Thermostat.....You really do get what you pay for.

[AkHerps]

Alright, I got the hydrofarm thermostat today off of amazon...and I really don't like it. I don't like how it turns on and off, and you can only have one heat pad plugged in to it. I tried plugging a surge protector into it, and it didn't work...I think I'm going to get one from Reptile Basics...or something.

I need some suggestions.

I only have two snakes right now...

I have one young ball python who is running 11" flexwatt under his tub. I'm using a lamp dimmer on him right now though, and keeping his hot spot in between 90-95. Which is annoying cause I'm always fiddling with the dimmer, but that's okay...I have a heat pad tin foil taped to the side of his tub because it's cold in Alaska, but nothing is controlling it right now, it's just to help the ambient temps.

2nd snake is a new blood python. The thermostat was for him, and it is doing a crappy job of keeping his ambient temps steady like I wanted.

This is my new plan for his set up. Get a couple feet of 4 inch flexwatt and run it around the lower sides of his tub so the whole thing is heated! That way I only need one heat source rather than the like...3 I have on it right now!

So now, my question...can I use one thermostat for my ball pythons heat pad on the side and the soon to be here 4 inch flexwatt if they are all set to the same temp, approx. in the 80-81 range. How does it work if the thermostat has only one probe? Do you just plug them all in to the surge strip, which is wired into the thermostat, put the probe on one heat pad and expect it to keep all of the other heat sources at the desired temps?

Which thermostat from Reptile basics should I get, or one from a different company?? I was thinking the Helix Controls DBS1000 Proportional Thermostat (Grounded). Can I plug a power surge strip into this to control more than one heat source?

Thanks a lot guys! I want to do this right and now I believe you get what you pay for!

[steveboos]

I remember you saying yours was coming in the mail today, a $30 thermostat sounded fishy, now this is just proof.

I use Ranco thermostats, they are on-off thermostats not proportional like a Helix or Herpstat, but they do a great job keep temps right. You do kindof what i do, i have a Vision cage that i use a quarantine cage and right now my new arrival is in it. I have 3 heat pads on the cage, one on the center top directly plugged into the wall that is always about 108.

Then the other 2 are about 98-100 degrees and are under the tank and on the side of the tank, the tank is now perfect with ambient temps around 80 and the hot spot is around 94-95. I am only using a rheostat, but keep in mind this is just a temporary setup till he is given a clean bill of health, then he gets a nice 28 qt tub with flexwatt running on a Ranco.

I would always recommending buying from Reptile Basics cause Rich has the best customer service you will find and he will MAKE SURE your satisfied no matter what it takes. Plus his prices are very competitive to other people on the net.

I wouldn't control 2 different wattage/sized heat pads on the same thermostat. Heck I've got some foot long brand new wired 11" flexwatt i could sell you if you want some, but don't use 4 inch and 11 inch on the same thermostat and they will be different temps and you do only have one probe.

My 8 level rack only uses a probe on the middle shelf, granted the temps vary about 4 degrees from middle to top, or middle to bottom. This really isn't that big of a deal for me, cause it still gives me a 88 degree hot spot, which is still fine.

[AkHerps]

Well I think for the ball python I can stick with lamp dimmers because if his temps go up or down a couple degrees, it's not a big deal because his hot spot is pretty much always spot on, or at least in between 90-95, and his temps are never too high, or too low, so I think were okay there. Then maybe I could do something more efficient in the future.

So then all I want to do is get my bloods temps basically perfect. They are okay now, I've only had him for a couple days and he ate for me today, so obviously he is comfortable, but I don't like the set up.

So then I could change my set up to be 4" flex watt all around the blood tub (lower sides) or just on three sides, plugged into either the Ranco or Johnson, and as he ages and gets into a bigger tub, change over to 11".

And then if I got some 4" flex watt for my balls ambient temps, I could put that on the thermostat too as long as the temps were all the same and all the flexwatt was the same in width.

[steveboos]

You could do that since your trying to keep ambient temps and the blood would need the mid 80's temp anyways, so that would work out well. Or at least in theory it should.

[llovelace]

I have the hydrofarm, I plugged an extension cord into mine, it controls 3 racks perfectly. you could get a grounded plug adapter from HD and plug a 6 slot power strip into it, simple solution

[jben]

I own both, Ranco and Hydrofarm with no issues, maybe you received a defective one.

[AkHerps]

I'm going to go find another extension chord and plug it in. It was working and then stopped working. My temps are okay now, but I still want the flexwatt around 3/4 of my bloods tub.

Both of the extension plugs I tried using were grounded.

Just tried with another extension chord and it didn't work.

[AkHerps]

I hope it works with the heat pad right now...I think it does..I just tried plugging a regular extension chord into the hydrofarm and it didn't work. But I have it set at 82.0, it says it's 79.8(okay now it just jumped up to 84.9 and going back down...) right now, and my accurite probe inside the tub, under the newspaper says it's 80.2..now 80.6...I think this one isn't working so well...now the temps are going back down.

So it's obviously working, just not with the extension chord?? And is still kind of iffy..

I may just spend the extra and get the Ranco and return this one. I would hate to get another defective one when I really need something stable right now.

Like my set up is crazy right now haha. I have the thermostat controlling the heat pad on the bottom and keeping it at 80F. Then I have a heat pad on the side, and a human heating pad on low, which runs 80 on top of his tub...and my temps are still only barely right.

I think I'm going to be making a call to reptile basics Monday morning.

[MarkS]

I picked up a couple of those earlier too, they're working fine for me, I even have a power strip plugged in. I was leary at first just because they are so cheap, so I've been keeping a close eye on them, but so far they're working well. But that's only been for a couple of months, If I can make it over a year I'll be impressed.

[Nimitz87]

I also have the hydrofarm and right now it's doing a fine job after my thread I have the hydrofarm set to 87 deg the probe is on the inside right over the UTH. the accurite probe is right next to the hydrofarm.

accurite shows lowest on the hot side when off 90-93, cool side is in the low 80's ambient just took a little messing with to get it "right"

this is for my baby rtb.

Chad