- Joined
- Aug 8, 2005
- Messages
- 10,767
All the heating gadgets offered for keeping animals have 2 things in common. Often ridiculously expensive and they are purely resistive heating elements.
This makes every imaginable heat source perfect for controlling by using two very cheap generic components.
-ANY light dimmer. All can handle up to 500 watts and many go up to 2000 watts.
-A remote sensor line voltage thermostat. Like the one found here. This company is extremely expensive. The same thing can be found for about $20 if you shop around.
https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-thermostats/=181ji1v
Use the light dimmer to fine tune adjust the heating element using a quality thermometer. Then add the thermostatic control. The thermostatic control can be used to both turn off and on the heater. It is more of a safety measure that can also turn on an alarm if the temperature goes outside a safe range.
Using these two you are not limited to specific heating mats or pads. You can use anything. Space heaters, heating pads, electric blankets, incandescent light bulbs, even a hair dryer... you name it. They are also remote to the heating unit and can be placed on walls or even a bank of them on a control panel.
One other critical thing. NEVER TRUST HEAT CONTOLLERS. The on-off of many of these is give or take up to 50%.
As example, in a hospital, say an infant ICU chamber, when we calibrate to heat controller, we use two quality mercury bulb thermometers. Their average is the only trustworthy temperature gauge.
This makes every imaginable heat source perfect for controlling by using two very cheap generic components.
-ANY light dimmer. All can handle up to 500 watts and many go up to 2000 watts.
-A remote sensor line voltage thermostat. Like the one found here. This company is extremely expensive. The same thing can be found for about $20 if you shop around.
https://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-thermostats/=181ji1v
Use the light dimmer to fine tune adjust the heating element using a quality thermometer. Then add the thermostatic control. The thermostatic control can be used to both turn off and on the heater. It is more of a safety measure that can also turn on an alarm if the temperature goes outside a safe range.
Using these two you are not limited to specific heating mats or pads. You can use anything. Space heaters, heating pads, electric blankets, incandescent light bulbs, even a hair dryer... you name it. They are also remote to the heating unit and can be placed on walls or even a bank of them on a control panel.
One other critical thing. NEVER TRUST HEAT CONTOLLERS. The on-off of many of these is give or take up to 50%.
As example, in a hospital, say an infant ICU chamber, when we calibrate to heat controller, we use two quality mercury bulb thermometers. Their average is the only trustworthy temperature gauge.