Yes foil tape screws up the probe response. It leads to incorrect readings and higher variation in the rack. It also can cause the flexwatt to buzz that can get seriously annoying. I use eletrical tape and in some places foil over that. (high wear areas)
"Do not cover the probe tip with aluminum tape. This will cause false readings and poor regulation. " from the herpstat manual.
Personally I would suggest the herpstat 2 over the VE mostly for the 'soft heat' and 'safety relay' they have built in that protects against internal failure and flexwatt failure.
The relay minimizes the need for a fail safe as it will kill the power to the heater if the probe reports higher (user settable range) OR most important if the probe goes cooler (user settable range) I have mine set to kill the power if the hot side probe gets 8º below the set point (92º) so at 84º (the warmest the ambient room temp ever is) the power shuts down completely. If the probe is pulled free by moving the tub in and out and say pushed out the back of the rack the T-stat normally will try to heat the probe to 90 again and in the process cook the snakes. With this feature the probe reports a dramatic drop in temp and the unit signals an alarm and the power shuts down to the flexwatt and the snakes are left at the ambient (cool) side temps, with a beeping alarm.
They are only 1¢ apart in price no safety relay and a need real and true need for a failsafe against a maybe a failsafe and a perhaps you don't need one moment, as it is built in already. Just a comment.
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