Zilla thermostat is FRUSTRATING ME. advice?

I bought a Zilla thermostat a while ago (I don't remember what it's called so take a look at the picture to get a better idea) AND ITS TERRIBLE. I have my heat pad plugged into it, and I have it set to 90 degrees but my infrared thermometer says the heat pad is 80 degrees. But if it turn the dial just barely enough for the red light to turn on my thermometer says its 96 degrees, which is way too much. I have the probe directly on the heat pad, but it seems like the probe is just for looks and doesn't actually do anything.

Am I just doing something wrong? Has anyone else had this problem? Or uses one of these? Opinions are much appreciated!http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...601c4e97c8.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...8b1b6b8c75.jpg


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What does your temp gun read inside the tub, over the heat pad ??

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Originally Posted by mohawk

What does your temp gun read inside the tub, over the heat pad ??

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The temp gun says the inside of the tub is the same temp as the heat pad. It usually is. The inside will only ever be like .2 degrees different


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Is your probe just sitting on the pad that is sticking out from the tub ??
It should be placed between the pad and tub bottom .

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Originally Posted by mohawk

Is your probe just sitting on the pad that is sticking out from the tub ??
It should be placed between the pad and tub bottom .

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That seemed to slightly help. I moved the probe and put it between the heat pad and bottom of the tub, then the thermostat turned on and bumped the temp up to 88 (which is still 2 degrees off). But then once it got to 88 the thermostat turned back off and now my temp gun says the heat pad (and inside of tub) is 82, and the thermostat still hasn't turned back on


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I use a different thermostat but I usually have to set the thermostat a few degrees higher to get the enclosure temps where I need them. For example my thermostats are set between 90-94 which brings my substrate temps to 86-88.

The advice I can give you is get a good tstat. The ones from the big box pet stores are pretty junky.

I vote you replace it with a Herpstat when you can.

Dont read the numbers on the stat. Go by you thermometer.

I agree with El-Ziggy. I have to set up my UTH thermostat to like 95 (it's a PVC enclosure) for it to hit 90. I also agree with KMG. Getting a proportional thermostat is definitely the way to go and I highly recommend it.

You can't beat the high end proportional t-stats like herpstat or vivarium electronics but I've been using the hydrfarm thermostats for a few years now with no issues. I highly recommend them for those who are looking for a less expensive but reliable option.

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR...arm+thermostat

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

You can't beat the high end proportional t-stats like herpstat or vivarium electronics but I've been using the hydrfarm thermostats for a few years now with no issues. I highly recommend them for those who are looking for a less expensive but reliable option.

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Mine failed in under three months in the ON position. Since then I will no longer recommend them to anybody. That said I also got a Zilla with a snake I bought and used it while waiting on another Herpstat. It also failed and was acting very sporadic when it did. My Herpstats have never given me an issue.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Dont read the numbers on the stat. Go by you thermometer.

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I agree. I use a few of these (as well as a Helix DB1000 and a VE-200) and always verify all of my thermostat settings by using a thermometer, including the proportionals.

I was thinking of getting a Hyrdrofarm. I'll definitely get rid of and replace the Zilla one that I have now as soon as I can


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Originally Posted by Ballpythoncrazy

I was thinking of getting a Hyrdrofarm. I'll definitely get rid of and replace the Zilla one that I have now as soon as I can

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Why go from a low end to another low end unit?

It seems to be working for now so save up for a good one and keep the Zilla as a back up or QT stat.

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Originally Posted by KMG

Why go from a low end to another low end unit?

It seems to be working for now so save up for a good one and keep the Zilla as a back up or QT stat.

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What thermostat would you suggest?


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I think herpstat and vivarium are two of the top notch yet affordable .... After doing my research I was ready to order a herpstat but then got in a pinch and needed one quick so I bought a viv from a local reptile shop and have been nothing but impressed with it .... I now own three :gj:

Unless im mistaken, the only VEs with auto shutoff are VE300 or VE300x2. The 100 and 200 only have a hi/lo history. As for the Herpstats, the 1,2 or 4 have auto shutoff. So if you are looking at either of those 2 brands, I would advise you get one with a user set max limit so if the thing does fail, it wont fail full open. I prefer the Herpstats personally.

Oh correction, I guess all the VEs have auto shutoff too except hobbystat. It was only the 300 and 300x2 that have the alarms. I'll go back to sleep now :P

All around I think herpstat is the best bang for the buck

Only other non-herpstat I can recommend is DBS-1000 by helix. I used to get them just because I hated the form factor of the old herpstats and at the time they were pretty on par with each other as far as quality. Since then herpstat has surpassed helix and gave a flush mount form factor option which I like the best. Also helix you have to buy an extra module to night drop, herpstats are built in. But if you found a used helix for sale, I'd see nothing wrong with using that, still a quality thermostat.

Ok thanks everyone!


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Originally Posted by Ballpythoncrazy

What thermostat would you suggest?

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Herpstat all the way. I have 4 of them and they are great.

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Originally Posted by KMG

Herpstat all the way. I have 4 of them and they are great.

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Agreed, great tstats

I'm not sure about your temp gun, but mine the beam leaves the gun in a cone shape getting bigger and bigger the further you get away from it. You might not be measuring what you think you are.

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Originally Posted by onebuc

I'm not sure about your temp gun, but mine the beam leaves the gun in a cone shape getting bigger and bigger the further you get away from it. You might not be measuring what you think you are.

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Well when i bought it the instructions said "hold 12 to 15 inches away from object" so that's what I do.


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Originally Posted by onebuc

I'm not sure about your temp gun, but mine the beam leaves the gun in a cone shape getting bigger and bigger the further you get away from it. You might not be measuring what you think you are.

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That is how all IR temp guns work. The laser beam is just for an aiming point. If you go with a nice temp gun like a fluke or FLIR brand the laser will actually display the cone as you get farther apart. You have to look at the ratio the gun has, normally in the manual. It should look like this 6:1 or 10:1 etc. If it is a 10:1 that means at 10 inches away you are measuring a 1 inch dot.

There should be
More detailed instructions. Mine says 10 inches away but it measures an area of 6 inches of bottom. When I do my readings I have to hold it one inch away from where I wanted to read more to get an accurate reading

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Originally Posted by onebuc

There should be
More detailed instructions. Mine says 10 inches away but it measures an area of 6 inches of bottom. When I do my readings I have to hold it one inch away from where I wanted to read more to get an accurate reading

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At 10 inches away you are measuring a 6 inch diameter? I can see how that would give you an overall reading of a basking area, but I prefer to be able to just take multiple readings...just like everyone preaches don't go cheap on thermostats, I wouldn't go cheap on temp guns either. There are some decent ones that can be had for around 50 bucks and up.

This is the one I have http://www.reptilebasics.com/412l-thermometer


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Originally Posted by Ballpythoncrazy

This is the one I have http://www.reptilebasics.com/412l-thermometer


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The specs on the reptile basics site for that gun says the ratio is 12:1 so at 12 inches away you are measuring 1 inch diameter spot