Bunch of Thermostat Questions

Alright, I have been doing a lot of reading on thermostats over the past two days. Now I just have a few questions... I guess I am mostly looking for some insight based on user experience from those who have used these products.

From what I've learned, I would prefer a proportional thermostat. I've gathered that Herpstat and Helix are the two top options. I have been leaning towards Herpstat, but are there any distinct advantages with a Helix thermostat? I haven't really seen anything that details any major differences between the two, but I figured that it never hurts to ask!

Next, how useful/necessary is it to have a Night Drop option? Is it beneficial to the snake? Is it for power conservation? Is it worth it to buy a unit with ND built in, or just buy the ND cable and timer for a standard unit later on?

Finally, something I am trying to take future flexibility into account while I do my research. Currently, I just have the one cornsnake and no real intentions to expand right away. However, if I do choose to purchase another cornsnake (or so) sometime down the road, I want to be set up in a way that makes sense to upgrade.

From what I've read, it seems that most people with multiple snakes have a proportional thermostat plugged into an on/off thermostat as a backup. I've seen the Herpstat II and the Pro, and it is not very practical for me to purchase one of those right now, but if I find out that I am going to be much more involved with cornsnakes, that is certainly my next step. If I already have the standard Herpstat (or Helix), would that be acceptable as a backup? Or is it actually better to use a Ranco or Johson on/off unit in that case?

Finally, could somebody help explain to me how a backup thermostat setup would work? Honestly, I think what I really need is to see some photos of an assembled backup system... because I am having difficulty picturing how all the pieces would fit together.

Oooookay, I know that was a LOT to ask at once, and I hope it all makes sense. (I know I have a tendency to ramble a little.)

Thank you!

This is how I have my back-up thermostats set up. http://tinyurl.com/c28jrp

I like Herpstats, and am running all Herpstat NDs except for one plain Herpstat. I don't think the night drop feature is beneficial for cornsnakes at all, but that thermostat _does_ have a few extra features which I like, the main one being the high/low alarms. I _believe_ you can run three vivs off one Herpstat ND, but they need to be identical, and not exceed the wattage rating. The Herpstat II allows you to set two separate temps, so you can have two dissimilar vivs on one unit. Even my little single ten gallons have Herpstats on them, simply because although a high-quality thermostat may not be _necessary_, it is still very nice and so much easier and trouble-free to operate compared to an on/off. I feel like if you are going to invest in quality stats, then they need to be plugged into a good-quality surge protector, or, optimally, a UPS. A UPS will also keep any timed lighting you have from losing its time of day, if your power is only out for a short time.

Nanci said:

This is how I have my back-up thermostats set up. http://tinyurl.com/c28jrp

I like Herpstats, and am running all Herpstat NDs except for one plain Herpstat. I don't think the night drop feature is beneficial for cornsnakes at all, but that thermostat _does_ have a few extra features which I like, the main one being the high/low alarms. I _believe_ you can run three vivs off one Herpstat ND, but they need to be identical, and not exceed the wattage rating. The Herpstat II allows you to set two separate temps, so you can have two dissimilar vivs on one unit. Even my little single ten gallons have Herpstats on them, simply because although a high-quality thermostat may not be _necessary_, it is still very nice and so much easier and trouble-free to operate compared to an on/off. I feel like if you are going to invest in quality stats, then they need to be plugged into a good-quality surge protector, or, optimally, a UPS. A UPS will also keep any timed lighting you have from losing its time of day, if your power is only out for a short time.

Click to expand...

Thank you so much, Nanci!

I did not realize that you could hook up more than one viv per thermostat. That actually makes a BIG difference. I was worried that I was going to have to buy a new thermostat with every new snake!

And your post about the back-up makes makes so much sense to me. It really helps a lot!

Nanci,

Thank you again for your help! I ordered the Herpstat ND this morning.

:spinner: I can't wait!

You're going to love it! And the owner, Dion?, is _so_ helpful if you have questions.

Nanci said:

You're going to love it! And the owner, Dion?, is _so_ helpful if you have questions.

Click to expand...

That's good to know!

I do have a quick question about using one thermostat for multiple vivs... It's not something I'm looking to do right now, of course, but I am trying to understand how it would work... There is only one probe on the thermostat, right? Or would there be a probe for each viv? As an example, if I had two vivs/two UTHs running off one thermostat, would I just put the one probe into the first tank with the first UTH... and the second UTH would exactly the same based on the probe in the first?

I hope that makes sense... it's hard to ask questions when I don't exactly know how it works. Haha!

Also (a little off-topic), what thermometer do you use? I was trying to figure it out by looking at the photo in your thread about the thermostat back-up, but I can't read the brand.

Thank you!

You can run multiple racks/vivs off on t-stat provided that you don't exceed the power that the t-stat can handle, and that the vivs/racks are IDENTICAL and have IDENTICAL heating elements. If you have one with 3" flexwatt, one with a UTH, and another with 11" flexwatt then you'd need three t-stats, but if you have three racks - all with 4" flexwatt then you're good to go.

You'd just put the probe in one of them. But you'd want to monitor the temps in each one individually using a thermometer that has a probe. The stick on ones tell you the temp of the air, you want the temp of the heating element. A lot of people use the accurite brand thermometers, you can get them at wally world.

blueapplepaste said:

You can run multiple racks/vivs off on t-stat provided that you don't exceed the power that the t-stat can handle, and that the vivs/racks are IDENTICAL and have IDENTICAL heating elements. If you have one with 3" flexwatt, one with a UTH, and another with 11" flexwatt then you'd need three t-stats, but if you have three racks - all with 4" flexwatt then you're good to go.

You'd just put the probe in one of them. But you'd want to monitor the temps in each one individually using a thermometer that has a probe. The stick on ones tell you the temp of the air, you want the temp of the heating element. A lot of people use the accurite brand thermometers, you can get them at wally world.

Click to expand...

Thank you for the info on multiple vivs on a t-stat! That makes a lot of sense.

I do have a digital probe thermometer/hygrometer in my viv right now... granted it's a cheapo one and I could certainly use an upgrade. The Accurite at Walmart... are you talking about the indoor/outdoor weather thermometer that you can get in the hardware or garden section?

Thanks again!

I use the double probe two-temp thermometers from Big Apple Herp. If I am running two ten gallons, for example, off one thermostat, I will put the stat probe in the upper viv, if they are stacked, because it will get warmer. Both will have a probe in the warm side, in the middle of the UTH. When I am using the stat in a rack, I put the probe directly on the heat cable, wherever it works out best, ideally under the top bin, but for sure put the temp probes in the top bin. If I am using one stat for one viv, I monitor the hot and cold side. That thermometer has a max/min feature, which is interesting, but not as important with a proportional stat as with an on/off stat.

Yeah, its the one you get in the garden section, though sometimes I've found them next to the pool stuff. But you want one that has a probe that you can attach inside the tub/viv directly on top of the heating element so you know the correct temps.

I cannot thank both of you enough! :bowdown: I really appreciate all your help!