Problem with closed chamber

[kjr153]

The temp in the closed chamber is getting too hot... I think. The night temp stays at 91F and when I turn the bulb on during the day it gets to about 93F. I know this is too hot, especially for the night temp. Any ideas on how I can fix this? I have the smallest wattage CHE. I am not "redoing" the closed chamber. Not even an option. Way too much time and money spent in it. I hoping someone has a easy fix for this.

 

[pfara]

Have you tried turning the CHE off and checked the temps without it?

 

[kjr153]

Well I just opened the glass and it dropped down to 86F. I guess I could open the glass at night to lower the temp, but that will also lower the humidity. If I totally turn the CHE off I suppose it will drop down to the same as the house, 70F.

 

[wellington]

With summer time temps making your house temps warmer, there may be no need for any extra heating. Some lighting/heating usually has to be eliminated during summer months and added back in when fall cooler temps role in.

 

[pfara]

What exactly are your heat sources? If the temps are high, an easy fix is to eliminate one of the heat sources. It's a closed chamber so if you have the lights on during the day, most of that light's heat should stay inside throughout the night. A drop of 5 degrees from daytime temps to nighttime temps should be fine til the lights kick back on in the morning.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I have my CHE on a zoomed thermostat. I set it and once dialed in,(80f) I don't worry about it as I know it will only come on when needed. I like automatic, I think it more reliable. I have a digital prob as well at the thermostats prob so I can check the actual temp.

 

[pfara]

I have my CHE on a zoomed thermostat. I set it and once dialed in,(80f) I don't worry about it as I know it will only come on when needed. I like automatic, I think it more reliable. I have a digital prob as well at the thermostats prob so I can check the actual temp.

Ditto. All my lights are on timers and all other heat sources are on thermostats. My enclosure takes care of itself and I just take care of the torts

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

As it should be. We have the opposable thumb, our time is needed doing the important stuff!

 

[kjr153]

I guess I'll have to invest in one of those. I don't want to bake the little fella.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Lights on timer as well. This helps with environmental consistency, and allows for regular habits of your tortoise. My most recent closed chamber is too good as well. I went with a dual pane window and now the daytime temps are such that I need to keep the window open 1/4" daytime because the 100 watt MVB heats it too well. The CHE never comes on during the day.

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Something along these lines;

http://bit.ly/15b6GuC

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Like said already, use a timer and a thermostat!

If you set your CHE on a thermostat for 80F you'll never need to worry about temps being too low or too high.. It may only click on a few times for short periods of time during the summer.
Your basking bulb can be a lower wattage now too.

I used to use a 75 watt bulb during summer for basking. In the closed chamber I only need a60 watt now..

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[Tom]

In my 4x8' closed chambers, I use a 65 watt flood for basking. Anything more just heats it up too much. My CHEs are on a thermostat and they hardly ever come on, but its nice when they do.

There's no way you could just leave a CHE on all the time in a closed chamber. Gotta have a thermostat. They only cost about $25-30.