Rheostats

[sneakerpro]

Thursday I went on a trip to find two rheostats. I went to Home Depot, and they sent me to Radio Shack. Radio Shack tried to send me to Home Depot. Then I decided that Wal-Mart was right next door so I'd at least look. Wal-Mart hardware dept. happened to have two "table top lamp dimmers" for about $9 a piece. SHAZAAM!

So I bought them, and took them home to get them all hooked up and dialed in. After a day/night of tweaking the sliders, and adjusting my lamp (which I no longer use), I have perfect temperatures. My two Accu-Rites, placed over my two exo-terra heating pads, connected to my suprisingly cheap rheostats equals a very happy snake and owner. My BP is finally using the warm side of the tank on a regular basis! Hopefully I'll get some pics up of the new and improved setup later today.

P.S.
My whole heating setup retailed at less than $80 dollars!

[ChrisBowsman]

Awesome. Most people don't like r-stats, but if your room temp stays stable, it should work just fine. I haven't had any issues with mine.

[chetman7]

tru that. I have a rhea to keep my cold side up to 80. but my friends always open the windows over here which messes up the temp b/c the rheostat is just a dimmer and doesn't compensate for that loss. As soon as I get some money, I'm gonna buy another herbstat.....so easy and precise

[missi182]

I hate rheostats! lol but that is because the temps in my room change alot. I noticed they do work more consistently with bigger heating pads, because the temp changes in the room don't affect the bigger UTHs as much. Ive got my cool UTH on a dimmer, and my warm one on a ranco thermostat. But doesn't it feel good when you better your bp's habitat, and for cheap!? I would be happy if I spent $400 on a helix but I would be even happier if I spent $200 on a herpstat

[sneakerpro]

The room I keep my BP in is the same room that our wall unit furnace and thermostat are, so it pretty much stays right at 72 in there all the time. Since I have such a stable room temp right now, the dimmers are working beautifully. Obviously I'd like to have a herpstat or something similar, but of course money is an issue. For now I feel like this is a great low budget solution though.

[BMorrison]

Yeah, I bought a Rheostat myself until I can get my Herpstat ordered and it's working pretty good. As you know here in Michigan it's easy to keep rooms at certain temps all day

[sneakerpro]

As you know here in Michigan it's easy to keep rooms at certain temps all day

Until this summer when I have no A/C in an upstairs apt!

[BMorrison]

Ouch... the AC is a must.. we only have a good 3 weeks of summer though haha