Iris Sweaterbox rack/thermostat problems

[Ballpythoncrazy]

About 2 years ago I bought an iris sweaterbox rack and a VE-100 thermostat from reptile basics. The thermostat now barely works, and turns itself off about every couple hours. I have to wiggle the power cord to get it to turn back on. I don't really have the money to buy another $90 thermostat. Does anyone know of another, cheaper thermostat that would work well with the iris sweaterbox rack? Will any thermostat work? I was thinking the hydrofarm thermostat, as I've heard good things about it.
Thanks!

[bcr229]

A cheap t-stat should work for a short time, my only concern with them is that they fail wide open.

Are you sending the failing t-stat back to VE for repair?

[kitedemon]

I personally would not recommend an on off stat for a rack. My cheapest choice would be a herpstat basic. I have heard VEs having issues with consistency this is not the first temperamental unit. I personally try to avoid Korean products in favour of N. American.

[Daigga]

I agree with kitedemon. I bought a hydrofarm thinking it would be a nice cheap thermostat, but you have to remember it's an on/off model made for regulating soil temps, not a plastic tub on a heat strip. Within about a three minute period I would see max temps of around 120 and low temps of totally off (room temp for me, around 84). It isn't worth the 35 dollars you'll throw at it. I'm regulating my room temps for now while I save up for a good herpstat or comparable model, I recommend you do the same.

[Lizardlicks]

My hydrofarm doesn't fluctuate nearly so badly, but I have both girls' tubs on top of a dresser rn, not in an enclosed rack. Lowest read I've gotten in the off position is 87 and the highest was 92. This is with it set at 95f. I will def switch to a herpstat with proportional regulation when I build my rack though. the way the racks are set up they're gonna tap sort heat better than what a tub by itself will.

[kitedemon]

My hydrofarm doesn't fluctuate nearly so badly, but I have both girls' tubs on top of a dresser rn, not in an enclosed rack. Lowest read I've gotten in the off position is 87 and the highest was 92. This is with it set at 95f. I will def switch to a herpstat with proportional regulation when I build my rack though. the way the racks are set up they're gonna tap sort heat better than what a tub by itself will.

too many variable to demonstrate. On/off systems are fine for slow to heat enclosures (like glass) the longer it takes to heat the longer it takes to cool. The spikes generated by on off systems are removed because of the enclosure materials. In racks tubs sit directly on the tape the heat tape is commonly flex watt which has a very fast heat response and high max temperature and THG is ever worse getting hotter, faster with a higher maximum heat. Plastic tubs heat very fast and cool very fast this brings out the worst of the hydrofarms.

I have multiple hydrofarms (new and improved model lol) they have according the the manufacturer 2ºC +/- accuracy on the probe and a 1ºC hysteresis with a 5 second sample rate. The probe (big metal bulb) is slow to change. This under the wrong conditions lead to spike. I can actually force a unit to spike up to 140ºF and down to 75ºF if I set up the conditions for it to fail. (cold room, fast powerful heater, thin material) They can be made to work but it generally requires slow heaters (low density carbon units) , indirect heat, and or higher thermal mass enclosures.