Repti Temp Thermostat

[ortega]

I emailed ZOO Med to find a dealer in my area that sells ZOO Repti Temp 500R Thermostat RT500R. It turns out they are not legal to sell in Canada. Where could i find a termostat that is cheap and works the same way?

[juviniles_5]

what there not legal in canada, man i need one of those so bad for my uth or else my tanks gets over 100 degrees farinhite

[juviniles_5]

u could make a dimmer and theres instructions on this site on how 2 do that

[ortega]

ya i wish they were. But it does not work the same as a dimmer because it does not monitor the temp in the tank. A reostat is just not as good. Im not using my uth because it gets to over 105 degrees!

[mykee]

Why not check out either a Big Apple Herp proportional thermostat, or better yet, Helix proportional thermostats. They may cost more, but they are fool-proof when it comes to temperature stability.

[ortega]

ok those are expensive! but they do look like exactly what i want. can they at least controle more than one device for that price? The ZOO Repti Temp 500R Thermostat RT500R was only 20$ thats what i want.

[mykee]

Good hunting then. I know the Helix can control up to 500 watts of power on the basic DBS 1000.

[tygar]

Hi!
I have 3 ReptiTemp 500R's, and have had nothing but trouble with them.
I could not get them to regulate my rack system, so I've gone to simple light dimmers!
You aren't missing much, not being able to use them in your area.
If I were you, I'd spend the extra money and get something reliable! Don't be a dummy, like me. Listen to the advice you receive from people who are experienced... I wish I would have. The money I spent on 3 ReptiTemps could've gotten me a decent Big Apple thermostat. But, I'm cheap! (and it cost me)

Best of luck,
Mindy:D

[crazyboy]

i agree with the above. i have one it they stink. It doesn't keep the tmep stable at all. i would probably be better off using a rheostat. i am going to get a helix soon but i need tog et the money. i would definetly recomend spending the little extra doe and be sure your temp is consitant.

[Auskan]

I have one too, but I don't use it any more. It doesn't give a "degree" to set it at, just a warm, warmer type of thing. I had to experiment quite a bit to find where I wanted it at, and in the end it was easier to just make one of those dimmers that there are instructions for on this site, and once I had it set at the "right" spot, I have my temps right where I want them.

[ortega]

lets say I get a quality temp regulator, would it ony work for one heating device or can i use it for more than that? How would spending 200$ be saving me money if I have to buy three of them?

[tygar]

I have read that you can control the temp of several cages with one Big Apple Thermostat. I don't have one... and definately do not know this for sure, so maybe someone who DOES have one can answer your question.
As far as rheostat/dimmers... I have found these to work very well... as long as the room that houses your snakes doesn't fluctuate too much in temperature. I just make sure to check the temps, on both sides, twice a day. They have been working really well for me... giving me enough time to save up for the "good stuff".
If you don't have anything on your heat pad right now to regulate the output, I highly recommend using a dimmer while you save up your money. You don't want a burnt snake... and the lamp dimmer's, like the type I use, only cost me $9.99 at Lowe's. Very affordable for those of us "beginners".
I hope you get the info you need,
Mindy

[Bighead]

I use the reptitemp for my incubator. It has about a 4 or 5 degree accuracy which isn't too bad, but not enough when you're trying to get a specific sex from leo eggs for example.

[Linds]

Hrmmm... not legal in Canada. I bought mine in Canada. I have to agree with the above statements, it sucked terribly. It really is more like a dimmer than a thermostat, only it is very inconsistent I found. I would recommend going with a *good* thermostat, otherwise just going with a dimmer. You can be pre-wired lamp dimmers for $20 CDN or you can make your own for a few dollars.

[ortega]

It should be easy enough to use a dimmer, and sounds like the most affordable choice. K thanks everyone

[Big Mike]

Yes you can control multiple heating devices (up to a limit, ie: 500 watts) with a thermostat. But you can only put the probe in one place.