Came across this post when I was looking for more info on cheap thermostat lifespans: (link)
"I am not very active now so I am not sure how many people this will reach but I’d at least like to use my platform to stress thermostat safety." (link above)
This person's Jump Start thermostat failed and from what I can tell in the post, it cause the death of their BP.
I've been looking up info on Jumpstart and Century Thermostats this month to figure out when/if I need to save up for a herpstat, and it sounds like I've got about two years if my unit isn't defective.
The reviews on Jump Starts on Amazon (link) are generally pretty positive, with a few defective units here and there, but I very often see the comment that they regularly die in 2-3 years. The reviews show a fair amount of burnt seeds and a few burnt BPs. I'm sure that people have owned Jump Starts that function beyond this 2-3 year point, but it sounds like that's a gamble instead of a likely thing.
This comment from Super-Grower is a good summary:
Super-Grower
5.0 out of 5 stars
Worked great for several years!
April 20, 2019
Package Quantity: 1Verified Purchase
I've purchased about 10 of these.
They worked great for several years.
After a while they started not putting out correct temps and I cooked a few batches by overheating.
If you purchase this item expect a 2 to 3 yr lifespan.
Other than that is a great product, has a water proof probe and is great for clones and seedling heatmats
Hopefully this info is helpful for people deciding on when to replace or update thermostats. I'm saving up for a herpstat and my thought it that it'll be cost effective in the long run, since replacing the Jump Start every year and a half would get pricey anyways, but I know other people's budgets are limited at different times.
One thing I am absolutely doing in between now and getting a herpstat is checking the surface temp of the glass over the UTH hotspot with the heat gun every time I change out my BP's water. (So far it's been a consistent 89)
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