Wiring a dimmer

[Big Mike]

Wiring a dimmer
I'm going to wire up my own dimmers for some UTH's to put on some new enclosures. I have tried one from Radio Shack, it is a lamp dimmer that does not dim anything at all...it’s a P.O.S. model #&*%@!...I looked every where for a simple plug in dimmer but I eventually got one at the pet store (Repti-Temp Rheostat) which is nice and simple but It barely lowers the UTH enough...at the lowest level the heat is 85 deg.

Anyway...I know it will be much cheaper to just wire my own dimmer to the UTH. What's the best way to do it? I guess I could cut the cord and wire it in. I would rather get a dimmer and a receptacle and a cheap cord and make a rheostat that is separate from the UTH (so I can unplug it and use it somewhere else).

Is this a good Idea?

What kind of dimmer is best to use. The rotary is cheap but I like the look of the slide ones better. I think that the most common dimmers are 600w (is that right)...that should be plenty of capacity for a small UTH or two...shouldn't it? Should I use a heavy-duty dimmer?

Sorry for all the questions on one post but...the hot wire in a cord is the copper one? and that goes to the smaller tooth on the plug? Which color wire is which..usually?

Any help or tips would be appreciated...Thanks.

I know about as much as the electrician that Goerge on Seinfield hired to help him transport the frogger machine..."oh, you mean the holes"

[Cornelsworld]

Heres what I do. I am not an electrician, but i have done it before and it does work. Hopefully you can follow me. I'm sure this will be confusing. First get the dimmer and a metal receptacle box. Wire the ground on the dimmer to the screw on the inside of the metal box, then cut your heat pad wire. The wire usually both look the same, so I took the wire that had writing on the plastic coating and assumed that that wire was the hot one. Wire that one to one of the black wires on the dimmer. Now wire the other "Hot" wire to the other black wire on the dimmer. The other wire on the heat pad, just needs to be wired back together, or not cut in the first place. Which ever is easier. If all else fails return that one to the store you bought it, and try the exact oposite. It worked for me and it only costs less than 10 as opposed to over 20

Hope that helped

Greg

[lance]

any body have pic by pic instuction on this
i'm kinda simple and dont wanna burn the place down