would still have to travel through the plastic and air vents for them to feel it so therefore i dont think it is that temperature inside... i ideally need to drill a hole into one of the RUBs and put the probe through that so it can sit in the box where the snake is, il be doing this tonight.: victory:


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## lee anderson (Oct 13, 2009)

Crazy Pete said:


> Hi eveyone, hope you can help me. I have a Heated cabinet racking system which i keep my royals in, i need to get it hotter in there as its not reaching the temperature that it should be. It is currently heated by a 12 metre (100 Watt) heated cable which is plugged into a thermostat which can take a maximum of 300 Watt. The thermostat is plugged into a 4 way extension cable which has a 13 amp fuse in it which is plugged into the wall (the other 3 plug sockets on this extension are not used).
> 
> Would this work if i were to buy another 4 way extension cable with a 13 amp fuse in it, plug that directly into the thermostat socket then plug the 12 metre (100 Watt) heat cable into that extension which would be controlled by the thermostat aswell as two 35inches x 12inches Microclimate heat mats which are 47 Watt's each, will this work?
> 
> ...


 
yes it will work but all the heat sources need to be the same watts or they will all get to different temperatures i run 500 watts of 600 watt
thermostats and have for years with 4 way extension leads


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