Reptile & Amphibian Forums

250 plus degrees.and it didnt even trip my g.f.i..Zoo Med Lab says they assume no responsability because the heater was not mounted on a glass surface.

So Sorry for you loss man. That sucks in a big way. On a side note get a box and read the label, some do say not to be mounted on anything but glass. If this isn't the case you have a case. The comment about wood being an insulator and causing a build up of heat isn't plausable. As the back surface of the heat mat should allow the heat to dissapate. Also you are talking about a 14 watt device in all likely hood. 14 watts functioning properly does not cause a huge heating nightmare like that. What causes a heating nightmare like that is a short circuit then it produces hundreds if not thousands of watts of heat, and the mess you ended up with. Just my 2 cents.
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Derek Affonce
DeKeAff Exotics
dekeaffexotics.com

Wood is an excellent insulator and will not allow the heat to properly disapate. Heat just builds up at the site of the heat source.

Also, never ever use any heating device without a controller of some sort, no matter what the manufacturer says.

My point was that wood although a good insulator, will not cause a heat pad to generate that type of heat. The reason being the back of the heating pad is exposed to air. The air also a very good insulator would begin to rise (hot air rises) and create a convective ploumb, very good way to dissipate heat (why it feels colder when it is windy out). Hence heat would be carried away by the air. So there would not be a build up of that type of heat without a short ciruit of some type. That is also why the whole back doesn't look burnt. If it was a build up of heat because wood being a good insulator the burn through would have occured smack dab in the middle of the heating pad, or over the whole surface of the pad. From the pic I would say that was a coner of the heating pad. It is all in the heat transfer, trust me on this it is something I know a little about.
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Derek Affonce
DeKeAff Exotics
dekeaffexotics.com

Im sure that's why the bold warning that comes with a zoomed heat pad says not to stick to anything but glass.With the exception of hog mats all the manufacturer's warn not to apply to a wood surface.There designed to dissapate heat from both sides but if you notice the sticky side gets a hell of alot hotter than the back side.Im not saying he didnt get a defective heat mat,he could have,it was just a bad move to temp fate and stick it to wood.I am sorry his beautiful retic died but he could of lost lot more including his home,life,etc...Paul.

Yet heat tape which is the same thing as a heat pad is always adhered to mdf. Every mdf rack has it in it. being on wood was not the problem. 14 watts no matter how well insulated does not cause wood to ignite.
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Derek Affonce
DeKeAff Exotics
dekeaffexotics.com

Take a temp test on heat tape then one on any heating mat.Tell me what you find.Then apply them both to wood and take that test again....Paul.

I do not mean to diminish the pain of the loss of an animal. Still, we have the duty to responsibly care for our animals. This requires that we regulate their heat sources. I recently was cleaning cages and the thermostat's sensor slipped off the flexiwatt heat tape. This photo shows the result. The temp climbed high enough to do this within 15 minutes. Fortunately, the animal that was in this cage was unharmed -- I was cleaning another cage on the same rack and smelled burning plastic. Who was responsible for this near fatal accident? I WAS. What about my other animals, not to mention the family that lives below me? Did I put them at risk? Yes, I did.
Was I being irresponsible at the time it happened? I certainly didn't think so, but I obviously was. We have to recognize that the user of the product is the one who ensures it works properly. No matter what claims a manufacturer may make, at the very least a thermometer is necessary to ensure the temperature stays within allowable limits.

I agree always use a thermostat with heat sources but even a heat source may not have prevented that from happening.
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Derek Affonce
DeKeAff Exotics
dekeaffexotics.com

nOt saying the heat pad does not get warmer when on wood. It does. Just trying to say that a normally functioning heat pad puts out about 14 watts. 14 watts in no way shape or form no matter how well insulated should be able to cause a fire. I know heat tape in a rack gets up to 135 tops, not enough to cause burning of wood. The warning on heat pads is so if and when the pieces of crap malfunction they are on glass and the glass does not melt and or ignite.
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Derek Affonce
DeKeAff Exotics
dekeaffexotics.com

more on another post..........

Chambo

agree that in no way a 14 watts heat application would of caused a fire unless a surge, wired wrong, wires becoming wrong, overload at the connection, or just a unsafe unit . READ > As a major retailer at one time in the pet business and having one of the most succesful pet stores in the Kansas City area and specializing in reptiles, we had some problems with Zoo Med products. Heat pads that didn't work properly, thermosats/rea-stats that didn't work properly, over heating, not heating, etc. While you DID NOT apply the heat pad properly, that is your problem and while again this unit wouldn't cause a fire naturally, Zoo Med is covering their butts. In the first place, no maybe several places, in my opinion, Zoo Med is over priced at the wholesale level that makes the retail level over price for a lot of their products. Also a lot of their products are simply not of need with much cheaper products being found else where. You would be hard ro find most upper crust breeders/keepers using Zoo Med products. ( I said most products/most upper crust breeders/keepers....not all on both accounts ). I had multiple problems with a lot of their electric applications/units/products. Now a recommendation for all on ANYTHING electric when it comes to heating your reptile cages. As a breeder and collector for at least 40 years, ALWAYS go with a circut breaker type strip and with certain application always go with a rea-stat and or both.

All of the above is in my opinion and not to sway anybody one way or another.

Chambo

I go one step further.I have a fire alarm in my reptile/bedroom.I also check my mats everytime i clean a cage just to make sure there shooting the right temps.Ive always had really good luck with cobra and zoo med...Paul.

not just zoo med.....
I have on my wall at the store a Hagen "heat wave" mat type heater,with a large hole in it,mounted on a 55 gallon aquarium,on the bottom,with the stupid little "feet"in place.
after about 7 months of use (never removed from tank)this heater went mad!shattered the bottom of the 55, the bedding then fell thru on to the wooden aquarium stand and all began smoldering,some fell behind the stand onto the floor and the carpet was actualy smoldering,when I came in.Luckly the snakes were small and went to the far end away from the fire,and the screen cover prevented fumes and smoke from killing them.
ALLWAYS use a themostat,dont use on wooden stands(even though designed for the aquarium)and pray hard.Of course the manufacturer says its not responcible,even though Ive carried the total product line for over 8 yrs,and have a "gold" dealer status,I didnt even get a so much as "sorry".
Im not intending this to sway your purchase,its just one mans experence,and no,I dont carry that product line anymore.
Noah