# Dimming stat?



## AnnieM (Nov 4, 2011)

Can a dimming stat be used with a heat mat?


----------



## Madhouse5 (Jun 6, 2011)

*Stat*

hi i would use a pulse stat with a heat mat dimming stat are more for heat lamps relay 

Paul


----------



## Calceto (Jan 19, 2012)

Madhouse5 said:


> hi i would use a pulse stat with a heat mat dimming stat are more for heat lamps relay
> 
> Paul


sorry to jump your post Annie but can someone explain in laymans terms the difference between these stats ,im running a ceramic lamp with a pulse stat.


----------



## Madhouse5 (Jun 6, 2011)

ok there 3 types of stat 

1 a plane on off stat mostly used for heat mats used for a back ground heat or secondary heat 

2 pulse stat this is used for heat mats, ceramic heat lamps and cables in racks or viv as the main heat source pulse stat give power to the heater to match proportionally the energy needed to maintain the set temp 

3 Dimming stat this used with light heat lamps and hot spots as it dimms the light to keep the temp at the correct setting 


Hope this helps 


Paul


----------



## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

Madhouse5 said:


> hi i would use a pulse stat with a heat mat dimming stat are more for heat lamps relay
> 
> Paul


A matt is best statted using a mattt (on off) type stat) whouls you could in theory use any stat, a pulse stat in particular is overkill. 



ITCHY & SCRATCHY said:


> sorry to jump your post Annie but can someone explain in laymans terms the difference between these stats ,im running a ceramic lamp with a pulse stat.


Matt stat (on off) - basically turns the power to the element on and off to hold the temp at the right place. These work best with mats, anything else and the constant on and off of the power supply can damage the heating element. 

Dimming thermostat, basically dimming the power to the heating element to maintain the correct temperature. The are usually used for light bulbs but work with any type of heat element. 

Pulse stat these pulse the power to the heating element to maintain the right temperature. These are only useful for non-light emitting heating elements such as ceramics or mats. These are mainly used fo ceramics, whilst they can be used for mats (they hold a more acurate temps) they are a tad over kill. 


So yes a dimming stat can be used with a mat. Though if you are using it for incubation a pulse stat would be better as there is less fluctuation in temp. 

Hope that helps
Jay


----------



## Madhouse5 (Jun 6, 2011)

*Stat*

what are you going to use the heat mat for


----------



## Madhouse5 (Jun 6, 2011)

Spikebrit said:


> A matt is best statted using a mattt (on off) type stat) whouls you could in theory use any stat, a pulse stat in particular is overkill.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


well if the heat mat is say for a rack or main heat source a on off stat would not keep the temp very well were a pulse stat will hold the tamp as most of stats are about £20 pulse stat £30 for the extra £10 you use less electric in the long term


----------



## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

Madhouse5 said:


> well if the heat mat is say for a rack or main heat source a on off stat would not keep the temp very well were a pulse stat will hold the tamp as most of stats are about £20 pulse stat £30 for the extra £10 you use less electric in the long term


A on off stat would keep the temperature absolutely fine for a rack or a main heat source. The fluctuation on a on off stat is 2 degress. On off stat are probably the mostly wily used stat for heat matts going. I have personally used them on various heat matts in both racks and independent vivariums for many many years now. 

A pulse stat will not use less electric. Whilst I agree they are more accurate they move the flucation from 2 degrees to one. The only time i can think where that degree of accuracy is needed would be for an incubator. Even then my origional incubaor many years ago only used an on/off stat and the flucuration was never a problem. 

Jay

Overall, a matt statt (on off type), as its name depicts


----------



## AnnieM (Nov 4, 2011)

It is for the heat mat in one of my Leo vivs. I've got it on one now as I already had one but wasn't sure if it was working correctly as it doesn't seem to hold temps very accurately.


----------



## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

AnnieM said:


> It is for the heat mat in one of my Leo vivs. I've got it on one now as I already had one but wasn't sure if it was working correctly as it doesn't seem to hold temps very accurately.


a diming stat should do the job fine. 

how are you meauring the temps? 

and what type of heat mat (remeber some of the tropical ones will only reach a temp of 24c)

Jay


----------



## Madhouse5 (Jun 6, 2011)

Spikebrit said:


> a diming stat should do the job fine.
> 
> how are you meauring the temps?
> 
> ...


but a dimming stat needs a minimum of 40watts i thought


----------



## AnnieM (Nov 4, 2011)

I am using a digital thermometer probe sat on top of the substrate next to the stat probe. I am not sure of the make of mat but it is 17x11 in a 3'x18"x18" wooden viv.


----------



## Madhouse5 (Jun 6, 2011)

AnnieM said:


> I am using a digital thermometer probe sat on top of the substrate next to the stat probe. I am not sure of the make of mat but it is 17x11 in a 3'x18"x18" wooden viv.


what temp are you getting , what are you using for substrate do you know the wattage of the mat


----------



## Madhouse5 (Jun 6, 2011)

Madhouse5 said:


> what temp are you getting , what are you using for substrate do you know the wattage of the mat


my leo`s are in a rack the rule of thumb with rack is 1 3rd of the tub on a heat mat so i would say much the same in a viv


----------



## AnnieM (Nov 4, 2011)

Ok don't shoot me I know the dangers and am in the process of swapping them all on to slate, but he is currently on sand. He was my sons Leo and he moved in with us like this and has always been on it without problems. I am not sure of the wattage without digging it up. I am struggling to get it past 29.8 degrees, which I know is too low. Maybe I need a new heat mat. :hmm:


----------



## Madhouse5 (Jun 6, 2011)

going by the size you said its about 20 watts do you have another stat thats not dimming


----------



## AnnieM (Nov 4, 2011)

Yes I have a normal mat stat but was hoping not to have to change it as the pro be is glued into the back of the viv. I will keep messing with it, hopefully the temps will be easier to reach when I get the slate down.


----------



## Madhouse5 (Jun 6, 2011)

OK that's cool i would look into pulse stat`s you could try moving some sand and putting paper down might help


----------



## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

AnnieM said:


> Ok don't shoot me I know the dangers and am in the process of swapping them all on to slate, but he is currently on sand. He was my sons Leo and he moved in with us like this and has always been on it without problems. I am not sure of the wattage without digging it up. I am struggling to get it past 29.8 degrees, which I know is too low. Maybe I need a new heat mat. :hmm:


TBh 29.8 degrees is only a few degrees off and isnt too bad. 

Have you tried turning the stat up?

Does the mat on its own go up to the required stat. 

Jay


----------



## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

Madhouse5 said:


> but a dimming stat needs a minimum of 40watts i thought


It depends on the make of stat, certern stats (puls, dimming and matt) can have differnt wattage requirements. 

jay


----------



## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

AnnieM said:


> Yes I have a normal mat stat but was hoping not to have to change it as the pro be is glued into the back of the viv. I will keep messing with it, hopefully the temps will be easier to reach when I get the slate down.


The on off stat is fine as is the dimming stat you are currently using, you just need to play around. 


See what temp the matt gets to without the stat, if it doesnt get any higher then the current temp the issue if the matt. If it goes higher you need t move the stat probe or turn the stat up. 

Jay


----------



## AnnieM (Nov 4, 2011)

Thanks, I currently have the stat on full and temp is reading 27.5. I'm going to take the stat off tomorrow and see what happens to the temps then. I think maybe the sand is too thick, so hopefully when I get the slate down it will be easier to keep a steady temperature.


----------



## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

AnnieM said:


> Yes I have a normal mat stat but was hoping not to have to change it *as the probe is glued into the back of the viv.* I will keep messing with it, hopefully the temps will be easier to reach when I get the slate down.



The probe itself or the cable? if it's the actual probe, that could be your problem. You need to put the probe on the substrate on top of the heat; if it's on the wall then you're not reading the floor temperature.


----------



## AnnieM (Nov 4, 2011)

Sorry, didn't explain myself very well there. The probe is on the floor just under the surface of the sand, the wire is glued into the hole as we kept getting Houdini crickets that limbo'd through the hole!


----------

