thermostats (help) what do you use?

I'm looking for a thermostat for multiple racks. So my question for those of you that have stats that run multiple racks.what thermostat do you use? I was thinking I would get a herpstat pro but was looking for some input.

I use a herpstat pro.

Herpstat, and Herpstat ND. I'll probably pick up the new Herpstat 4.
If you're looking at the Pro, take a look at the Herpstat 4 which just came out.

i use jonsohns controls thurmistat with nite drop

Herpstat for incubator and hatchling racks

Herpstat ND for breeders

Ranco for the colubrid rack and the oil filled heater.

OK thanks for the replys. Whats the diffrence between a Herpstat 4 and a pro? Also has anyone used a Vivarium Electronics t-stat?

• Grounded outlets
• Humidity control with optional probe
• Slimmer profile
• Has a number in the name

There may be other differences that I'm missing. You should contact Spyder Robotics themselves. Also, if you do decide to go with any Herpstat, some vendors are able to ship much faster than others. I would recommend that you buy it direct from Spyder, or from Cold Blooded Cages.

I use herpstats.

If you are going to use a Herpstat Pro or 4 to run multiple racks or enclosures, keep this in mind, the temp probe leads that come with the unit are 6 ft. long. So, unless you can position all four racks or enclosures within 6 ft. of the base unit, you may need to order some of the 12 ft. probe extensions to reach everything.

I use a Herpstat Pro. :gj:

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Originally Posted by Vypyrz

If you are going to use a Herpstat Pro or 4 to run multiple racks or enclosures, keep this in mind, the temp probe leads that come with the unit are 6 ft. long. So, unless you can position all four racks or enclosures within 6 ft. of the base unit, you may need to order some of the 12 ft. probe extensions to reach everything.

I use a Herpstat Pro. :gj:

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The temperature probes for all Herpstats are 12ft. :D

The Herpstat 4 is my latest design and has a lot of new goodies under the hood. Temperature and light ramping was a big one. Now during day/night switch you can have the temp reach the new setting over a user selectable time (up to 10 hours). So instead of just jumping from day to night temp it can more closely mimic nature. That is now possible because I have new software control over the power output and basically break it down in single percents of the total power so it has a huge smooth range of variable power. This also gave way to a new idea to automatically ramp up to temp when first powered up or after adjusting the settings. Instead of just outputing full power it intelligently adds power. If the temp is rising too fast it backs off the power. This is an important feature for situation like an incubator where you have the door open and it drops a couple of degrees. Most thermostats turn to full power but this causes a lot of instant heat and if you have eggs on a lower rack they are getting that blast of heat while the upper levels take a little bit. With this new feature it gives it a little more time to come up slowly and it may never even need to hit full power if the temp comes back into range. Also it figures out the right amount of power needed to get to and maintain the target temp. Lets just say 6000+ lines of code and its pretty neat what it can do. :D

The 4 has a safety relay. If any of the solid state switches that control the outputs fail you can turn on a option that will cut power to all outputs with the mechanical relay. It also has a external input that can be used to trigger alarms or shut off a mist pump if the water supply is depleted.

It also has a number in the name. ;)

Actually the number goes toward trying to have better naming scheme. I often get asked how many cages the Pro can control. How many outlets it has. How many probes it comes with. Maybe the Herpstat 4 name will help. ha!

Dion Brewington
Owner, Spyder Robotics

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Originally Posted by spyderrobotics

The temperature probes for all Herpstats are 12ft. :D

Dion Brewington
Owner, Spyder Robotics

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Dion, Thanks for the update. I'll be ordering some of those 12 footers in a few weeks so I can have them ready when my new cages arrive.

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Originally Posted by Vypyrz

Dion, Thanks for the update. I'll be ordering some of those 12 footers in a few weeks so I can have them ready when my new cages arrive.

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No problem. We also have 12ft extensions that you can add to the temperature probes. So that gives you a 24ft reach if needed. Their on our site's store as well.

Thanks for the insight! Any plans to do a Herpstat 1, same software but one probe for controlling an incubator?

Keep up the good work!

Do my eyes deceive me? I just looked up the herpstat 4... do i see an enter button? as in I don't have to wait for it to cycle through stuff to adjust something? If that's the case, best feature yet, I hate my Herpstat II for that reason.

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Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser

Do my eyes deceive me? I just looked up the herpstat 4... do i see an enter button? as in I don't have to wait for it to cycle through stuff to adjust something? If that's the case, best feature yet, I hate my Herpstat II for that reason.

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Herpstat Pro had the enter button too. :) The Herpstat II was the first multi outlet thermostat I designed. It was also the first to use a membrane faceplate. That sticker in the front actually has micro switches in it. Its pretty slick but you do pay a good amount per button. Also due to the smaller lcd at the time couldn't write a nice menu like the PRO and 4 have. So it was decided it would just cycle. This is fairly acceptable for the Herpstat ND but with two outputs worth of features on the II it does take a little time. However, I thought it was no big deal because I figured it would be set up and then left alone. I didn't realize how often people like to change the temps on the thermostat.

The Pro brought a huge screen and much better menu system. The 4 took the same lcd and then I tweaked the menu even more. Needless to say its pretty quick to change a setting.

I am looking at refresh of our single and dual output products adding in alot of the new tech I invented with the 4. :D No release dates on that though.

-Dion

I see myself ordering a 4 in the near future. :D

normally when you change temps on one, you have to usually change them all, basically 4 times a year, a/c gets turned on, a/c gets turned off, heat gets turned on, heat gets turned off. also sometimes you change them all and then go back and check the temps and your like.... eh ill bump it up one degree and its the same process changing them all. waiting for things to cycle just gets annoying lol.

I'm impressed with the new unit though, It actually saves you money even if your only using 3 of the outputs and offers more features. I'll most likely have one with my new stack.

Herpstat II and a Hydro Farm that runs a small rack(which I will upgrade soon). I had both racks hooked up to the Herpstat II, but had to move the small rack off so it could control the incubator!

Thanks for the replys everyone. I ended up ordering the Herpstat 4 from Dion on Friday and I'm looking forward to its arrival! What does shipping usually take Dion 3 days?

Herpstat ND, best bang for your buck!

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Originally Posted by RhacHead

Thanks for the replys everyone. I ended up ordering the Herpstat 4 from Dion on Friday and I'm looking forward to its arrival! What does shipping usually take Dion 3 days?

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We ship USPS Priority mail on everything so its 2-3 days from the point of shipment in the U.S. :)

-Dion

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Originally Posted by RhacHead

I'm looking for a thermostat for multiple racks. So my question for those of you that have stats that run multiple racks.what thermostat do you use? I was thinking I would get a herpstat pro but was looking for some input.

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I KNOW YOU GOT YOUR STAT ALREADY BUT FOR THE FUTURE AND ANYONE LOOKING FOR A STAT. TRY THE NEW Vivarium Electronics VE-300.I JUST GOT ONE FOR MY INCUBATOR AND ITS AWSOME.VERY EASY TO USE AND ILL BE GETING ANOTER ONE FOR MY RACK SOON.CHECK THEM OUT http://www.reptilebasics.com/thermostats

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Originally Posted by FINGAZZ

I KNOW YOU GOT YOUR STAT ALREADY BUT FOR THE FUTURE AND ANYONE LOOKING FOR A STAT. TRY THE NEW Vivarium Electronics VE-300.I JUST GOT ONE FOR MY INCUBATOR AND ITS AWSOME.VERY EASY TO USE AND ILL BE GETING ANOTER ONE FOR MY RACK SOON.CHECK THEM OUT http://www.reptilebasics.com/thermostats

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The VE is a single output thermostat similar to the Herpstat ND. For multiple racks you want a thermostat per rack or something like the Herpstat 4 that has four seperate outputs and probes. You save money with a multi outlet thermostat like the 4 and if you don't need all four outlets initially it gives you some wiggle room when you add to your collection later.

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Originally Posted by spyderrobotics

The VE is a single output thermostat similar to the Herpstat ND. For multiple racks you want a thermostat per rack or something like the Herpstat 4 that has four seperate outputs and probes. You save money with a multi outlet thermostat like the 4 and if you don't need all four outlets initially it gives you some wiggle room when you add to your collection later.

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all you have to do is put a oulet strip that plugs right in the back to connect multi plugs to it.they all have a 700 watt output and if you do the math you could hook up alot of heat tape to it depends on the size but flex watt 11" is 20 watts per foot and the 4" is i think 4 watts.just know the watts alittle math and one unit can controle more then enough for rack systems.heres a some pics of the unit i bought.
[IMG]http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/3049/1004484.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/7061/1004485.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/6199/1004486s.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=FINGAZZ;1568966]all you have to do is put a oulet strip that plugs right in the back to connect multi plugs to it.they all have a 700 watt output and if you do the math you could hook up alot of heat tape to it depends on the size but flex watt 11" is 20 watts per foot and the 4" is i think 4 watts.just know the watts alittle math and one unit can controle more then enough for rack systems.heres a some pics of the unit i bought.
QUOTE]

You can get away with that but keep in mind with one temperature probe you are only monitoring one rack. If you are using different style or size racks or different heat tape on your racks the only rack that is going to regulate properly is the one that has the probe in it. You are not going to have a way to accurately control the others plugged in to it.

[QUOTE=glkherp;1569006]

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Originally Posted by FINGAZZ

all you have to do is put a oulet strip that plugs right in the back to connect multi plugs to it.they all have a 700 watt output and if you do the math you could hook up alot of heat tape to it depends on the size but flex watt 11" is 20 watts per foot and the 4" is i think 4 watts.just know the watts alittle math and one unit can controle more then enough for rack systems.heres a some pics of the unit i bought.
QUOTE]

You can get away with that but keep in mind with one temperature probe you are only monitoring one rack. If you are using different style or size racks or different heat tape on your racks the only rack that is going to regulate properly is the one that has the probe in it. You are not going to have a way to accurately control the others plugged in to it.

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[QUOTE=FINGAZZ;1569026]that is true but if you keep it the same heat tape size you should be fine.theres alot of top breeders out there with huge rack systems and i seen the run one unit per rack set up.alot of them used the helix on them.i guess it boils down to what you like or what has been working for you.this is my first stat i ever used so far im happy with it and cant wait to get another one for my bp's.i live in florida so right now heat isnt a isue for me temps are up in the 90's and lows are in the 80's.all my snakes are in my gerage thats open during the day and closed at night with a big fan to keep it good enough for them.i havent ran the heat pads in over a month.and the snakes seem very active,eat great,and look awsome.