Anyone Use Light Dimmers?

Marc10edora

Avid Member
Does anyone here use any light dimmers on their enclosures? I'm putting together my new cage and was wondering if I could install a light dimmer that can run on a timer. I think it will be better than having my lights go off all of a sudden. Dimming the lights should be more realistic and might even improve the phsycology of the cham.
 
I have heard of some keepers doing this and/or switching off a light at a time instead off all at once. I would say most keepers don’t use this method and just have the lights go off but its worth experimenting with. If you play around with doing this then I suggest dimming in the morning and at night for a more natural affect.

-roo
 
I have been trying to figure out away to make the basking bulb slowly move across the cage on a track. Maybe I should work in a dimmer too.

I guess I should mention I have two or three note books filled with great ideas. A closet full of crap that never worked out. Sooner or later I will get lucky I figure.

I think the dimmer sounds like a good idea.
 
Using an automated dimmer sounds like a great idea; I hope to hear more from someone using them. I currently have my basking and uvb bulbs set to turn on/off at different times. The uvb lights are on for a few hours longer per day than the basking bulbs.
 
I have been trying to figure out a way to make the basking bulb slowly move across the cage on a track. Maybe I should work in a dimmer too.
Might be overkill, but you can get motorized light tracks at some garden centers. You might find some at an online hydroponics store.
 
I have been trying to figure out away to make the basking bulb slowly move across the cage on a track. Maybe I should work in a dimmer too.

I guess I should mention I have two or three note books filled with great ideas. A closet full of crap that never worked out. Sooner or later I will get lucky I figure.

I think the dimmer sounds like a good idea.

I think a simpiler way to get that effect would be to mount three basking bulbs on the cage. One on the left one right on top and another to the right. Then if we can figure out how to hook dimmers up with a timer to each one, they can go on/off during different times of the day. ex. moring=Left bulb afternoon=middle bulb evening=Right bulb.
 
Might be overkill, but you can get motorized light tracks at some garden centers. You might find some at an online hydroponics store.

Well your probably right. Ever since I read this thread I have had this idea in my head so I figured I should show it.

dimmerpulleysytem copy.jpg

The light for this example will be moving from left to right. As it moves over the red pulley it will spin it clockwise to brighten the lights. Now when it goes to the off side it will spin a dummy pulley this is design so that the belt can run under the actual connection pulley spinning it counter clockwise. This will slowly turn the lights off.

For the pullies I was thinking about using the rollers you would find in a drawer that pulls out. These come in many various sizes and are cheap. The dimmer will be just like one you install in a room, with the cap modified. Not sure about the belts will have to see what will work. Something would have to be fashioned on the dome reflector as well to make sure it is engaging the pulley.
 
Wow.
I thought Laragail had too much time on her hands with her cham smoothie idea, but this....
Truly inspired and beyond the realm of my thinking for sure!

-Brad
 
I also saw some led lights for sale on a reptile site. You can probably use them as night to mimic stars at the end of your pully system. Then if you want to go way overboard, discovery channel sells a lamp/nightlight that looks just like the moon when lit up. It also shows diferrent eclipses. I was thinking of installing the led lights for my cage. They might not do anything to benifit the cham, but they sure do look good.
 
Holy banana… I have seen some complex pulley set-ups in my day but that one takes the bait! :eek: :)

Jordan, if you are going to actually do this give me a buzz, I can tell you where to get the correct hardware. Modifying cabinet hardware will be a PITA I think, you will be better off with getting the correct items for the job. Check out www.mcmaster.com they have just about EVERYTHING. As for belts you can buy some polyurethane belting (from Mcmaster) which you can cut and melt to length… They are really awesome; use them all the time for my robotics stuff.

Also, a setup that would automatically turn a basking light on and off would not be THAT difficult to create. Working on the same idea as how a string of Christmas lights work, you simply have to edit the dim up and dim down time to coincide with the time of your light cycle. A quick Google shows that you can even buy a product that will do the job for ya ready made. ‘Automatic light dimmer’.
 
wrlla s for the red lights maybe not cuz they could be to bright bu you could do a low volt led then it could be white and more like the stars
 
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