opinion on thermostats

So I have been looking into rather or not I could modify a home thermostat such as (Honeywell 1-Week Programmable Thermostat) to control my RHP for my new herp cages I am building or if I should go with a digital thermostat more specific to reptiles until I purchase my herpstats in the later part of the year or possibly next year.

Your recommendations on thermostats are appreciated

Personally I would recommend Herpstats.

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Originally Posted by DooLittle

Personally I would recommend Herpstats.

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Shhh, go take a nap. She said she was getting them later in the year. vv See. ;)

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Originally Posted by Dark Lady Kat

... until I purchase my herpstats in the later part of the year or possibly next year.

Your recommendations on thermostats are appreciated

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A good "cheap" thermostat to use is this: http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-Digi...arm+thermostat

A few of us have/use/recommend them. I have 3 myself and recently bought my first herpstat. :)

As far as modding or making one yourself, there are a few people who have done it for much cheaper I'm sure and hopfully they'll chime in for you.

My point there was that I wouldn't mess with " modifying" something that wasn't meant for that. Just get the herpstats and be done. :)

I personally like my ranco and my home wired dimmers. Unless you want to shell out 100+ for a proportional thermostat on each rack or enclosure, the dimmers work well. I keep my room at 80 and never have to adjust the dimmer once it is "tuned" in. The ranco works well but I had some complications using them with heat tape in rack systems.

I have a hydrofarm. It works fine for my needs. It does fluctuate a few degrees but nothing that ball pythons can't handle. I wouldn't use it for an incubator though. It does remember it's settings if unplugged or the power goes out, so it's safe in that sense.

If the hydrofarm is in your bedroom I do warn that it makes a loudish popping/clicking sound everytime it turns on and off and it can get pretty annoying if you are having trouble sleeping.

If a herpstat is in the budget then go for it, it is the better device since it is proportional instead of on/off and will give a far more stable temp.

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Originally Posted by Dark Lady Kat

So I have been looking into rather or not I could modify a home thermostat such as (Honeywell 1-Week Programmable Thermostat) to control my RHP for my new herp cages I am building or if I should go with a digital thermostat more specific to reptiles until I purchase my herpstats in the later part of the year or possibly next year.

Your recommendations on thermostats are appreciated

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While it might be possible to make a home thermostat work it will require extensive modification, and additional parts/circuits to even have a chance at working. At a minimum you would have to relocate the temperature sensor, and account for any variance in electrical resistance added by relocating the sensor (which might not be possible) Then add an external relay, AC power supply, and rig the relay to run off of the correct DC control voltage outputted by the thermostat. At the end of the day you will have a thermostat that is less accurate and potentially less reliable than a reptile specific thermostat that costs half as much. Something like a hydrofarm will hold you over until you can get a herpstat much better.

I use the Zilla tempature controller one for my GTP setup. I think its around $45 so it might not be as cheap as you want. Works good just have thermometers set up to make sure temps are good and adjust t-stat if necessary.

As far as herpstats go, they kick a$$. I got a standard one and a herpstat pro and those things are dead on accurate :gj:

Herpstat all the way. No comparison.

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Originally Posted by satomi325

Herpstat all the way. No comparison.

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Agreed


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Herpstat hands down!!