Another thermostat thread! Yay!

So I got a rheostat last weekend, and I'm not really enjoying having to readjust the thing all the time.

Have you guys heard anything about the Zoomed 500R? I couldn't tell from the pics if it has a numbered dial or a readout.

Hi,


I would do a forum seach on it - I have heard some people say they have had problems though. How much is it out of curiosity?

I know the brands recomended most often are ranco and jhonson controls for on/off thermostats and helix and herpstat for proportional.


dr del

500R is not the greatest: the only thing going for it is the price (20-35 typically, Dr dell). The dial is a 'turn and guess' type with a little colored sticker as a guide. I'm using it with a rheostat on my corn snake cage because the corn won't need it's temps 'just right' like a BP. My recommendation is to get a ranco or Johnson, they have digital readout and setting memory.

Consider this - $75 for a quality thermostat (Ranco or Johnson's) that will last you a long time, or $35 for a lesser quality thermostat that you may have to replace if it fails. On top of that, the vet bill you'd have to pay for if it failed and your snake was burned.


Consider a quality thermostat an investment for the health and general well being of your snake. :)

I definitely agree- I plan to have Milton as a buddy for the next 30 years!

I'm not really a cheapskate, but my fiancee is already on me about how much I've put into his setup already! ;)

Do you guys think I could use the rheostat for the cool side? It wants to stay around 76 or so... I've been kicking an old heat lamp I had manually and watching temps while I'm home... sometimes it will stay above 80 and sometimes it won't. I just don't know if the rheostat has a low enough setting for a <5 degree variance.

My thinking is also that if I'm going to spend $75, proportionals start around $100, don't they? Are they worth the difference in your opinions?

Hi,


Yes you could attatch the cool side heating to the thermostat through the rheostat and, once it's dialed in correctly, it would keep the cool end perfect with no more interaction from you I think.

Proportionals would be the only choice if you are using a lighbulb for anything as the switching on and off would burn it out amazingly quickly - not to mention driving you daft.

I have heard people say that the turning on and off event comes with a slight click so if the tank is somewhere that could be important it should be considered - but people who use them will be able to say how loud it is.

I also believe proportionals maintain a smoother temperature but this isn' a deal breaker as the differences shouldn't be that much.

And shouldn't the dimmer (if used as above) be able to maintain a 10 degree difference? i.e. 82-92 or whatever?


dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,


Yes you could attatch the cool side heating to the thermostat through the rheostat and, once it's dialed in correctly, it would keep the cool end perfect with no more interaction from you I think.

Proportionals would be the only choice if you are using a lighbulb for anything as the switching on and off would burn it out amazingly quickly - not to mention driving you daft.

I also believe proportionals maintain a smoother temperature but this isn' a deal breaker as the differences shouldn't be that much.

And shouldn't the dimmer (if used as above) be able to maintain a 10 degree difference? i.e. 82-92 or whatever?

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Hmm... I'm not sure what the dimmer can do- that's why I have great people like you to harass with my newb questions! :)

What you were saying about running it through the rheostat- did you mean heat source-->rheostat-->t-stat-->outlet? I'm not sure how that would work out...

I am only using the bulb because:

a.)I've already got the thing- that's what the herpetologists at Pet Warehouse told me to use, along with my stick-on thermometers and hot rocks (I didn't actually buy the rock anyway!) LOL!

and,

b.) I don't really have any other way to get my cool side above 80

I'd like to get things to where I don't need anything other than the UTH and a t-stat, but we'll see. I read on another post that insulating the sides/back of the enclosure will help... and we're only talking about 5 degrees here.

I'm planning to get a Ranco ordered either this weekend or next. I hate to have to wait on it, but I can't live on hoppers, unfortunately! :)

Until then at least I've got an improvement over my first setup and SOME temp control!

Hi,


Well you could just get another bit of flexwatt from rich at reptile basics for your cool end.:) He even sells it pre-wired and it's cheap as chips.

And I'll try and describe the dimmer idea.

https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...immersetup.JPG

You really won't be able to use a ranco with a lighbulb ( a ceramic heating element would be fine however) as it will really drive you (and possibly the snake) nuts and burn out in an extremely short period of time.

Hope that is a little clearer on what I meant.


dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Consider this - $75 for a quality thermostat (Ranco or Johnson's) that will last you a long time, or $35 for a lesser quality thermostat that you may have to replace if it fails. On top of that, the vet bill you'd have to pay for if it failed and your snake was burned.


Consider a quality thermostat an investment for the health and general well being of your snake. :)

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I agree the vet bill for burn or RI will way more than a t-stat not to mention the stress and agrivation. The cheapo t-stats are crap I went through 3 in a month when I first began (petstore reccomendations) then I switched to Rancos, what I paid for the cheapos could have got the better one without the headache. Now I use the proportional Herpstat Pro(rancos are now for backups and quarrantines). My wife trips over prices too but bottom line it's my $ and I don't go halfway when it comes to the care of my animals. Cheap ends up being more expensive, trust me. :)

Hi,


Do you notice a click or noise when the ranco's switch the elements on and off?

If so how loud is it?


dr del

I have two Johnson tstats and the click isn't bad at all, IMO. One is on my incubator and the other is running my baby racks. It sounds like someone making a really quiet snapping noise with their fingers, I guess.

Never really gave it much thought. I guess it's not that loud, like turning on a light switch, I don't really give it much attention.

Cool,


Cos my quarantine rack will be in my bedroom and I wondered how intrusive it would be to a slumbering yeti.:D


dr del

The yeti might or might not be displeased. Best not find out for fear of losing an appendage.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Hi,


Do you notice a click or noise when the ranco's switch the elements on and off?

If so how loud is it?


dr del

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To me, it sounds just like my oven when it reaches the pre-heat temp and the thermostat in it clicks off. When I got my first Ranco, it was being used in the living room (which is right by the kitchen) and I'd keep jumping up to go see if I had forgotten to turn off the oven! LOL

Now, I also have a Ranco running in the bedroom, and I can't say that I even notice it any longer - it's just part of the natural sounds in the room! LOL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Cool,


Cos my quarantine rack will be in my bedroom and I wondered how intrusive it would be to a slumbering yeti.:D


dr del

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See above! :)

For my quarantine tubs, can I run an extension cord from my herpstat to another room to connect to the UTH on the tub and use a rheostat to dial in the temp? The herpstat will be on my rack, which is being delivered tomorrow.

Hi,


I think that would be a lot harder to do reliably as the reason you can use the dimmer trick is because the local environment is identical for both sides of the equation.:(

With it being in another room entirely I would be concerned that the ambient temps could change in one leading to either under or overheating in the other room.


dr del