It is extremely important to control any heating equipment to avoid spiking temps. Spiked temps can and will cause belly burns on a snake so you want to avoid that at all costs. The use of a thermostat or rheostat as a controlling device on a heating source accomplishes that goal.
Basically a rheostat is a lamp dimmer switch. It looks like this....
This is the Lutron brand available at Home Depot and most other major stores. It retails generally around $10.00
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/...ctId=100001525
The rheostat (lamp dimmer) gets plugged into your wall socket and the heating equipment you are controlling gets plugged into the outlet on the dimmer. Like this....
These dimmers are rated for up to 300 watts. You should get in the habit of knowing what wattage any heating appartus is and not exceed what your controlling device can handle.
Now once you have your rheostat plugged into the wall socket and your heat source plugged into the rheostat you need to see how these things work.
Move the slide up until the LED light is brightest....mark a C there in permanet marker. This indicates "cool". In other words the dimmer is exerting the maximum control on your heatpad therefore restricting electricity therefore causing the heatpad to cool. Now slide it down until the LED light is dullest....mark a W there in marker. This indicates "warm". This is the least amount of control from the dimmer (rheostat) on your heating appartus therefore allowing it to pump out more heat.
Almost everyone, me included, uses a lamp dimmer type rheostat backwards at first.Something in the human mind just says that bright light LED must mean more heat when it's actually exactly the opposite.
Now it's time to find the "sweet spot". That's very dependent on the temps of the room the tub is in, how big the tub is, choice of substrate, depth of substrate, etc. To make this easier on you choose a place in the room your snake is in that's not against a window or in direct drafts or in direct sunlight. Not on the floor either so you aren't getting cold floor drafts. This should be the most stable spot in your room with the least temperature fluctations.
Once you set up your tub there watch it over the course of 48 hours. You are aiming for 90 degrees warm side, 80 degrees cool side. When you find that spot on the slide that holds those temps best....mark it with a line. This is the "sweet spot" for that rheostat on that heating equipment in that room.
Looks like this....
This is where most often your tub will sit correctly but you must make it a habit to check this at least twice daily. Also check it at any other time that room's temps take a dramatic dip or rise due to weather conditions, a window open, whatever.
Rheostats aren't as good or reliable as a good thermostats but they are quite workable if you are willing to check them 2 or 3 times daily.
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