thermostat on/off frequently

frankadank · 02-22-17, 02:04 PM

alright guys so i'm new to this whole hobby but trying to get into the swing of things. after having an enclosure set up for about a month and doing many test and different options to figure out what works best in my environment i think i finally figured my tank out and the temps. BUT my thermostat flicks on and off repeatedly quite frequently. my UTH & CHE are hooked up to it at about 98° right now so i can reach the desired temps. i have a temperature gun and the surface area isn't getting to hot. but i am wondering why? and is that a problem/ can be a problem if my thermostat keeps switching on/off. i'm talking like every 10/15 mins i hear it. the probe is placed under the tank taped to the corner of the UTH with foil tape. thanks!

TRD · 02-22-17, 05:27 PM

Depends on the type of thermostat, you have different ones...

Dimmer Thermostat, generally used for lights, will dim down the power supplied to the heating element. Generally can't be used with UTHs and such because they have a minimum wattage that UTHs can't reach unless really huge.

Pulse Thermostat, generally used with UTHs, will pulse the power supplied to the heating element very rapidly to maintain a set temperature. Can't be used with lights because it will make them flicker real fast.

On/Off thermostats, generally much much cheaper. Can be used with lights and UTHs but will only have 2 positions. On and Off. when used on lights it may disrupt day/night cycles and generally unpleasant when sources of light turn on and off. When used on UTHs will cause larger fluctuations in heat as there are much larger threshold values to trigger it than when using a pulse thermostat. F.e. when set to 90 F it may heat up to 95 F then turn off until it reaches 85 F and then switch on again.

So, depending on whether or not you have an ON/OFF thermostat, what you experience may be completely normal.

trailblazer295 · 02-22-17, 06:14 PM

Is it near air vent or other wind source that could be cooling your cage down faster? What kind of cage? Ambient room temperature?

Albert Clark · 02-22-17, 06:38 PM

Try to make sure that you are not covering the probe sensor with the foil tape bc that will cause the thermostat to turn off more quickly. It's better to just tape the probe wire to the uth. Use a thin piece of duct tape to secure the sensor to the uth. The foil tape will also increase the temperature that is being relayed to the thermostat if the sensor is covered.

frankadank · 02-22-17, 08:12 PM

i'm using a zilla thermostat it was a cheaper one running 20$. the room is a cold room running around 62-65° and no it's not around a vent or anything. it just keeps flicking. i think i will tape the wire to help regulate the right temps. i know thermostats turn on and off because that's what it does but didn't know if every 20 or so minutes was regular for and on/off one.

frankadank · 02-22-17, 08:13 PM

also i am in a 20G long

Albert Clark · 02-22-17, 09:57 PM

Well, you may also consider placing the sensor between the uth and the glass (wedged in) and then just tape the edges of the uth to the glass. Maybe secure the probe wire to the frame of the tank. This way you won't need to worry about taping the sensor. Your thermostat may also have less on and off clicking. For the future consider a proportional thermostat that stays on continuously without the added problems. Those temps are really kind of cold so you may need a ceramic bulb or small space heater.

jay's reptiles · 02-23-17, 08:32 AM

I have been using the cheap zilla thermostat for about 6 months now and i like it so much. Very accurate only about a 1 degree difference.

trailblazer295 · 02-23-17, 03:33 PM

I would recommend some foam board with tin foil sold In hardware stores to help the insulation of the cage. Glass conducts heat well so it's cooling off fast. I suspect that's why you're cycling so often. You need to try and keep the heat in.

frankadank · 02-23-17, 06:13 PM

thanks everyone for the replies i take it all into consideration. i actually did just make a lid with cardboard wrapped in tinfoil tape to keep heat in with some ventilation. and i have a CHE but i'll look into the other thermostats for the future. thanks guys i'm posting a picture of my set up soon. 6 days till my baby (:

**Aaron_S** · 02-24-17, 09:09 AM

Get a proportional thermostat. They don't go on and off like that. They just send enough energy/power to maintain the constant temp. My stats run usually around 30% output.

Skipper7 · 02-24-17, 01:05 PM

Aaron- Do you know of any proportional stats available in the US that are in the same price range as the cheaper zilla/jumpstart units?

**Aaron_S** · 02-27-17, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skipper7

Aaron- Do you know of any proportional stats available in the US that are in the same price range as the cheaper zilla/jumpstart units?

I do not know. Maybe check the vivarium product. VE electronics or something. I believe those are proportional and cheaper.

I use Herpstats myself. There's another one but I can't remember the name of it, it's an older company but still good.