How do you set up???

[Lucas339]

how do you set up a back up thermostat?

the other day my herpstat when blank. not sure why but nothing was on the screen. i ran through the set up menus and everything was normal. after the set up menu, it just started flashing random numbers and squares. so i reset it and it has worked fine now.

i did notice that i never hear the fan running so ive been checking internal temps of the unit. they are running around 92. is this high or normal and what temp is the fan supposed to kick on at? there is no setting to change the temp at which the fan should turn on but it can be run constant. i have been doing this when i come in the room to check on everyone.

[spyderrobotics]

Lucas,

I am going to repeat the info that you and I have exchanged via email here just in case anyone else comes across this.
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Sounds like the main processor chip took a voltage spike. If its running fine now then I would assume the EEPROM memory that saves the settings may have been corrupted but its tough to say. The reset of defaults will go through and write the data back into the EEPROM so if you did that I would just unplug it and plug it back up after ten minutes and make sure the settings are still saved. Of course, as with any electronics, if you see some anomaly you'll want to keep a close eye on it. For anyone having an issue with a Herpstat thermostat we offer to take a look at it for free. Just contact us directly at sales@spyderrobotics.com with details and we'll work with you.

The fan won't kick on/off till around 98-99 degrees internal. Also you can test the fan by going into configuration and changing the setting from AUTO to ON which will immediately turn the fan on.

Also I wrote a article about backup thermostats that is posted under our support section on our website. Here is a link:

http://www.spyderrobotics.com/suppor...edocument.html

Dion Brewington
Owner, Spyder Robotics

[Lucas339]

thanks agian for your help!!

[Gloryhound]

I do have to say the support I've gotten from spider robitics on our herp stats has been excellent. I get better support on my $300 Herpstat pros than I do from most breeders on snakes that cost more.

As far as back up Thermostats go though, I use a Ranco. If it is only controlling one enclosure I place the probe on the same heating element and set it to shut the Herpstat off if temps get 2 degrees above the herpstat setting. In a rack I use the same setting but I put it on another heating element in the rack. As far as to cold goes the only reasonable way to go would be setting up a T-stat to sound an alarm if the temp drops 2 degrees below the herpstat setting as you can not have two different T-stats feeding a heat strip in parallel as this could cause damage to electronic proportional controlled T-stats like the Herpstat.

If your really crazy as I am with my incubator I use a Herpstat to proportionally control the temp and hold at 88 degrees. Then I have a secondary heating element on a Ranco set at 86 degrees. Then I have a second Ranco, third T-stat, set so it shuts both heating elements off if temperatures hit 90 degrees. Also if either ranco goes off an alarm buzzer will sound. In the 4 months I've had my incubator on the only time the buzzers have went off was during initial set up testing When I purposefully unplugged the Herpstat to let temps drop or set the Herpstat to a temp higher than the high set Ranco.