helix vs ranco themostat?

does the 50 dollars extra that the helix cost really make a difference? is the ranco proportional of on/off i cant find anything that says.. i need to know soon. im bout to make the purchase and dont know if i should get the helix. do any kinds of stores carry these by any chance cuz i dont wanna have to depend on shipping. my snakes are gonna be here my next wednesday and my heated side is above 100 but warm side is 81 so i need it. HELP :O
Thanks

the ranco is an on/off the helix is a very good proportional

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Originally Posted by andwhy6

does the 50 dollars extra that the helix cost really make a difference? is the ranco proportional of on/off i cant find anything that says.. i need to know soon. im bout to make the purchase and dont know if i should get the helix. do any kinds of stores carry these by any chance cuz i dont wanna have to depend on shipping. my snakes are gonna be here my next wednesday and my heated side is above 100 but warm side is 81 so i need it. HELP :O
Thanks

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If you can afford the Helix, I'd go for it. But the Ranco works fine, too. I don't know of any retail stores that carry them....BUT....what you can do while waiting for it to be shipped...is head to the hardware store and pick up a dimmer switch. They make them for table-top lamps that you can just plug into like an extension cord...then you can use the dimmer to scale back the temps on that UTH until your t-stat arrives.

From what I've gotten in your last few posts is that you're getting two snakes, but you have one enclosure?

I have a Herpstat 2 as well as 2 Johnson Controls tstats. Both work well for what they do.

I would go for the helix.
I have a Helix on my rack and a Ranco hooked up to my oil filled heater.
I prefer the Helix to control the heating of my snakes. Ranco works great on the heater but like stated is an on/off 'stat.

I know I ordered my Helix from Reptilebasics and got it within a couple of days

You may want to give them a try
www.reptilebasics.com

He sells both.

yeah im working on building a kinda of snake hotel.. i guess you could call it. not a rack with tubs but wood instead. so i am setting up an enclosure for my one snake now, who will be arriving about a week sooner than the other. so i have time to finish his home before arrival =) i think im gonna go with the helix. thats 50$ towards not having to worry bout temps i guess lol

i bought the helix :D money aint no thang lol

Ranco's have diarrhea all over Helixes

everyone told me diff opinions and ranco is on/off so temps fluctuate way more than helix's proportional. ill have my own opinion on it soon but thanks for that poopy input

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Originally Posted by andwhy6

everyone told me diff opinions and ranco is on/off so temps fluctuate way more than helix's proportional. ill have my own opinion on it soon but thanks for that poopy input

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can somebody tell me the definition of a 'PROPORTIONAL THERMOSTAT' ???

Reptile Basics has a very good FAQ on thermostats. In it, proportional is defined as "the gradual adjustment (up and down) of power output until the set temperature is maintained. Other, non-proportional thermostats use an "on/off" approach and usually have a 1 or 2 degree (or more in cheaper ones) "slop". They turn on 100% when the temperature falls a degree or two below the set point and they stay on until the temperature gets a degree or two above the set point. . . You can think of the proportional thermostat more like a light dimmer with a brain constantly adjusting itself to maintain a much more precise temperature."


Hope that helps. Reptile Basics web site is www.reptilebasics.com
and the FAQ is on the thermostat page.

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I have a Helix on my rack and a Ranco hooked up to my oil filled heater.

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Awesome idea!

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Originally Posted by jim020cricket

Awesome idea!

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Wish I could take full credit for it but people way smarter than myself came up with it, I just followed suit and then passed the idea along. :)

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Originally Posted by rmune0750

Ranco's have diarrhea all over Helixes

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You can't be serious.

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

You can't be serious.

-adam

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Heheheh I saw that to and figured to just let it go because it would just be wasting keystokes :)
But that is what I admire most about you Adam- you call'em as you see'em

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

You can't be serious.

-adam

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He must be Adam, he was able to come to this conclusion due his vast experiences with Helix units as noted in the quote below :D

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Originally Posted by rmune0750

can somebody tell me the definition of a 'PROPORTIONAL THERMOSTAT' ???

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I think I'll go sell my Helix units now, the'yre obviously inferior....... Adam, do you think Ralph would want them, or did he switch over to Ranco's as well? :P:P LMAO

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Originally Posted by andwhy6

yeah im working on building a kinda of snake hotel.. i guess you could call it. not a rack with tubs but wood instead. so i am setting up an enclosure for my one snake now, who will be arriving about a week sooner than the other. so i have time to finish his home before arrival =) i think im gonna go with the helix. thats 50$ towards not having to worry bout temps i guess lol

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Please don't house the two snakes together. Make two identical snake hotels, and then the Helix you purchased can run both enclosures.

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Originally Posted by Uncle Festae

I think I'll go sell my Helix units now, the'yre obviously inferior....... Adam, do you think Ralph would want them, or did he switch over to Ranco's as well? :P:P LMAO

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The big boys buy their Helixs a case at a time ... hope you're going to give the bulk discount. ;)

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

You can't be serious.

-adam

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LMAO :lmao:

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Originally Posted by rmune0750

LMAO :lmao:

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I didn't think so ... everyone knows that real deal. ;) :sweeet:

-adam

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

The big boys buy their Helixs a case at a time ... hope you're going to give the bulk discount. ;)

-adam

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Okay, a bit of a derail, but I was curious if you've ever used Herpstats Adam? Helix's tend to get a lot of love from the major breeders (and I imagine their longer history has something to do with that), but I'd really like to get a review by someone that has had experiences with both.

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Originally Posted by jhall1468

Okay, a bit of a derail, but I was curious if you've ever used Herpstats Adam? Helix's tend to get a lot of love from the major breeders (and I imagine their longer history has something to do with that), but I'd really like to get a review by someone that has had experiences with both.

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I have one sitting in a box of electronic stuff somewhere in my shop ... I bought it to check it out ... there was nothing about it that made me want to stop buying Helixs ... so there it sits. ;)

-adam

there is going to be 5 seperate enclosures in the hotel lol. none of my snakes will be in a tank together.

jhall, i've used about all the thermostats out there, even made a few from homemade stats too.


i did have one failure with a herpstat, this was one of their first gen models. dion at spyder robotics repaired it promptly. no other problems. with helix i haven't had one error code or failure. helix has been around longer and is more time tested. with johnson controls and ranco, my vote goes to ranco. the jc's seem to have a 2 deg differential any way you set them up. with the rancos i can get a one deg. diff easy!

helix on racks and flexwatt!!

rancos on heaters!! GOLDEN :partyon:


vaughn

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Originally Posted by Adam_Wysocki

I have one sitting in a box of electronic stuff somewhere in my shop ... I bought it to check it out ... there was nothing about it that made me want to stop buying Helixs ... so there it sits. ;)

-adam

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That's pretty much what I assumed.

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Originally Posted by kavmon

i did have one failure with a herpstat, this was one of their first gen models. dion at spyder robotics repaired it promptly. no other problems. with helix i haven't had one error code or failure. helix has been around longer and is more time tested. with johnson controls and ranco, my vote goes to ranco. the jc's seem to have a 2 deg differential any way you set them up. with the rancos i can get a one deg. diff easy!

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Now that's some interesting info! I was borderline on the two for a long time, but that's not the only case I've heard of a 1st gen herpstat failing. And as of yet, I've never heard a single person have a failed Helix.

Pretty much enough to convince me the ~$25 difference is well worth it :).

Hi,


Does the company that makes the helix's have a website? pretty much the only ones i can find over here are "habistat" - good range of features but limited temperature range or "lucky reptile" - had never heard of them till i saw some on ebay but cant find a proportional one.

So was planning on contacting the american brands and seeing if they have distributors over here.



dr del

www.helixcontrols.com



vaughn

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Originally Posted by dr del

Does the company that makes the helix's have a website?

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http://helixcontrols.com/

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Originally Posted by kavmon

www.helixcontrols.com



vaughn

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He's like The Flash :D.

Just had a similar email exchange with someone in the UK. Problem is that the Helix currently available works on 120 Volts/60 Hz. The voltage issue can be overcome but the hertz is going to be the trouble. Jeff at Helix talles me they hopw to have a "Euro" compatable version out in the not too distant future.

Thankyou both. :)


I shall now await their response with love in my heart and a tilt in the kilt :twisted:


dr del

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Originally Posted by Reptilebasics

Just had a similar email exchange with someone in the UK. Problem is that the Helix currently available works on 120 Volts/60 Hz. The voltage issue can be overcome but the hertz is going to be the trouble. Jeff at Helix talles me they hopw to have a "Euro" compatable version out in the not too distant future.

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Hi,

Actually the uk uses 60Hz too for its mains so that should be ok. Thanks for the info on the euro version as I had no idea about that **doffs hat** :) - I managed to get the makers of flexwatt to send me their price list for 240v equipment as well. They ony do certain sizes in 240v (no 3" for example) but I tend to be a little happier when i know the equipment I'm using is rated for the voltage ( all those years at college doing electronics wasn't for nothing you know!.. I got a t-shirt out of it.:oops: )

It feels like I'm P'ing uphill but the uth we have over here will in no way heat up to 94 reliably so I am waiting to hear back how much calorique want for shipping to test flexwatt. The zoomed heat cable ( boy should I have read more) will get to 94 and hold overnight but I prefer a little extra capacity in my heating elements and I plugged it in without a thermostat and the temperature went down??????

It's been a slow process but I'd rather take an extra month or two at this stage and guarantee the rack will do what I need it to reliably and with minimal fuss.


dr del

Wow,


Those guys are fast.

Already got an email reply mentioning the euro stuff will be released later and offering to keep my address and alert me when it becomes available - I'm seeing what you guys like about them, customer service or what.:eek:


dr del