Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 3,147

3 members and 3,144 guests
Most users ever online was 6,337, 01-24-2020 at 04:30 AM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,031
Threads: 248,489
Posts: 2,568,442
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, isismomma
Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    Registered User 6spdrt's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-09-2011
    Posts
    29
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts

    choosing a thermostat --- HELP

    looking to put my heat lamp on a thermostat. Does anyone know of any good thermostats???? i was looking at the reptitemp rt-500r and read some good reviews but noticed it doesn't have a display of the temp. I've read that the hydrofarm thermostats are good for heat mats but can they be used for heat lamps??? i use a black light 24hrs and have my uth on a rheostat. my basking spot stays pretty consistant around 90 and the cold side of the tank just at 80. i have my uth in the middle and stays pretty consistant at 92-95. Sometimes temperature changes in the house throw off my setup so that's why i'd like to go for a thermostat on my heat lamp. any suggestions??????

  2. #2
    BPnet Veteran The Serpent Merchant's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-15-2011
    Location
    Orlando, Florida
    Posts
    8,193
    Thanks
    1,504
    Thanked 3,300 Times in 2,344 Posts
    The hydrofarm will work with your UTH or your heat lamp, I use herpstats, but they have a bigger price tag (I can explain why I think they are worth it if you want)

    now for some advice... I would get a thermostat for your UTH and use the rheostat for your heat lamp.

    I also would replace the backlight with an infrared heat bulb... they seem to work better.

    I defiantly would avoid the zoo-med thermostat
    Last edited by The Serpent Merchant; 02-26-2012 at 03:51 PM.
    ~Aaron

    0.1 Pastel 100% Het Clown Ball Python (Hestia)
    1.0 Coastal/Jungle Carpet Python (Shagrath)
    0.1 Dumeril's Boa (Nergal)

    0.1 Bearded Dragon (Gaius)

    1.0 Siberian Husky (Picard)
    0.1 German Shepherd/Lab Mix (Jadzia)

  3. #3
    Registered User 6spdrt's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-09-2011
    Posts
    29
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts

    Re: choosing a thermostat --- HELP

    yes please explain the benefits on the better thermostat... i don't mind spending the extra money if it's worth it...what's the price difference on the 2 anyways????


    my only reason for choosing to put my heat bulb on a thermostat and uth on rheostat is... i figured if i can keep the ambient air temp at the location of the uth stable (using the thermostat for the bulb) then the rheostat will keep my uth temp consistant. I do see how putting the uth on a thermostat is effective but when the temperature of the house drops and rises that means the ambient air temp will also fluctuate because the rheostat will keep the same wattage applied to the heat bulb... can you please explain why it would be better to have my uth on a thermostat and heat lamp on rheostat?????

  4. #4
    Registered User 6spdrt's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-09-2011
    Posts
    29
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts

    hydrofarm thermostat

    does the hydrofarm thermostat completely turn off the power when the high temp. is achieved then turned back on when needed or does it constantly adjust wattage to maintain the proper temp?

  5. #5
    BPnet Veteran RetiredJedi's Avatar
    Join Date
    05-15-2011
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1,350
    Thanks
    309
    Thanked 369 Times in 297 Posts
    Images: 5
    Sorry I double posted.
    Last edited by RetiredJedi; 02-26-2012 at 04:47 PM.
    1.0 Boxer (Boba…@bobatheboxer on IG)
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    "Blaming the leader of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their leader."
    ~unknown~
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    SUPPORT OUR WOUNDED WARRIORS
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  6. #6
    BPnet Veteran RetiredJedi's Avatar
    Join Date
    05-15-2011
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1,350
    Thanks
    309
    Thanked 369 Times in 297 Posts
    Images: 5
    Quote Originally Posted by 6spdrt View Post
    does the hydrofarm thermostat completely turn off the power when the high temp. is achieved then turned back on when needed or does it constantly adjust wattage to maintain the proper temp?
    It is on/off type. When the heat gets to the set temp it shuts it off until it gets about 3 degrees below the set temp and then turns it back on.



    Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk
    1.0 Boxer (Boba…@bobatheboxer on IG)
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    "Blaming the leader of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their leader."
    ~unknown~
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    SUPPORT OUR WOUNDED WARRIORS
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  7. #7
    BPnet Veteran The Serpent Merchant's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-15-2011
    Location
    Orlando, Florida
    Posts
    8,193
    Thanks
    1,504
    Thanked 3,300 Times in 2,344 Posts
    ok, the difference between a hydrofarm, and a herpstat (on/off style thermostats vs. proportional thermostats)

    The hydrofarm and other on/off thermostats (such as the ranco and VE-100) work the way the thermostat on your houses air conditioner works, you set the desired temperature and the thermostat turns the heat source on full power until the desired temperature is reached. The thermostat the n turns the heat source completely off until the temperature has dropped below the swing (usually 2 degrees) this means that your temperatures will fluctuate but will stay in the general range that you want them at. Because these on/off thermostats run the heat source at either 100% full power or 0% completely off this can cause issues... especially with UTH's as they can get extremely hot when powered at full blast. It may not be at a high temperature very long (just long enough to get the probe to the desired temperature but it can still cause issues in rare cases. A hydrofarm will cost you $30

    http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR..._bxgy_ol_img_b

    Herpstats and other proportional thermostats (helix, VE-200/300) actually vary the amount of power going to the heat source this means that the desired temperature is maintained very well, and is safer since the heat source is almost never run at full power. the basic herpstat model will cost you $99, but there are other models as well that are better. I suggest the Herpstat 1 or Herpstat 2 (which has 2 independent thermostats in 1 box that could control both your UTH and heat lamp at the same time)



    http://spyderrobotics.com/

    another option would be to get a herpstat for your UTH and a hydrofarm for the heat lamp.


    I suggested using the rheostat for the heat lamp and the thermostat for the UTH simply because that set up is safer. Either way will work, but you are right the thermostat on the heat lamp might hold temperatures a little better. (you might even be able to ditch the UTH all together if humidity isn't a big issue for you.
    ~Aaron

    0.1 Pastel 100% Het Clown Ball Python (Hestia)
    1.0 Coastal/Jungle Carpet Python (Shagrath)
    0.1 Dumeril's Boa (Nergal)

    0.1 Bearded Dragon (Gaius)

    1.0 Siberian Husky (Picard)
    0.1 German Shepherd/Lab Mix (Jadzia)

  8. #8
    Registered User 6spdrt's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-09-2011
    Posts
    29
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
    thank you guys very much! i'm gonna put my heat lamp on a hydrofarm for now and monitor it to see how it does with my uth on the rheostat. I will definetly look into the investment of a herpstat for the future i wanna read up on them and find out how i can get more bang for the buck and see if i can use 1 herpstat to control multiple tanks. I very much like the idea of a proportional thermostat over an on/off type. Seems to me like the heat bulbs and uth would probably last longer as well... now you said you had better luck with Red bulbs over the black??? i just thought maybe the snake would see the red more than the black?

  9. #9
    Registered User snake lab's Avatar
    Join Date
    09-10-2011
    Location
    chancellor battlefield virginia
    Posts
    1,244
    Thanks
    51
    Thanked 442 Times in 317 Posts
    Helix helix helix helix
    [IMG][/IMG]

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1