Well, my understandoing of the Helix units is they are designed to shut down on error, NOT run wide open. Not to say 100% that they can't fail in a wide open mode, just highly unlikely.

A backup T-stat is definately an OK thing and to be fully effective, would have to be one for each primary T-stat.

One serious exposure I see with a single T-stat is if the heat element the probe is on fails (or if the probe is dislodged) then it could sense room temps and run more power to the other functioning heat elements overheating those cages.

If you do run a backup t-stat, place that probe on a second heat element (if controlling a stack of cages) so you have even more redundancy.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC)
0.2 kids (CBB, selectively bred from good stock)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
12.24 BRB
11.13 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

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