Minimum temperatures

[Captain Firecat]

Thanks all.

I've done some (more) reading and as it happens a woman at work had an oil filled heater in her office, after reading and speaking to her I can't see any danger with one of those (besides the 'normal', as you say everything electrical can fail/catch fire in theory, though I suspect the main danger is failing as my circuit board will just trip if anything goes wrong), plus they hold the heat better.

I'd disagree about space heaters being better suited to long periods of operation though, heat mats are meant to be run non-stop, space heaters not so much. But that's just pedantic-ness

Still, if possible I'd be happier having a heated cupboard, as every room (!) has an animal in it (me and wifey, guinea pigs, gerbils and snakes), actually the dining room would be ok I suppose... But anyway, the piggies/gerbils would tolerate 20 odd, but the snakes need to be cooler to stop them having issues (from experience some would go 'it's summer! Let's chow down! While the others would persist in not feeding and, with the heat, burn energy and starve, yes my snakes are dippy...). Also cheaper to heat a small cupboard than a large room.

All I need do is get to the warmer days, then I'll have months to plan for next winter. Heat mat cupboard is passable, it's sitting at 20C at the mo which will be enough, if I run the radiator more in the day and night/run the heater for a few bursts every now and again that should boost it too.

A new heater won't go amiss, my heater is only 4 years old tops, and it's decent with a timer and a thermostat, but the plug gets hot which always worries me...

We should move house really, it would solve all the problems

#edit# Something like this do you think?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ELECTRIC-...E-SHED-KENNEL-CONSERVATORY-IP55-/360788917727
I'm guessing the cupboard won't burst into flames (especially with a thermostat), it's designed to be run non-stop, best of all I could even humidify the cupboard without worrying, as it is waterproof).

Am I overthinking this? :S In case I haven't said before, I'm very grateful everyone gas taken the time to help me with this, I know I'm being a pain...

 

[Poec54]

Get a new space heater. It's FAR cheaper than even a small house fire.

 

[spidey noob]

hi there,
im from the uk also but not haveing a problem useing heatmats even with the low temps !!! what wat are your mats & how have u got them set up, on the back or underneath ?
have u tought abought heat cable as from what i have read it gets a bit hotter than heat mats so should up the temp for the Ts.

 

[Captain Firecat]

hi there,
im from the uk also but not haveing a problem useing heatmats even with the low temps !!! what wat are your mats & how have u got them set up, on the back or underneath ?
have u tought abought heat cable as from what i have read it gets a bit hotter than heat mats so should up the temp for the Ts.

Hi
Maybe you run your heating more than me?
At the mo there is a very small (6 inch) mat against the small side of the tank and a long (18 inch?) mat stuck to the wall behind the tank.

I'm beginning to suspect my thermometer tbh, I stuck it in the airing cupboard and it has stayed at 23C. That just seems wrong... Maybe it is stuck...
I think I need to put my foot down and insist on the heating being on more, I'll tell my wife the piggies are cold and she'll leap into action!

 

[spidey noob]

sounds like may have found the problem

 

[Captain Firecat]

hi there,
im from the uk also but not haveing a problem useing heatmats even with the low temps !!! what wat are your mats & how have u got them set up, on the back or underneath ?
have u tought abought heat cable as from what i have read it gets a bit hotter than heat mats so should up the temp for the Ts.

Do you run your heating overnight then? Because I've got up to a cold house (thermometer says 15C, I'm beginning to doubt that thermometer...). I think our heating needs an upgrade, maybe our boiler will break and we can replace it!

 

[spidey noob]

i dont keep the heating on over night i work a permant night shift.
trying to help u figure this out got me wondering abought my own Ts temps so i had to re test them again, now i have my heat mats mounted to the back of the stand & the tubs pushed up against them, so i check them all & on the closest side to the mat its 80f & on the other side of the tub aprox 8"
away its only 60f, so it seems my heat mats have a 8" range at best !!! but if i had a bigger tub i dont think the heat mats would be able to heat it propley.

 

[Captain Firecat]

i dont keep the heating on over night i work a permant night shift.
trying to help u figure this out got me wondering abought my own Ts temps so i had to re test them again, now i have my heat mats mounted to the back of the stand & the tubs pushed up against them, so i check them all & on the closest side to the mat its 80f & on the other side of the tub aprox 8"
away its only 60f, so it seems my heat mats have a 8" range at best !!! but if i had a bigger tub i dont think the heat mats would be able to heat it propley.

Thanks, that makes me feel better, I think I can consistently get past 20c even during the night, provided the T pretty much huddles against the mat (or at least stays close to the wall, the corner would be ideal as the 2 mats would overlap), but the room will be much colder in general.

I could knit a scarf?

I think by the time I actually get a T the ambient temp will be warmer so this will be a next winter issue, then heat mats and perhaps a fan heater set to blow for x minutes every hour to keep the room/tank temperature up.

Also new thermometer, I don't trust this one anymore...