CHEAP thermostat

ok i am extremly low on funds right now but i am looking for a cheaper thermostat that wont cook my snakes... anyone with experiances or suggestions would be apperiated

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Originally Posted by Kingspade

ok i am extremly low on funds right now but i am looking for a cheaper thermostat that wont cook my snakes... anyone with experiances or suggestions would be apperiated

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I have heard good stuff about the Zoo-med reptitemp 500R. I heard it is a bit hard to use at first but once you set it, you are okay. They are usually around $30 or if you can't find one, www.reptilesupply.com has one from ESU that I have used for a few months and there are a few other members who have used them for years accident free.

Reptile Basics has Rancos for $50.00.


They work for me!

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Originally Posted by ECLARK

Reptile Basics has Rancos for $50.00.


They work for me!

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Just gotta know how to wire em

I would go with a johnson controls or a ranco. The zoo med is junk. I just put 2 in the garbage. I just wired up a johnson control thermostat and I haven't had a problem with it. I lost the programming instructions but I at least got the temp set up for it. I don't know what else it does yet. I have to find a new set of instructions.

Cheap probably shouldn't be a word that you use in conjunction with tstats...you really get what you pay for, and don't want your animals to pay for it in the end as well.

Nothing wrong with a Ranco, and I believe the Reptile Basics Ranco's are pre-wired.

http://redtailboa.net/forums/how-tip...=dimmer+switch

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Originally Posted by MAC 1

http://redtailboa.net/forums/how-tip...=dimmer+switch

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Originally Posted by TOS

2. No advertising on the site without prior arrangement with the Admin Council. This includes, but may not be limited to, starting threads with the specific purpose of attracting visitors to any commercial or competing site or forum or sending PMs to more than one member in a week for the same purpose.

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-Jason

World police slow down. Just beimg helpfull.

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Originally Posted by MAC 1

World police slow down. Just beimg helpfull.

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It's against the Terms of Service... I'm definitely not "World police" just pointing out the TOS you're supposed to read when you register for BPnet. Show some respect to the rules.

Dimmers work okay, definitely wouldn't solely rely on them in terms of heat control.... I'd at least go with an on/off type tstat.

Here's the link for Reptile Basics pre-wired Ranco tstat. You can't go wrong working with them, and you'll have that tstat in a few days flat.
http://www.reptilebasics.com/store/p...cat=250&page=1
-Jason

Yes this is a cheap tstat, i bought one and it did not work and it was brand new, it would not cycle on and off even at the lowest setting and got over 100 degress (the snake was not in there). I promptly returned it and ordered a Ranco, just spend the extra money now. It is worth it.

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Originally Posted by tmlowe5704

I have heard good stuff about the Zoo-med reptitemp 500R. I heard it is a bit hard to use at first but once you set it, you are okay. They are usually around $30 or if you can't find one, www.reptilesupply.com has one from ESU that I have used for a few months and there are a few other members who have used them for years accident free.

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Originally Posted by Drew

Yes this is a cheap tstat, i bought one and it did not work and it was brand new, it would not cycle on and off even at the lowest setting and got over 100 degress (the snake was not in there). I promptly returned it and ordered a Ranco, just spend the extra money now. It is worth it.

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the zoomed or ESU?

Jason & MAC 1.. that link is actually fine. If you read the second paragraph of the TOS rule it says:

"external links While we do allow linking to other sources, please do so only if the information is not already available here at BPNet and only for the purposes of promoting reasonable and appropriate discussion. Linking for the purpose of slamming another forum, indvidual or any other inflammatory action will not be tolerated."

Rancos work great for me..I had the Zoo-med and they were junk

I'm new to BP's, but I've been using Zoo-Meds for ages with my corns and haven't had any problems. The only downside is that the temperature tends to flucuate 1-2* around the temp you acutally want it at. My collection is growing, so as soon as the funds are available I'll be upgrading.

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Originally Posted by tmlowe5704

the zoomed or ESU?

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Zoomed

I made a dimmer switch (i acctually don't use it though) for about 7 dollars, simple got everything at walmart acctually.


~mike

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Originally Posted by tmlowe5704

I have heard good stuff about the Zoo-med reptitemp 500R. I heard it is a bit hard to use at first but once you set it, you are okay. They are usually around $30 or if you can't find one, www.reptilesupply.com has one from ESU that I have used for a few months and there are a few other members who have used them for years accident free.

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Go with the ESU i have several in use at this time for my corn snakes and ball pythons enclosures.

Just save a little longer and get a Helix. There worth the extra money.


http://www.bluegrassreptiles.com/ima...inohelixrz.jpg

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Originally Posted by Larry Suttles

Just save a little longer and get a Helix. There worth the extra money.


http://www.bluegrassreptiles.com/ima...inohelixrz.jpg

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I agree, and we all know how I feel about the word CHEAP with anything in relation to the care of ball pythons. :(

OT
Robin, Will said Hi

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Originally Posted by Larry Suttles

Just save a little longer and get a Helix. There worth the extra money.

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Just when I had given up hope! Thank you!

-adam

Larry,


That was nice of him. Next time you talk to him, tell him his girls are doing AWESOME!!!

I bought the ESU about a week ago, I'm doing tests to make sure my temps/humidity are right before buying the snake. So far I like the ESU a lot, the temps in my house fluctuate a great deal because my wife loves to tinker with the house thermostat to keep the gas bill low/keep herself warm with no consideration to other human or animal life. I check several times a day to make sure the temps in the future BP enclosure are ok.

So far it's great. There have been times where it is freezing in the house and I want to curl up in the BP cage, other times where it was much warmer, above 76 in the "pet room." Through all of this the temps have remained extremely steady, between 91 and 93 on the hot side and 82 and 84 on the cold side.

If that is all you can spend on a thermostat, it seems to work so far.

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Originally Posted by Larry Suttles

Just save a little longer and get a Helix. There worth the extra money.


http://www.bluegrassreptiles.com/ima...inohelixrz.jpg

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Boy, I wish a helix came like that! :P
I could use a nice albino ball :love:

F.Y.I. Tropheus, you can usually find instruction manuals on google in .pdf (adobe acrobat) format. Just poke around alittle.

edit. nice pic, looks like the snake really likes it!

I used to use dimmers to control my temps but I was constantly monitoring them to make sure they were ok. If the room fluctuates a lot you're going to spend all day adjusting the dimmer. I got myself a helix like the one above and never had to worry again, definitely worth it.

I have used Zoomed rheostats (dimmers) for about 5 years now for various herps with no troubles at all. But heh, for the amount it'd cost for them, you'd be better off buying something in the way of a t-stat; only 2 UTHs fit into each dimmer. I got generic dimmers at the Home Depot, and on the highest setting, the pad wasn't even warm!!

I started using herpstat pro this year and now I will never use anything else. Extremely accurate! Night drop. It rules.

I have a Ranco, not because of cost but because that is the first one I ended up purchasing. When I get another I will get a Helix most probably.

my johnson controls is working great and has kept my temps stable. i recommend the JC definitely