Thermostat Help

[SerpentLust]

Ok I'm VERY confused. Usually I'm just a heat lamp and thermometer type but I'm moving up in the world ;) Unfortunately...I'm SO confused. I don't understand how this works. I think I understand that it reads temperature like a thermometer and it also adjusts it to your presets...but HOW does it work? And please, in lamens would be appreciated.

I'm looking at this one:
http://www.boaphileplastics.com/thermostat.html

Thanks guys,
Jenn

[Lisa]

Basicly a thermostat works by turning on and off the heat when the temperature is with in a certain range.

[SerpentLust]

Does it maintain a certain heat or is it constantly turning the heat source on and off again?

Jenn

[enso]

On and off.

[Derrick]

ya I dont know if they make thermostats with a rheostat built in. I no expert in this department but for my future cages i plan to use a rheostat in combination with a thermostat. The rheostat would do most of the work and the thermostat would just be a back up incase anything went wrong.

A rheostat controls the current to your heating device(its a dimmer switch). So basicly you adjust it until your flex watt/heat panel maintain the consistant desired temp. The thermostat would basicly be there just in case. Just incase what you ask, I dont know but better safe than sorry:).

[TannimBP]

Just curious But how would you have the rheostat and thermostat hooked up together to work in conjunction????

[crazyboy]

well there are two different kinds of thermostats.
one turns the heat off once its at the right tmperature then back on when it gets about 2 degrees below it.
another kind sends different levels of power to the heater to keep it at the right temperature.

[Derrick]

Originally posted by TannimBP
Just curious But how would you have the rheostat and thermostat hooked up together to work in conjunction????

yes, the power goes to the thermostat and the to the rheostat and the to your heating device. The thermostat would be more of a fail safe device with the rheostat doing most of the work

[TannimBP]

Any Idea of where to get them at a decent price? Looking for something for my one BP in a 30L tank. PLease No grief on the fact that it is a tank *s*

[Derrick]

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8858

Thats a great How-to on how to make your own rheostat.

whats your heating method?

[TannimBP]

okay so I could make My Own rheostat Kewl But how to hook it with a thermostat?? I just little worried if it get s too hot when I'm not home want something that will kick in to cut it off.

[Edwin]

You can get a relatively inexpensive thermostat from Alife or ESU. It is an analog thermostat, meaning it shuts down your heat source when a certain temp is reached. What type of heat source do you use? I do not recommend using analog thermostats with light bulbs, as the frequent turning on and off significantly lowers the bulb's lifespan. Also you might find it annoying to have a light turned on and off every few minutes.

https://secure.ioncart.net/beanfarm/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=5&cat=Temperature+Control

Hope this helps.