Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got six 4ft cages from northwest constrictors a few months ago. I keep all my females and males in a boaphile drawer rack. I need to transfer just the females for now cause the other 2 cages need repairs. The thermostate is a ranco duel sold on the boaphile site. Could I heat the rack and four of the cages since it has a plug in for 6? Where do I put the probs theres 2? On the rack or the long cages? I got nice heat tape pads for the four cages. I need to get them setup tommorow cause were taking a week vacation and my caretaker just waters them and checks the temps. Does anyone else hook up diff things to one thermostate it is a duel? Next month I plan on ordering another one is the ranco duel great or is there a better brand?

Unless the heating systems are the same (wattage, amperage) they will heat to different temperatures, as the thermostat will put out a uniform amount of power to all plugged in units. It's like plugging a 40 watt bulb and a blow dryer into the same plug; they will have very different outputs.

The practical ramifications are that the rack might be hot and the cages normal, or the rack is perfect and the cages are cold.

It's a bad idea.

Also, the ranco dual unit is wired as a safety backup, not two seperate units. One is a failsafe to shut off the other if in runaway mode.

IMO I like the proportional ones, Ranco is either full power on or off. Both Helix and Spyder Robotics make good units. For multiple units I prefer the Herpstat Pro by Spyder Robotics. It's four units built into one with four LONG probes and four outputs. at $300 and change, is the same-ish as two helix with added night drop.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

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

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats