Inexpensive thermostat?

[MasonC2K]

This statement seems a little incongruent with the picture you've painted about inexpensive on/off thermostats being all that is required for a rack system...

Not really. Maybe I didn't express myself clearly. All I am saying is that cheaper on/off tstats will do fine. I never said there weren't advantages that come with the more expensive models. I know first hand the benefits. So if you have the cash to put down on it then go ahead. But those advantages aren't crucial needs IMO. And regardless of what tstat, I don't trust any of them fully. I check temps with a temp gun regularly to make sure everything is still working.

Wouldn't this course of action eventually render the initial $30 spent as useless? Wouldn't it also further delay the OP from purchasing an upgraded thermostat?

The answer to this is dependent on the situation. Let's assume he has 5 snakes all kept in 5 seperate containers. Let's also assume he has no tstat at all right now (which is implied for the OP's statements). If it were me, I'd go ahead and consoldate those animals into the new rack with the hydrofarm now as opposed to leaving them all on unmanaged heating elements for the 3 or 4 more months it's going to take for him to save the money to get a higher quality tstat.

If the situatio nwere different then the answer may be different.