What Can Cause Ceramic To Blow Options

[scottw]

just put a new ceramic in my boa viv this morning it is not working, got it on on/off stat, as my other viv with no probs, could it just be the ceramic. the make is lucky reptile, going to refund it on mon. and buy another decent one. does anyone else have their ceramics on on off stats?

[JohnC]

I do, on mat and temperature stats as well as pulse and dimming stats, and have never had one fail, all mine are Pearlco ones, these are very reliable.
An on/off stat is less kind to the ceramic as it warms and cools in a cycle, instead of remaining at a constant heat with a pulse stat, but it will cope , if not it is faulty.

This post has been edited by JohnC: Aug 19 2007, 08:28 AM

[scottw]

i've just gone and bought another, they didn't have 250 watt, so i had to get 150 watt exo terra, my viv is 5ft long by 2ft high and 18 deep will it heat it sufficiently, if not i've got an angled spotlight and guard i can put in it.

[JohnC]

Depends on room temperature, it may well be enough at present but if the room is colder in the winter then the ceramic may not be enough.
Try it out.

[scottw]

has reached temperature fine, by the winter i will have a 250 in it again, although our house never gets that cold. Just realised my stat probe seems to have dropped lower and may have been pushed into water bowl, could this of somehow caused ceramic to overheat and blow?

[Ophioussa]

has reached temperature fine, by the winter i will have a 250 in it again, although our house never gets that cold. Just realised my stat probe seems to have dropped lower and may have been pushed into water bowl, could this of somehow caused ceramic to overheat and blow?

YUP!

Have to say I find it interesting to read the comments from people using ceramics controlled by on/off stats. Personally, I have found pulse proportional/dimmer stats to be much better at maintaining the right temperatures consistantly, without constant rise/fall caused by on off stats, which can be considerable, depending on how you position the probe and heater. A more constant temperature may or may not be important to you, depending on what you keep! Dimming or Pulse will also extend the life of the ceramic somewhat.

Whatever, in my opinion its a case of using the right tool for the job.

[Dee]

i've just gone and bought another, they didn't have 250 watt, so i had to get 150 watt exo terra, my viv is 5ft long by 2ft high and 18 deep will it heat it sufficiently, if not i've got an angled spotlight and guard i can put in it.

i used to use a 150 ceramic in a 6x2x4 viv and it was perfect temps (till i found out how many units it used in leccy )


did you try the bulb without the stat out of interest

[Guest_Young_Gun_*]

Got a ceramic in a 4ft and its controlled by a pulse wouldn't stick it on an on/off one because I thought a ceramic would be the same as a light bulb(just without the light output) and it would shorten the life of the bulb and could make the temps fluctuate too much.

I know there have been a few exo-terra ceramics but not sure if there are any problems with the lucky reptile ones?

I would NEVER use a ceramic without a stat.

[Dee]

i meant to check the bulb !!!!!! lol incase the stat wasnt working


i would never use a cermaic anyway

[scottw]

[quote name='Dee' date='Aug 20 2007, 01:17 PM' post='669538']
i meant to check the bulb !!!!!! lol incase the stat wasnt working

it was definately the bulb, i would never use any heating without a stat. I will try and upgrade the stat to a dimmer but have spent far to much money on my snakes this month, although i have never had trouble in the past with using on/off stat with ceramic.

[Dee]

def a fautly bulb then thats the one thing i ,m not keen on with ceramics as you cant see if they are working where as with light heat bulbs you can and they cost less to run too lol


did he exchange it ok ? the 15o will be just fine the 250 is a bit big if your using a stat as it would be off more than on due to the amount of heat

the one i had was a pearlco to they seem to be the better make they are used in poultry farms etc so they have been arund since forever lol



and i wasnt saying use it with out a stat i meant literally to try the bulb out the viv with no stat to be sure it was the bulb



This post has been edited by Dee: Aug 20 2007, 01:56 PM

[Glidergirl]

Got a ceramic in a 4ft and its controlled by a pulse wouldn't stick it on an on/off one because I thought a ceramic would be the same as a light bulb(just without the light output) and it would shorten the life of the bulb and could make the temps fluctuate too much.

I know there have been a few exo-terra ceramics but not sure if there are any problems with the lucky reptile ones?

I would NEVER use a ceramic without a stat.

Heck, we had to send no end of lucky reptile ceramics back, they were absolutely useless!!! If they didn't arrived broken they just blew!!