What's your Thermostat?

[BeerBaron]

Hey all, I have been looking around for a new thermostat for my terrarium. I currently have a cheap small white unit which looks like your basic A/C Thermo controlling just a heat light which works fine, However I want to upgrade to a dimming thermostat which prolongs the life of your globe. Any info on what is good/bad would be great and if you feel like throwing up picys of your current setup would be awesome.
Also is there A unit that can control heat lights plus additional heat mats?
cheers BeerBaron

 

[Lockie]

You'll need two separate units to control a light and a heat mat. The easiest dimming thermostats to install are the Habistat of Microclimate ones - they're prewired with a plug & socket so you won't have to worry about paying for an Electrician. As for what is good/bad, I don't think i've ever come across a dodgy brand of dimming thermostats - I think they're pretty much all on par with eachother.

If you don't want to buy pre-wired, I've had a play around with a fully programmable dimming thermostat with a backlit LCD screen & a probe for a home heater - pics are attached. This cost me $55 and it's way better than the microclimate ones as I've programmed it to drop the enclosure temp to 26c during the night, however it needs to be installed by an electrician. You can still pick these ones up on Ebay - search by TH115-A-240d.

regards,
Lockie

 

[1woma]

You'll need two separate units to control a light and a heat mat.

View attachment 187931View attachment 187932View attachment 187933

on the habistat website it says the dimming thermostats can be used with mats......

 

[Hooglabah]

Yes they can, but if you try and contoll a heat lamp/ light bulb and a mat on the Same thermo they will both get to wildly differan temps.

 

[hugsta]

You can get a microclimate dimming thermo with a Magic eye for night time drops as well. Great thermostats IMO. They are the B1ME's

 

[hissnbits]

These dont require an electrician, are a dimming style and have a built in timer!!

ATC210 thermostat - Hiss N Bits

 

[saximus]

For controlling heat lights and heat mats you'd probably be better off with the thermos that have two separate circuits (essentially two thermos in one). The hard thing would be turning off the lights but keeping the heat mat on. Unless there is something similar to the Hiss N Bits one which has two thermos that can be individually timer controlled? Or you could just use a heat mat or heat cord for the heat and use a mini fluro for light on a timer. They don't produce much heat so shouldn't affect the temp that much
Whatever you decide I highly recommend dimmers. I just got my first ones and my temps are almost perfect no matter what the ambient temp is.

 

[BeerBaron]

Has anyone got any pics of a dual thermostat heat light/ heat mat setup or dual thermostat setup there currently using?
Cheers for the info as well

 

[Donkey_Kong]

can i ask why you need to run both a light and a heat mat, isn't one heat source sufficent??

 

[BeerBaron]

i don't need to run both a light and heat mat i just read somewhere that you could have that style setup & just curious to see what others are running

 

[drinkies]

you certain that thermostat is a dimming type?the tha-115-a-240d