Thermostat for multiple heating pads

[JustineNYC]

hello everyone! I am looking for a new thermostat for my snake enclosure that houses 4 snakes, it has a heat pad in each compartment.

I had bought a rheostat, but the lowest setting is still too hot. I did a search on here and saw many of you use the hydrofarm thermostat, but it only controls one unit.

Does anyone make a thermostat that controls multiple mats? Kind of like how they make the timers for lights, except it being on and off, its a dimer?

 

[jp8899]

http://www.vivariumelectronics.com/Products.html
Various models available. I use the VE 100 With a Powe strip

 

[Zeina]

Welp, I am doing this, and as far as I know others do, too: I bought a 3 plug surge protector thingy- and I plugged THAT into the thermostat, and plugged the thermostat into the wall. I plugged my two heatmats into the surge protector, and that way one Thermostat regulates both mats through the surge protector.
Hack!

 

[Nanci]

If money was no object, I'd go for the Herpstat 4. Herpstat is, IMO, the most reliable brand. The owner is available, himself, for support. The advantage of four separate settings is you can fine tune each viv- you're not stuck with the upper ones being warmer than the lower ones.

 

[JustineNYC]

Welp, I am doing this, and as far as I know others do, too: I bought a 3 plug surge protector thingy- and I plugged THAT into the thermostat, and plugged the thermostat into the wall. I plugged my two heatmats into the surge protector, and that way one Thermostat regulates both mats through the surge protector.
Hack!

Is that safe as long as you don't exceed the wattage of the thermostat?

 

[Karl_Mcknight]

it should be ok. Most of the thermostats and rheostats I've seen will handle around 100 to 150 watts. (Always check what the package say).

Those typical UTH type heaters only run about 3 to 20 watts.

However if you're using a heat lamp, or ceramic bulb, or anything similar to that, it probably won't work as they almost always exceed the wattage listed.

 

[MysticExotics]

If money was no object, I'd go for the Herpstat 4. Herpstat is, IMO, the most reliable brand. The owner is available, himself, for support. The advantage of four separate settings is you can fine tune each viv- you're not stuck with the upper ones being warmer than the lower ones.

I second this.

 

[Blue Apple Herps]

If money was no object, I'd go for the Herpstat 4. Herpstat is, IMO, the most reliable brand. The owner is available, himself, for support. The advantage of four separate settings is you can fine tune each viv- you're not stuck with the upper ones being warmer than the lower ones.

Couldn't agree more. My Herpstat 4 was the best investment I've made. Temps are rock solid and customer support is beyond ridiculous. I had a problem with one of the probes 6 years after I bought it and sent an email just asking why I was getting the error I was getting (out of curiosity) before ordering a replacement. He overnighted a replacement for free even though it was long out of warranty.

If something like that isn't in the cards, there are lots of other options. So long as the heat pads are identical and cages identical, you can always plug them into a strip outlet and then plug that into the t-stat. The vertical temp differences won't be significant enough with corns to worry.