ZooMed ReptiTemp Rheostat?!? Queston!?

[ndizzleg]

I have a zoo med UTH and a zoo med rheostat for right now til i can get more money for a nice thermostat like a Herpstat or something of that nature. Does anybody have this combo for controlling the undertank heat? If so, what is your rheostat knob set to? Thanks ya guys!

[BMorrison]

Dial that bad boy to the lowest setting possible... it'll get HOT.
That's what I'm using.

[ndizzleg]

So you have your knob on your stat down to where it says low? Ok i'll crank it down to that. I just got an Acurite thermometer with the probe and i put the probe the taped it to the tank under the fur bark substrate. Will that get a good reading? Thanks

[littleindiangirl]

I have a zoo med UTH and a zoo med rheostat for right now til i can get more money for a nice thermostat like a Herpstat or something of that nature. Does anybody have this combo for controlling the undertank heat? If so, what is your rheostat knob set to? Thanks ya guys!

You should have a thermometer probe to read how hot it is. Setting the rheostat for 90-95 F. Don't guess, just use your handy dandy thermometer to figure the best spot.

It's going to vary from house to house, and location to location. So it's seems kinda unproductive to ask others where to set your dial at no?

[ndizzleg]

Is the Rheostat reliable? Say if i'm at work and i have the stat set to like 92. I'd hate to come home after work and see my probe on the acurtie reading in the hundreds! ..I just hope this rheostat being around 30 bucks.. will be reliable for some time til i get my Herpstat.

[nevohraalnavnoj]

Is the Rheostat reliable? Say if i'm at work and i have the stat set to like 92. I'd hate to come home after work and see my probe on the acurtie reading in the hundreds! ..I just hope this rheostat being around 30 bucks.. will be reliable for some time til i get my Herpstat.

Rheostats are more reliable than thermostats...at least in terms of safety. They are almost fail-proof, meaning they won't get stuck in the "on" position. The Barker's seem to prefer them in their book. Your ambient temps will affect the temp more though.

JonV

[littleindiangirl]

Rheostats are more reliable than thermostats...at least in terms of safety. They are almost fail-proof, meaning they won't get stuck in the "on" position. The Barker's seem to prefer them in their book. Your ambient temps will affect the temp more though.

JonV

But that doesnt mean they wont get too hot or too cool. The safety feature has never given me any peace of mind, and I found them to be aggravatingly wild in range of temps.

I dont like rheostats, too much variability from one moment to the next. Mine was always either too hot, or too dang cold.

[missi182]

But that doesnt mean they wont get too hot or too cool. The safety feature has never given me any peace of mind, and I found them to be aggravatingly wild in range of temps.

I dont like rheostats, too much variability from one moment to the next. Mine was always either too hot, or too dang cold.

Agreed 1000%. I absolutely hate rheostats...I have used 3 different brands and NEVER had a steady/reliable temp...I would get home and the UTH could be 99 degrees but 89 when I left. Too much worry, I like my ranco

[ndizzleg]

Where do you get a Ranco from?

[SatanicIntention]

Rheostats work fine if the room temp is completely stable. But if your room temp fluctuates, so will the heat pad temperatures. Thermostats, however, take into account all of these fluctuations and adjust accordingly.

I like those Lutron credenza dimmers much better than anything found in the pet store. They can carry up to 300 watts.