Exo Terra HEAT MAT Mode D'emploi page 4

IMPORTANT:
When installing this substrate heater it is important that the electrical
contact block is not bent and that it sits flat against the glass surface
of the terrarium. This heater is not to be installed with the contact block
portion resting on the bottom frame of the terrarium.(see picture)
The terrarium must not sit on the contact block. Under no
circumstances should the heater sheet be bent or folded in any way,
this may result in product failure. The use of the rubber spacers
provided is mandatory when installing the substrate heater on a
terrarium without a bottom frame.
Background or wall mounting
For heating terrarium walls
Not to be used with paper backgrounds!
1. Clean the surface of the glass.
2. With the protective backing still intact, place the Heat Mat Substrate
Heater on the outside of the tank to determine its final position.
3. Mark the position on the background or wall with a wax pencil or
other marker.
4. Remove the white protective backing and carefully fit the Heat Wave
Substrate Heater to the tank wall. Do NOT remove the clear film
backing on the other side of the mat.
Once in place, the Heat Mat Substrate Heater should not be removed.
5. Place the tank in its final location.
6
6. Plug in the Heat Mat Substrate Heater.
7. Add the substrate and decorative accessories (see Substrates and
Decoration).
SUBSTRATE THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
Material
Granite................................................... 2.90
Sandstone ............................................. 1.70
Wet Desert Sand .................................... 1.55
Wet Soil ................................................. 1.50
Glass ..................................................... 1.38
Water ..................................................... 0.60
Wet Peat, Bark, Coconut Fiber ................ 0.33
Dry Desert Sand .................................... 0.21
Dry Soil .................................................. 0.20
Dry Peat, Bark, Coconut Fiber................. 0.08
Substrates
When mounted under the tank, the Heat Mat Substrate Heater should
not be used without a substrate in order to prevent reptiles from being
burned. The efficiency of the Heat Mat Substrate Heater depends on
the kind of substrate used and the thickness of the layer, as some
substrates are more conductive than others (see table).
(W/mK)
Moistened substrates increase the humidity in the tank rapidly when
heated by a Heat Mat Substrate Heater. This is ideal for damp and
warm-loving reptiles and amphibians. Make sure to use warm (30ºC)
water when adding it to the tank to prevent cracks in the bottom glass,
as it reacts to temperature changes.
Decoration
Always place the water bowl on the opposite side of where the Heat
Mat Substrate Heater is positioned. This prevents the water from
overheating and evaporating. Hiding boxes or caves should also be
placed in the cold zone of the tank to promote natural behavior. Reptiles
seek these hiding places to cool down and hide from warm substrates
or the sun. Other decorations like rocks or wood can be placed in the
warm zone (on the Heat Mat Substrate Heater) to create even more
temperature zones.
Additional heat sources
Next to the Heat WMat Substrate Heater several types of heating
devices can be applied to create the ideal environment. In nature heat
is transferred in three different ways from its source to the animal.
Heat can be transferred by:
Conduction (Heat Mat Substrate Heater and Heat Rock): the transfer
of heat by means of physical contact. The larger the contact area, the
more efficient the heat transfer.
Convection (almost all heat sources create a form of convection):
the movement of heat by moving air. Convection results from the
differences in the densities of the air at different temperatures. As air
raises in temperature, it becomes less dense and thus lighter thereby
rising above its cooler and denser counterparts, which in turn sink.
Radiation (Sun Glo, Night Glo, Heat Glo and Repti Glo): energy in
the form of electromagnetic waves. Different forms of radiation
comprise the electromagnetic spectrum and are characterized by
their different wavelength. The following types of radiation make up
the electromagnetic spectrum (in order of decreasing energy and
increasing wavelength): ultraviolet rays, visible light rays and infrared.
The shortest wavelength forms of radiation are most penetrating.
Incandescent light bulbs (Sun Glo, Night Glo, Heat Glo and Solar Glo)
should not be mounted immediately above the surface heated by the
Heat Mat Substrate Heater, and place them in such a way that a cooler
area is still present.
Heat Rocks can be used in conjunction with the Heat Mat Substrate
Heater but is more as an alternative heat source as it can be placed
inside the terrarium. Never position the Heat Rock on the surface
heated by a Heat Mat Substrate Heater!
Guarantee
This product is guaranteed for defects in material or workmanship
for a period of 2 years from date of purchase. The guarantee is valid
with proof of purchase only. The guarantee is limited to repair or
replacement of the unit only and does not cover consequential loss
or damage of or to animate or inanimate objects. This guarantee
is valid only under normal operating conditions for which the unit