ReptiTemp 500r = garbage

Can someone please tell me I am not the only one who is having problems with the reptitemp 500r?

I am using the reptitemp for the UTH on the hot side of my tank, and it fluctuates anywhere from 84 degrees to 100 degrees. It has been acting stupid like that for the past 3 weeks.

On the other side of the tank, I have a UTH plugged into a lamp dimmer, and its constantly staying between 78-83 which is perfect.

How is my $8 lamp dimmer working better than my $22 reptitemp 500r at keeping consistant temps? What a waste of money.... Oh and another thing, the sticky stuff on the reptitemp 500r is so weak that it's impossible to stick to your tank and have it stay on. I had to add extra adhesive tape to it just to get it to hold to the side of my tank a week before falling again.

I can't wait to order my rack from reptilebasics in a week. Then hopefully I won't have any of these annoying problems.

Okay I'm done lol

Are you attaching the probe from the 500r to the side of your tank to regulate an UTH (you talk about it falling off even with tape)? The temp probe for the 500r should go between the UTH and the tank, that way it is regulating the temperature of the UTH not trying to regulate the ambient temp, which is what it would be trying to measure if the probe is attached to the side of the tank.

There ar lots of folks here who really seem to think the 500r is a good product at a good price. I'm sorry that your experience seems to be otherwise.

I was just about to buy one and try it out because they are cheap, I guess I'll be looking into something else now.

I find it works fair. The sticky on the back is horrible. Stuck in just a corner and pulled a big paint chip off my wall.

i never had success with mine when i had one.

i sold it and bought a johnsons and never looked back.

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Originally Posted by barres

Are you attaching the probe from the 500r to the side of your tank to regulate an UTH (you talk about it falling off even with tape)? The temp probe for the 500r should go between the UTH and the tank, that way it is regulating the temperature of the UTH not trying to regulate the ambient temp, which is what it would be trying to measure if the probe is attached to the side of the tank.

There ar lots of folks here who really seem to think the 500r is a good product at a good price. I'm sorry that your experience seems to be otherwise.

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No no no, the probe is fine. The probe never falls off. I am talking about the Unit itself falling off of the side of my tank repeatedly because the sticky back is terribly cheap.

I have the probe right where it should be, but for some reason my temps are all over the place.

I wish I would have just spent $8 and got another lamp dimmer instead of this reptitemp.

Mine's doing fine so far. Haven't bothered with the sticky. I find the coverslip pointless, as it can cover no plug. Also, I do wish it were digital, as it's simply hard to adjust.

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Originally Posted by bsash

I was just about to buy one and try it out because they are cheap, I guess I'll be looking into something else now.

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I know that a lot of people have had success with using it. But I personally think its a peice of trash. I guess you get what you pay for though.... $22 worth of consistancy....

I am just going to buy another lamp dimmer in a couple hours to fix this.

How is this thing fluctuating between 84 and 100 degrees? It's awful. The little control knob on it is basically useless because it will never stay at the level you want anyway.

I personally haven't had any issues with mine. I've used it in the past in a 40 gallon breeder cage with no issues. Last year I even used it to hatch my 1st clutch of eggs with a cooler incubator. And now it's heating my 12 bin hatchling rack. So, far I've yet to have any problems with it. It seems to keep temps between 2-3 degrees difference.

I own other thermostats, but for the money I like the Repti Temp 500.

Mine says at 93-95 degrees in my gecko tank