Confused on thermostats, proportional thermostat, herpstat?

[KingPythons]

Are thermostats, proportional thermostat, herpstat the same? Whats the best type or form of thermostat for racks? Dont know if proportional is the way to go?

[blackcrystal22]

There are proportional thermostats but not all thermostats are proportional.

Herpstats are basically proportional thermostats meant for herps.

You want to stick to the proportional ones. They help you keep your temperatures where you want them exactly, not with a nob.

[KingPythons]

There are proportional thermostats but not all thermostats are proportional.

Herpstats are basically proportional thermostats meant for herps.

You want to stick to the proportional ones. They help you keep your temperatures where you want them exactly, not with a nob.

So do you think I should upgrade? I use a johnson controls thermostat but dont know whats better really.

[Vypyrz]

So do you think I should upgrade? I use a johnson controls thermostat but dont know whats better really.

Herpstat is a brand made by Spyder Robotics.
There are 2 types of thermostats, Proportional and On/Off.
Proportional thermostats are always on. They work by constantly adjusting the amount of power to the heat source to maintain the desired temp. Herpstats and Helix are proportional thermostats.
On/Off thermostats do not adjust the power. They cycle On and Off to maintain the correct temperatures. Most of the entry level thermostats like the ReptiTemp 500R and ALife are this type. The Johnson and Ranco thermostats are also this type, but they are designed for commercial heating and air conditioning applications. It just so happens that they work great for reptile heating as well. The Johnson will work for a rack, it all comes down to what you want. If you decide to go with a Proportional, you can always keep the Johnson as a spare for heating Quarantine enclosures. I use mine to regulate the space heater that I have in my herp room...

[bsavage]

Johnson controls aren't bad thermostats, they are just on/off as opposed to proportional. I know a few breeders who use the Johnson with no ill effects, but i seem to see a preference for herpstat or other proportional t-stats on these boards. I use Johnson Controls a419 with my racks and have never had a problem so long as all the heating elements it controls are the same (i.e all racks it controls use 4 inch flexwatt) but I always check with my tempgun to make sure temps stay accurate.

[yeroc1982]

Go with Herpstat. Have 2 and love them!!

[wax32]

I have a couple of Ranco's (basically the same as Johnson). They work great. One controls back heat for my young bp rack and one controls my room heater. I also use a proportional Helix on my adult rack. I think it's the same difference.

I DO think I will use my Helix on my incubator once my bps start laying and get another Ranco for the adult rack.