Hi all,
There has been some mention of how to get a probe inside a tub and seal the hole. Heres an easy way I do it with a couple of my gecko tubs, using what they call a 'cable gland'. Hope it all makes sense.
The same principle can be applied to inserting a probe into glass, however I will not go into drilling holes in glass. If you stuff a tub worth a couple of bucks, no problems, but I don't want to encourage anyone to stuff their glass enclosures.
However with a bit of research (google is your friend) and care, it should be just as easy in glass. Theres a note on using these glands in glass at the end due to short threads on the glands.
For this example, I am using a clear plastic 'critter cage', the ones with the coloured ventilation lids. These are more likely to crack than the plastic they use for the standard opaque plastic tub from Kmart or wherever, but I have found keeping the drill bit fast, it is ok. It seems to be when it is slow it wants to 'grab' and split the plastic.
Ok, here goes:
You'll need:
1x Tub
1x Cable gland
1x Probe Thermostat
1x Power drill with suitable bit (I use a standard wood drill bit)
1. First, take a look at the cable gland taken apart. Pics are below, one with it put together, one apart. The cable gland has a thread that when you tighten the inside section, the inner seal closes up and tightens down on the probe. You will need to drill a hole just big enough for the dismantled gland to fit through the hole. I didn't have a bit large enough, so I drilled a pilot hole, and then did it the rough way - by making the hole bigger using the side of the drill bit on high speed to slowly cut away the hole larger.
2. With the gland apart, from the inside, insert the short bit of the thread out through the hole and screw the nut onto the thread. The cable gland will now sit there nice and tight.
3. Insert the probe, obviously from the outside.
4. Tighten the inside part onto the cable gland. It will get tight when it is clamped down on the probe. It doesn't have to be really tight, just enough that if you pull on the probe from the outside it doesn't slide in the gland.
5. Put your creature in the tub, and 'Bob's your uncle'. (Isn't my goldentail 'Twiggy' just adorable??!!)
Notes:
I was using a standard Microclimate thermostat and the cable glands were from Jaycar, designed for 5-10mm cable (Cat #: HP0727)
These look a bit big for the job, (not as big as the last pic shows, thats an illusion as the gecko is closer to the camera), but the problem is the probe end itself is thicker than the cable, and you will not get the probe through the smaller size cable gland. However, you can pull the black tip section from the thermostat probe cable, slip the cable through the smaller size gland (4-8mm, Jaycar Cat # HP0724) and slide the black end bit back over the probe cable.
I don't want to be responsible for you accidentally ruining your thermostat, so I suggest you just use the larger gland. I accidentally pulled the end off when I was trying to pull it back out of the smaller gland (getting it in was tight, getting out would not come), but I then had trouble purposely pulling off the probe cover from my second thermostat, so settled for this larger gland.
Even with the gland installed, all you need to do to remove the probe is unscrew the inside section and pull the probe out. The gland itself stays there as long as you have the outside nut screwed on. Keep in mind that the glands without a probe through them, only close up the hole most of the way and keep a 2-3mm hole through the gland. Generally this won't be a problem for any herps to get though, but keep it in mind if you intend using it without the probe installed at a later date, and you feed baby crix or woodies. I'm sure they could escape!
You could also get the glands from some marine supply shops, as they are designed as a waterproof thing. Some of the guys in my kayak fishing group use them to run nav light and sounder cables through the plastic in their kayaks.
If you don't want to use cable glands, you could use a standard type of rubber grommit in the hole, but these glands secure the probe extremely well, and I think look ultra professional.
One more thing. You can see the thread end that sticks out the hole is not very long (8.3mm to be exact), therefore unfortunately these are only good for thin sided tubs and the like. Before you attempted to use it through glass (and I would say 4mm glass max), I would give it a go on a scrap piece of glass the same thickness first, to make sure the nut grabs the thread enough from the outside once the gland is installed. I guess it could be possible on 4mm glass if you cover the thread and the side of the nut with araldite/silicon as well. However this makes the gland itself permanent (but not the probe, as mentioned, it can still come out).
Good luck and hope this helps.
Martin.
Thanks heaps for the tip Martin
