Nanci
Alien Lover
I decided to install back-up thermostats on my racks. I followed instructions from the Spyder Robotics (Herpstat) website.
http://spyderrobotics.com/support/failsafedocument.html
"SUGGESTIONS:
As a secondary backup to ANY proportional thermostat use the following setup. Purchase a nonproportional thermostat with a wattage rating at or above the proportional thermostat's rating. Attach this thermostat to the wall outlet and set it for your desired failsafe temperature (NOT your normal target temperature). Then attach your proportional thermostat to the output of the "failsafe" thermostat and set it as usual. Place the probes of both thermostats in the same location. The idea is the proportional themostat controls the environment and should it fail and reach the failsafe temperature the "failsafe" thermostat will cut power. Of course at this point the environment will be regulated by the failsafe thermostat at its temperature. The environment would be warmer but assuming the failsafe is set to acceptable temperature the animals will remain safe."
I am using the BAH-1000SC thermostat for the back-up. I installed both probes directly on the heat cable of the bottom bin, choosing that bin because the probe on the BAH is so big the normal bins wouldn't slide over it. The bottom bin is Jake's feeding bin, and a slightly different model with a slightly smaller footprint, so it still fits. The thermometer probes are installed in the top bin, the 'hot" probe directly over the heat cable, in the bin, and the "cool" probe out a couple inches, where a snake would actually lay, unless it was laying right in the groove along the back of the bin.
While I was installling the system and moving the stat probes around, I got to see the fail-safe actually work. While the probes were away from the cable, the thermostats "thought" the temps were too cool, and turned on the heat. The temp of the cable rose to 101F before I got the probes back in place. The BAH was on, but had the power to the cable off when I reconnected, and the Herpstat was completely shut down, because it gets power from the back-up stat. I have the back-up set to 90F, and the herpstat set to 88F. As the temp fell, the BAH turned on the Herpstat at 88F, and the Herpstat then maintained that temp. Since the Herpstat is proportional, it maintains an even temp, unlike an on/off, which allows small temp spikes over the desired temp.
So anyway, here it is. I'll do the other one next time I have a spare hour; it's much harder to get to to rearrange.
Top: Thermometer. Middle: Herpstat Night Drop, which is running the heat. Bottom: BAH 1000 back-up stat.
http://spyderrobotics.com/support/failsafedocument.html
"SUGGESTIONS:
As a secondary backup to ANY proportional thermostat use the following setup. Purchase a nonproportional thermostat with a wattage rating at or above the proportional thermostat's rating. Attach this thermostat to the wall outlet and set it for your desired failsafe temperature (NOT your normal target temperature). Then attach your proportional thermostat to the output of the "failsafe" thermostat and set it as usual. Place the probes of both thermostats in the same location. The idea is the proportional themostat controls the environment and should it fail and reach the failsafe temperature the "failsafe" thermostat will cut power. Of course at this point the environment will be regulated by the failsafe thermostat at its temperature. The environment would be warmer but assuming the failsafe is set to acceptable temperature the animals will remain safe."
I am using the BAH-1000SC thermostat for the back-up. I installed both probes directly on the heat cable of the bottom bin, choosing that bin because the probe on the BAH is so big the normal bins wouldn't slide over it. The bottom bin is Jake's feeding bin, and a slightly different model with a slightly smaller footprint, so it still fits. The thermometer probes are installed in the top bin, the 'hot" probe directly over the heat cable, in the bin, and the "cool" probe out a couple inches, where a snake would actually lay, unless it was laying right in the groove along the back of the bin.
While I was installling the system and moving the stat probes around, I got to see the fail-safe actually work. While the probes were away from the cable, the thermostats "thought" the temps were too cool, and turned on the heat. The temp of the cable rose to 101F before I got the probes back in place. The BAH was on, but had the power to the cable off when I reconnected, and the Herpstat was completely shut down, because it gets power from the back-up stat. I have the back-up set to 90F, and the herpstat set to 88F. As the temp fell, the BAH turned on the Herpstat at 88F, and the Herpstat then maintained that temp. Since the Herpstat is proportional, it maintains an even temp, unlike an on/off, which allows small temp spikes over the desired temp.
So anyway, here it is. I'll do the other one next time I have a spare hour; it's much harder to get to to rearrange.
Top: Thermometer. Middle: Herpstat Night Drop, which is running the heat. Bottom: BAH 1000 back-up stat.
