Boaphile ranco thermostats?

[The Serpent Merchant]

I didn't know you could plug in a power strip to a Herpstat. How would the probe situation work since a Herpstat 1 only comes with one probe can the other one go probeless since it will be plugged into the thermostat.


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Rancos also only have 1 probe. It's the same issue, you can only plug in identical heat sources, and even then it is risky. (too risky for me) The only time you can get around it is with multichannel thermostats like the herpstat 2 and the herpstat 4 that are literally 2 & 4 herpstat 1's crammed into 1 box.

Herpstat 1: 1 outlet and 1 probe, 1 temperature set





Herpstat 2: 2 outlets, 2 probes, 2 temperature sets





herpstat 4: 4 outlets, 4 probes, 4 temperature sets

[satomi325]

I didn't know you could plug in a power strip to a Herpstat. How would the probe situation work since a Herpstat 1 only comes with one probe can the other one go probeless since it will be plugged into the thermostat.


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Its how people use racks or multiple heating elements on one thermostat. But you have to make sure the heating elements are exactly the same(same size/wattage) or this won't work.

Yes, one enclosure will have the probe to take temps. The second, third, etc enclosures will be probeless and using the first enclosure to regulate its heat since it should be the same.

This works well for heat tape. I don't have any experience with RHP, so I can't comment on it.

Ideally, you should use a thermostat that can regulate multiple enclosures individually, but a power strip works too.



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[AlexisFitzy]

Its how people use racks or multiple heating elements on one thermostat. But you have to make sure the heating elements are exactly the same(same size/wattage) or this won't work.

Yes, one enclosure will have the probe to take temps. The second, third, etc enclosures will be probeless and using the first enclosure to regulate its heat since it should be the same.

This works well for heat tape. I don't have any experience with RHP, so I can't comment on it.

Ideally, you should use a thermostat that can regulate multiple enclosures individually, but a power strip works too.



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Thanks so much for the info, I'll probably end up going with a Herpstat 2 or VE-300x2, there are just so many different thermostats I like to learn about them all first but I'd love to hear even more about the ranco though.


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[Gio]

Thanks so much for the info, I'll probably end up going with a Herpstat 2 or VE-300x2, there are just so many different thermostats I like to learn about them all first but I'd love to hear even more about the ranco though.


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Have you talked to Bob at Pro-Products yet?

If you are going the Pro-Line route, Ed and Bob will probably set pretty well for one heat source. Your RHP. Bob is the man to talk to, and chances are you will only need one heat source unless you have a unique situation.

As far as Stats go.

Aaron (Serpent Merchant) pointed me in the Herpstat direction from day one. I think it's probably the best purchase I've made. So much so I bought another one when I got my BC.

Good for you for researching like this. You will be dialed in when you are ready.

[AlexisFitzy]

Have you talked to Bob at Pro-Products yet?

If you are going the Pro-Line route, Ed and Bob will probably set pretty well for one heat source. Your RHP. Bob is the man to talk to, and chances are you will only need one heat source unless you have a unique situation.

As far as Stats go.

Aaron (Serpent Merchant) pointed me in the Herpstat direction from day one. I think it's probably the best purchase I've made. So much so I bought another one when I got my BC.

Good for you for researching like this. You will be dialed in when you are ready.

That's exactly the route I'm going I'll only need the rhp to keep the Proline cage heated properly I've just been wondering what would be the best thermostat for rhp's and heat tape. I've heard that rhp's don't really need a proportional thermostat and will work just as well with an on/off so that's why I'm still looking around and researching them all. And trying to get as many opinions as I can Bob says that any thermostat will work with his rhp's so that leaves a lot to look through.


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[Mephibosheth1]

That's probably a good thing. Hydrofarms are better than some of the junk out there, but they are still scraping the bottom. I have a couple that I mess around with and they are terrible. Inconsistent temperature readings, massive temperature fluctuations (well beyond the stated specs) And terrible build quality inside.

Are there other affordable options available for novice herpers?? I know most of the people I talked with before I got Mycroft didn't mention thermostats, so my parents freaked out when they heard I would need a thermostat for the UTH

[The Serpent Merchant]

That's exactly the route I'm going I'll only need the rhp to keep the Proline cage heated properly I've just been wondering what would be the best thermostat for rhp's and heat tape. I've heard that rhp's don't really need a proportional thermostat and will work just as well with an on/off so that's why I'm still looking around and researching them all. And trying to get as many opinions as I can Bob says that any thermostat will work with his rhp's so that leaves a lot to look through.


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A proportional thermostat will produce more accurate/stable temperatures in a cage vs a on/off style thermostat. The only time that a on/off style thermostat works better than a proportional thermostat is with heat sources like mercury vapor lamps that cannot be dimmed. These heat sources must be powered by 120 volt AC and usually require some sort of electronic ballast to regulate the power flow.

The other thing to consider in a thermostat is what safety features it has. Most on/off thermostats like hydrofarms/rancos don't have any. They have to way to detect if a heat source has failed or if a probe is no longer functioning. They also lack the ability to handle errors. A Herpstat on the other hand has multiple layers of safety. It has a mechanical device inside that can cut all power going to heat sources in the case of an error to prevent overheating/fire. It also has software to detect if a heat source has failed or if a probe has failed. In any error situation a herpstat will emit an audible alarm and in certain cases deal with them.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Are there other affordable options available for novice herpers?? I know most of the people I talked with before I got Mycroft didn't mention thermostats, so my parents freaked out when they heard I would need a thermostat for the UTH

In that price range there really isn't anything good. You have the zoo-med/exoterra thermostats that are junk. The hydrofarm is probably the best at its price point but that really isn't saying much. These devices aren't cheap to properly design/manufacture. Personally I view the herpstat intro + to be a really good deal for what you are getting. From an electrical engineering perspective I can see how complex of a device it is and I am all too aware how much time/effort goes into a product like that. I also know from working in the electronics industry how expensive high quality low volume manufacturing is. From my perspective as a reptile keeper I can see how important a good thermostat is, for a number of reasons. I listed a few in my post above. All that said I can see how somebody looking in from the outside wouldn't understand why a good thermostat costs so much, or why it is worth the price, especially when parents/others who aren't a part of the hobby are involved in the decision process.

I do think however that improvements can be made on the budget thermostats. They would need to cost a little more for development and higher quality components/manufacturing, but could still be kept reasonable. For instance the rancho thermostat that this thread is about was designed for the AC/heating industry and industrial manufacturing. It's designed to handle far more power than most reptile keepers will ever need and is built to withstand conditions that a reptile keeper will never need it to. These things add cost for no added value to us. I think that a high quality on/off thermostat could be manufactured in low volume in the $40-$60 range.

[AlexisFitzy]

Thanks for all the really detailed posts guys keep them coming please i think threads like this should last for quite a while since thermostats are the most important tool you need and there are so many to choose from so why not talk about them in great detail.


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[scooter11]

I have herpstats and rancos. The herpstats are better but more expensive. My rancos work fine and keep temps very well. The ones that I have, have been in use for 8 years. I have never had an issue with them. I paid 65 each for them and bought them prewired. The only thing I wouldn't recommend them for is an incubator.

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