Sparky help please!

[Tristan]

I'm a sparky....
The risk I see isn't overloading. That's what your circuit breakers or fuse is for.
A lot if fires start because of bad connections. Plugs not in properly or loose. I'd never connect a power board to another power board. I would connect a power board to an extension lead no worries though. Really you just need to bite the bullet and get another outlet installed. It's the safest thing to do. Power boards often sit flat and get dusty. Dust can be conductive at times and result in fires also.
Thermostat will work with lots of connections. Not sure what that was about lol.

i was going to add my 2cents as my dad is a sparky, but it seems Snowman beat me too it. also don't use double adapters, i was lucky to have a sparky in the family had dad change all my points from singles to doubles or more depending on the room only cost me a trip to bunnings

 

[Snowman]

Not sure how your viv is set up snakelove. But if you run a lead with the board to the viv why cant you plug the thermostat and the heat cords into the same board?

 

[bfg23]

wow i have been running 2 powerboards off another powerboard in my herp/study room for nearly a year now.

Me thinks ill be getting one of my electrician mates over this weekend.

 

[Snowman]

wow i have been running 2 powerboards off another powerboard in my herp/study room for nearly a year now.

Me thinks ill be getting one of my electrician mates over this weekend.

Yeah it works and can work with out incident. It just increases the "risk". My analogy would be that I used to spearfish with a fish bag hanging off my side holding the fish leaking blood. I did it for years and never had shark come by. My mate on the other hand was doing the same thing and had a pesky lil shark thrashing about his side. He was lucky it was small but he still ended up a little bloody.
So all I'm saying is it works and you can get away with it, but the risk is higher.... Older and a little wiser I say "why take an unessesary risk?"

 

[Snakelove]

Not sure how your viv is set up snakelove. But if you run a lead with the board to the viv why cant you plug the thermostat and the heat cords into the same board?

Oh that's coz I'm gonna be getting another enclosure soon and there's going to be 2 light fittings needed to be plugged in plus the heat cord. and I don't want heat cord to be controlled with the thermostat. I think I'll just stick the heat cord with the thermostat. Okay so my plan is now from the wall powerpoint then an extension cord then a thermostat then a powerboard and on the last powerboard there's going to be a 25watt heat cord + 2x 100 watt ceramic emitter. Would that be fine? lol please tell me it is haha. it's all too confusing! or if it's not then what do you suggest?

 

[Snowman]

what about two extension cords and one board each cord? Best solution is to get another power point put in. I think the going rate is about $100 for an outlet.

 

[Snakelove]

what about two extension cords and one board each cord?

But I only have a powerpoint on the wall in the room. which is extremely annoying! ahhh!

 

[bfg23]

I didnt know there was a risk involved otherwise it would have been rectified already.

I have already been to the electrical wholesaler and got a new GPO and some cable so will get it all installed tomorrow.

Snowman- I used to spearfish, and with a catch bag generally half full too haha. Also without incident.

 

[Snowman]

The power point is a single? Why do people bother with single outlets??? Can get the single changed very easily snakelover

 

[bfg23]

Snowman, can i rip out the single GPO thats currently in my herp room, and put a four outlet GPO in its place?

 

[Tristan]

Snowman, can i rip out the single GPO thats currently in my herp room, and put a four outlet GPO in its place?

you cant but a sparky can its an easy job i had a single in my entertainment room turned into a 4 point

 

[cosmicwolf4]

This is what I have done with min. I have an outlet behind on tank and run a powerboard from there, the other tanks I have hooked 2 extension cables from the other sides of the room linked to different outlets. These each have a powerboard connected. All I did was make sure the extension cable was running along the edges and fastened down to minimise any trips, falls or disconnections. It hasn't failed me yet and I don't overload any of the outlets this way

 

[Snakelove]

The power point is a single? Why do people bother with single outlets??? Can get the single changed very easily snakelover

haha I have no idea! it's annoying for sure. I'll definitely look into changing it into a double. Do you recommend anyone or a company by any chance to do it?

 

[Ozzie Python]

Best solution is to get another power point put in.

I'm no sparky but i think that is the best solution. I got a sparky out and put in 8 doubles in my herp room, and set up another safety switch dedicated to the herp room- if the snake room trips out atleast the rest of the house stays powered (more importantly our fridge, rodent freezer and beer fridge keep working). cost about $800 but money well spent i think, especially when you have multiple enclosures, racks & incubators running.

 

[Snakelove]

I'm no sparky but i think that is the best solution. I got a sparky out and put in 8 doubles in my herp room, and set up another safety switch dedicated to the herp room- if the snake room trips out atleast the rest of the house stays powered (more importantly our fridge, rodent freezer and beer fridge keep working). cost about $800 but money well spent i think, especially when you have multiple enclosures, racks & incubators running.

Who did you get to have yours installed mate?

 

[Snowman]

Yes they can be replaced

 

[Chris1]

thanks for all the info Snowman!

great thread Snakelove, its answered a bunch of questions ive been wondering about for ages!

 

[Southside Morelia]

OK guys I'm a sparky and hypothetically you should not piggy back power boards, ie plug one into the other. Although again hypothetically, IF the current does not exceed 10amps which is usually the rating of the flimsy 3 core flex and plug on the cheap power boards...which equates to 2400Watts, you will be ok. This cable is rated at more BUT these are the safe guidelines to work with!
Fires are "frequently" (not always), caused by bad connections and overloading of the power boards/double adapters, WHICH when the male plug is slightly pulled out of the female socket, still connected but not fully, this causes a hot joint, or "high resistance joint"....this heats up very hot due to the bad connection and not having the best circuit protection, ie Circuit Breaker or RCD controlling that circuit, this could potentially start a fire...which this does on occasion.
Again as stated get a double GPO installed or run half the load from another power point in the room.
Personally I wouldn't run a whole herp room off one circuit as if the circuit trips all your enclosures go out. You need to split the load...JMO

Disclaimer: This is just a guide ONLY. The internal wiring of the premise is also a contributor to fires, ie OLD VIR cabling, faulty GPO's and of course faulty power boards and double adapters. Better to safe than sorry....so errr on the side of caution!

 

[Snakelove]

thanks for all the info Snowman!

great thread Snakelove, its answered a bunch of questions ive been wondering about for ages!

haha yeah it's answered my questions too! I need to get my single powerpoint converted to a double! lol haha it's just not worth it otherwise!

 

[Snakelove]

OK guys I'm a sparky and hypothetically you should not piggy back power boards, ie plug one into the other. Although again hypothetically, IF the current does not exceed 10amps which is usually the rating of the flimsy 3 core flex and plug on the cheap power boards...which equates to 2400Watts, you will be ok. This cable is rated at more BUT these are the safe guidelines to work with!
Fires are "frequently" (not always), caused by bad connections and overloading of the power boards/double adapters, WHICH when the male plug is slightly pulled out of the female socket, still connected but not fully, this causes a hot joint, or "high resistance joint"....this heats up very hot due to the bad connection and not having the best circuit protection, ie Circuit Breaker or RCD controlling that circuit, this could potentially start a fire...which this does on occasion.
Again as stated get a double GPO installed or run half the load from another power point in the room.
Personally I wouldn't run a whole herp room off one circuit as if the circuit trips all your enclosures go out. You need to split the load...JMO

Disclaimer: This is just a guide ONLY. The internal wiring of the premise is also a contributor to fires, ie OLD VIR cabling, faulty GPO's and of course faulty power boards and double adapters. Better to safe than sorry....so errr on the side of caution!

So you think making a whole other powerpoint somewhere else in the room is better in my case?