!!!Warning to those with cheap thermostats!!!

[mooingtricycle]

those Rzilla ones are the Round on top kind right?

All of those similar round on top ones seem to be made by the same company.

If you have to go cheap. Get a zoo med 500R They are a DECENT tstat for the price. And i have been using two for a few years now. No problems.

[SlitherinSisters]

yeah i have a cheap thermostat as well...really weird you posted this cuz when i woke up I did my morning check, and for some reason my thermostat(reptile esu) is dropping soo low before turning back on. Time for a new one i guess. Helix is really the only way to go im seing when it comes to thermostats. Yay more money to spend!!

Oh jeez, you're lucky it's going down, but god knows what it's going to do when it completely breaks!!

great info considering I just installed my RZilla thermostats yesterday

I hope you get a dimmer It's worth it. I plan to keep them dimmer going even after I get a nice thermostat. I don't want to lose any snakes because of my temps sky rocketing! I'd rather everything shut off, they can live just fine in 70 degrees!

I had to find my dimmer at Lowes, it's in a weird place, by the lamps??? I guess it sort of makes sense considering what most people use it for. It's always interesting when the store clerks ask you what you plan to use it for

[SlitherinSisters]

those Rzilla ones are the Round on top kind right?

All of those similar round on top ones seem to be made by the same company.

If you have to go cheap. Get a zoo med 500R They are a DECENT tstat for the price. And i have been using two for a few years now. No problems.

Yes, they are round on the top with a dial that spins to whatever temp you desire.

[SlitherinSisters]

Here's John's (jpman78) thread about the dimmers.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=78848


The dimmer I have plugs into the wall, with the thermostat plugged into it, so it was very simple.

[mooingtricycle]

Yes, they are round on the top with a dial that spins to whatever temp you desire.

ive known them to be horrid for a long time. lucky you had a backup!!!!

[SlitherinSisters]

ive known them to be horrid for a long time. lucky you had a backup!!!!

That's no joke!!! I'm very thankful I got the advice!

[mcd]

[QUOTE= It's always interesting when the store clerks ask you what you plan to use it for [/QUOTE]

I had that last time I picked up bins- the lady said "packing up for someone going to college?" Either I looked really young that day- like young enough to be heading to college, or really old- like old enough to have kids heading to college. Not sure- I'm right in the middle.

Anyhow- reading your thread makes me glad I decided to spend the extra money and get a Herpstat ND- it arrived last week.

[nevohraalnavnoj]

Every thermostat should have a backup thermostat or rheostat behind it, in my opinion.

JonV

[nevohraalnavnoj]

Here's John's (jpman78) thread about the dimmers.

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=78848


The dimmer I have plugs into the wall, with the thermostat plugged into it, so it was very simple.

Wouldn't you want it the other way around? Right now you are throttling the power that goes to your thermostat, doesn't a thermostat need a set amount of power to function? You want the thermostat functioning on full power, but if it ever melts ON, can only fire so much juice to the heat tape.

Wall---->Thermostat---->Rheostat(throttle)---->Racks

No?

-JonV

[JD Constriction]

Yep that's how it should be But I'm not 100% sure it matters.....

Another helpful tip is to keep the "cheap" thermostat well ventilated. If it runs in a hot/warm enviornment it will not last as long as when it is kept cool.

If I was going to buy something a step up from a "cheap" thermostat I would say a Ranco/Johnson Controls and a Rheostat (dimmer) is safer than just a stand alone Helix/Herpstat with all other things being equal.

Hope that helps

Wall---->Thermostat---->Rheostat(throttle)---->Racks

-JonV