Blue Moon Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 May be a dumb question, but can you put a dimmer on a Ceramic heat bulb to increase/decrease the heat intensity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Yup but you have to get it wired by a sparky best to use a thermostat IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Moon Posted January 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 thanks Rabbit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinnadian Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 If you have house insurance they may deny you a payout if they find you've done your own 240V wiring. I don't really care and do all my own 240V wiring. I have a number of dimmers and thermostats DIY installed with 240V power leads. I know what I'm doing and don't feel I am endangering myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Moon Posted January 29, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Would a Thermostat on a ceramic bulb not blow it pretty quick with the constant on/off as it regulates the temp? The Reptapets thermostats look pretty good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 My understanding of a ceramic is that it is a wire set in the ceramic so as to radiate where a light bulb is relatively delicate when it comes to the filament. But i guess although not as quickly it would still lead to premature failure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 There was a local guy selling plug in dimmers on trademe and I have used them OK. A thermostat is better and you can get them on Ebay land in NZ for about $17 as compared to the $85 ones.They are on the pictures of my enclosures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinnadian Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Would a Thermostat on a ceramic bulb not blow it pretty quick with the constant on/off as it regulates the temp? The Reptapets thermostats look pretty good No a thermostat won't break a ceramic bulb, as Rabbit said they are indeed a heat inducing wire inside of set ceramic. When you disable the current the wire simply cools down. Reptapets thermostat are ridiculously overpriced. The thermostat that Alan is referring to is: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/220-240V-Temperature-Temp-Thermostat-switch-relay-incubation-control-Controller-/400520293591?pt=AU_B_I_Electrical_Test_Equipment&hash=item5d40deacd7&_uhb=1 Expect a 2-3 month delivery time. I can't recommend them enough, well built with lots of features. However, again you will be messing around with 240V wiring so you may have legal issues. I've wired 3 of these myself in my house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 I think mine came directly from Asia (I bought a heap of stuff at the same time).There is a wiring diagram on it and written instructions on how to set it. A thermostat of some description is better than a dimmer because the latter will vary as the ambient does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 The thermostat that Alan is referring to is: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/220-240V-Temperature-Temp-Thermostat-switch-relay-incubation-control-Controller-/400520293591?pt=AU_B_I_Electrical_Test_Equipment&hash=item5d40deacd7&_uhb=1 Expect a 2-3 month delivery time. -3 months is a bit rough .. says 15 feb - 5 march on listing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Moon Posted January 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 would this one be ok? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Thermostat-F ... 3cc58f6eb5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 looks ok . think they may of been on tm ages ago .. they don't have to be incredibly accurate for pets. more so for incubators. i'm using a reptapets one for my racks and it is working ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 the one in the picture means you avoid the wiring but you would need to buy a plug to convert from UK to NZ. It took weeks not months to get my stuff from USA, Great Britain, Taiwan, China and Hongkong. Happy with it all (apart from some bulbs where I stuffed up on the voltage---nothing wrong with the product, just my brain) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 bit like me ordering flex watt frm http://www.incubatorwarehouse.com purcahsed 110v frm ebay, but the supplier noticed location and pointed out they had the 220-240v product (not advertised at the time). sorted mate. took 3-4 weeks running up to xmas, to arrive, so not bad I reckon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason22 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 bit like me ordering flex watt frm http://www.incubatorwarehouse.com purcahsed 110v frm ebay, but the supplier noticed location and pointed out they had the 220-240v product (not advertised at the time). sorted mate. took 3-4 weeks running up to xmas, to arrive, so not bad I reckon. What was the size of the 240v flexiwatt Matt I could only find 28cm wide stuff so had to cut it in half the wrong way. With out cutting the black lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 What was the size of the 240v flexiwatt Matt I could only find 28cm wide stuff so had to cut it in half the wrong way. With out cutting the black lol true that sounds like an interesting way to do it 10cm wide ... just enough to heat one side of a hidebox. really happy with it. incubator warehouse were really helpful. email them to check they can do 220/240V in the size you want b4 purchasing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason22 Posted January 31, 2014 Report Share Posted January 31, 2014 true that sounds like an interesting way to do it 10cm wide ... just enough to heat one side of a hidebox. really happy with it. incubator warehouse were really helpful. email them to check they can do 220/240V in the size you want b4 purchasing. Will do if I every need more. Yer that's a perfect size Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinnadian Posted February 1, 2014 Report Share Posted February 1, 2014 -3 months is a bit rough .. says 15 feb - 5 march on listing. Well maybe 1-3 months. Depends on the seller. They "Post" it very quickly but they usually send it on a series of slow boats from China packed in a container with other crap. With free shipping you get what you pay for, I've just learned to order things before I need them! BTW thanks for the crickets Matt, my locust colony is finally reproducing at a steady rate (400 babies in last few days) so no more money for you :slfg: would this one be ok? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Thermostat-F ... 3cc58f6eb5 I tried one of those, they are horrible. The buttons are really crap, the one I got had the buttons fall off, and the plug section fell off too (I had to superglue it back on) AND the thermostat cord broke away from where it was soldered to the board (had to resolder). I personally don't trust 240v electronics where multiple bits fall off before I've even used it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted February 1, 2014 Report Share Posted February 1, 2014 BTW thanks for the crickets Matt, my locust colony is finally reproducing at a steady rate (400 babies in last few days) so no more money for you :slfg: No worries, when the locusts get stuck up your nose and you get sick of slave labour there will be plenty more crickets here for ya, while stocks last. :lar: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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