Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm looking into buying remote electric photocells that I can hook up to the lights and heaters of my collection, so that cycling of day/night and temps is automatic with the change of seasons where I live. Does anyone know where to buy reliable hardware for this? I know some outdoor lights, for example, have built in photocells, however they turn things on at night and off during the day - I'd be needing the opposite, obviously. Any ideas of places and price range would be great. Thanks,

-Christian-
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pythonelmer.com

2.2 Amazon Tree Boas
1.1 Soloman Island Tree Boas
1.0 Borneo Blood Python
1.0 Black Blood Python
1.0 Southern Scrub Python
1.1 Ball Python

Yeah, remembering to reset those thing for daylight savings can be a real pain... and really, who has that much free time to have to deal with such things.

I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you didn't mean that in a sarcastic manner, since it's very difficult to determine someone's intentions based on their typed words alone.

I've heard of people using this for a long time, and it seems very smart.. you really can't cycle any more naturally then to attune your lights/heaters to exactly what is happening outside around you. Rather than changing your photoperiod by 1/2 hour a week, which can get troublesome and difficult to remember, this is just one more way of automation that should be better for both the keeper and the snakes.

-Christian-
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pythonelmer.com

2.2 Amazon Tree Boas
1.1 Soloman Island Tree Boas
1.0 Borneo Blood Python
1.0 Black Blood Python
1.0 Southern Scrub Python
1.1 Ball Python

It's pretty easy to reverse the function of a normal photo cell but you may have to play around with finding the right parts.

Mount your photo cell near a window or outdoors. Have it turn on a light that is mounted inside of an electrical box. A second photo cell inside of the box will be activated by the light and have that turn off the other lights in your room.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.4 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

Hmmm, that's a neat idea I never thought of. I just use a photocell to power the coil of a standard SPDT contol relay ($10 at home depot). The lighting circuit is simply run through the 'normally closed' side to accomplish the same task. At night the circuit opens and the lights go out. Definitely less work than Mcguyvering a 2nd photocell/light setup, but props to you for thinking of it. Very creative indeed.

>>It's pretty easy to reverse the function of a normal photo cell but you may have to play around with finding the right parts.
>>
>>Mount your photo cell near a window or outdoors. Have it turn on a light that is mounted inside of an electrical box. A second photo cell inside of the box will be activated by the light and have that turn off the other lights in your room.
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>>Current snakes:
>>
>>1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)
>>
>>3.4 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)
>>
>>2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

Helix makes exactly what your looking for. helixcontrols.com

Eric
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www.ESReptiles.com