Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I currently have a Herpstat II proportional thermostat to controll the temps in 2 of my cages. I saw some standard on/off thermostats that were pluged together to have one act as an emergency backup for the other. Would I be able to get 2 cheaper ranco onoff thermostats. Then plug the herpstat II into one of the on/off then plug that into another on/off cheaper thermostat. Use the probes from the on/off on each of my 2 tanks as well as the probes form the Herpstat II. Set the on/off probes to 95 degrees and my herpstat is set to 86 degrees. Would that work or be a hazard? Use the on/off as an emergency backup to shut things down if teh Herpstat II ever fails? I dont want to set the backups too close to the herpstat because I dont want that controlling the heat just as an emergency backup.

Would that work?

Yes that should work just fine. The Ranco's work like on/off light switches while the Herpstat II works like a dimmer switch. To be clear on the proposed setup.....

1) Ranco #1 plugged into wall outlet with temp probe at cage #1.

2) Ranco #2 plugged into Ranco #1 (maybe hardwired?) with temp probe at cage #2.

3) Herpstat II Plugged into Ranco #2.

4a) Herpstat II probe 1 at cage #1, cage #1 heat element plugged into Herpstat II outlet #1.

4b) Herpstat II probe 2 at cage #2, cage #2 heat element plugged into Herpstat II outlet #2.

Both Ranco's set at "emergency shut down" temp. ie if either one gets to temp, no power will get to the Herpstat II.

Herpstat II set at desired cage temp.

You could even "test" the system with a heat lamp aimed at the Ranco probes one at a time.

IMO, probably overkill but clearly safer than just one T-stat per cage.
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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