darn temps and thermostat

i was having trouble with my temps so i bought a thermostat from ZooMed. The only problem is, it will send my hot side all the way up to about 96 and then drop to like 86 and keep doing this. this cant be good. what else can i do? everyone suggested a thermostat and it doesnt seem to be working!!!!!

Proportional thermostats are better than on/off thermostats, since they adjust the amount of power rather than just having it go on and off.

With that said, an on/off thermostat shouldn't have nearly as bad a resolution as what you're describing. Try placing the measuring probe in a better spot perhaps? If that doesn't help, I would refund it as defective merchandise.

moved to the caging forum

You're right ... wide temperature swings like that can lead to health problems with your ball python.

I've seen those ZooMed thermostats before and wouldn't trust them to keep my socks warm. The fact that they are on/off type thermostats with very poor sampling frequencies is why you're having those temperature swings.

A quality proportional thermostat will keep your temps very stable and very safe. I personally use the DBS-1000 by Helix Controls for all of my ball pythons, but I would encourage you to do a lot of research to find a thermostat that you think will be best for your snake.

Hope this helps.

-adam

By the way Adam, do you know how the DBS-1000 and the DBS-1001 compare? They both look pretty similar, but the 1001 is a little more expensive and I would assume there would be some improved features, but I only ever hear of people who own the 1000 and not the 1001.

I'm not sure .... the 1001 is either the new packaging that helix is charging an extra 20 bucks for (bastards!) or it's the designator for the new "grounded" unit for metal rack systems like Freedom Breeder. I've been doing the grounding myself with the DBS-1000, so I'm hoping the grounded unit is now available.

I'll check tomorrow and see whats up.

-adam

The 1001 is higher for its capibilities of being expanded. The 1000G is the grounded setup. I have said it over and over..Helix is a good ubit but your going to pay 20 bucks for the box and then 10 for them putting there name on the case of the stat.. Oh and Adam I told you wrong on the 1500 watt setup. There is actually 2 different models that helix manufactures the 1007 with is called the Heavy Duty Setup and the 1003 which is an add on mod which id the on/off so I stand corrected...Get ya a Johnsons or a herpstat...Just my .02

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Originally Posted by justcage

Oh and Adam I told you wrong on the 1500 watt setup.

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I know .... trust me dude, I know what I'm talking about. 8)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by justcage

Get ya a Johnsons or a herpstat...Just my .02

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Why would I do that, Helix is the best! :mrgreen:


-adam

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

Quote:

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Originally Posted by justcage

Oh and Adam I told you wrong on the 1500 watt setup.

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I know .... trust me dude, I know what I'm talking about. 8)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by justcage

Get ya a Johnsons or a herpstat...Just my .02

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Why would I do that, Helix is the best! :mrgreen:


-adam

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Well I dont know about helix being the best....but to each his own opinion and thermostat..lol...But I was also right on the on/off model so toshey... Id make a smily thing but I dont know how..lol
-Matt

Don't most people use one thermostat for several cages? I mean like put the probe in the middle cage and have it power a whole rack of them? Matt, remember when we were talking about Gene's 4 cage unit and that if it malfunctions, that's 4 cages that are without a thermostat? But don't people do the same thing with single-probe thermostats? Like have a single Helix or Johnson controlling many identical cages? Or do you always have one tstat per cage?

Also, what's everyone's opinion on the GCS 4 cage unit? Reliable?

It's mighty frustrating trying to figure out which tstat to go with! lol, thanks guys