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Have a ranco controlling a 4-drawer rack and am adding a 5-drawer rack soon. Can the ranco control both with only one probe inside the 4 drawer unit? Or is adding a second probe to the ranco possible, and simple to do?

Mike

>>Have a ranco controlling a 4-drawer rack and am adding a 5-drawer rack soon. Can the ranco control both with only one probe inside the 4 drawer unit? Or is adding a second probe to the ranco possible, and simple to do?
>>
>>Mike

Ranco ETC-111000 is limited to 1500 watts and I'm pretty sure it can only be equipped with a single probe...HTH

At the price you can get them might as well make each unit on its own thermostat.
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Jeremy Payne
JB Reptile

1.0 Snow "Kahl"
0.2 Triple Het Moonglow "Kahl"
0.1 Orange Tail Hypo Het Leopard
0.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow
1.0 Ghost
0.1 Possible Super Hypo
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Suriname/Columbian cross
0.1 Anerthrystic

1.1 Morelia Clastolepis

I had looked into something similar. I wanted to use a single ranco as a backup for my herpstat pro. All the cages run at the same temp but I wanted to have a probe for each.

I contacted ranco and they say you can have up to 4 probes hooked up to a single unit but the thermostat will only take an average of the temperatures at the 4 or 3 or 2 probes. You cant set it to 90 degrees and if one probe records 91 it will shut off. It will read temps at all the probes then average the values and if the average temp gets above 90 then it will shut off.

I guess it depends on what you want it for but for me the fact that it was averageing temperatures meant that one tank could have a drastic temperature value while the others would be normal and the unit would not work as a safeguard.

Basicaly you can have 4 probes. You can only set one setpoint temperature value. It will average the probes temperature not check each seperately.

Ohh my ranco has a power strip so you can hook up several heating devices to it I dont know if your ranco is the same or it just came with a single plug but you could always plug in a power strip. Its going to run them all based off the temps on the one probe though but if they are all exactly the same as long as your not overloading the wattage.

To have them wired with 4 probes I think you have to have that done when you get it. Im not an electrition so I dont really know what would be involved in trying to put several probes on one yourself. Im not electronicly inclined.

You can use a power strip wired to the output of the thermostat, however you are still limited by the load of 16 amps max.

The 4 probes are actually wired in series/parallel to allow an average temp to be achieved. This is a modification made by the user not the manufacture. You must splice 22 awg sensor wire into the current sensor outboard of the unit. All connections are required to be made IAW NEC standards.
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Jeremy Payne
JB Reptile

1.0 Snow "Kahl"
0.2 Triple Het Moonglow "Kahl"
0.1 Orange Tail Hypo Het Leopard
0.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow
1.0 Ghost
0.1 Possible Super Hypo
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Suriname/Columbian cross
0.1 Anerthrystic

1.1 Morelia Clastolepis

Yes, power strip is standard. My two racks will be hooked up to one strip, with one sensor inside one rack only (back heat model). Have a temp gun to watch temp variations. If differential is too much, I'll buy another thermo. Using 4 models so far: ranco, johnson, and 2 herpstats (one normal, one with night drop). Very happy with herpstats. (Helix is not an option for me.) Will look into the herpstat II, or Pro model, which has 2, and 4 probes working independently. Priced at 219 and 319, beats buying more individual units, since the reg. herpstat needed for incubator.

Anyone using the II and Pro models with issues?

Mike

(0.01$ on a good day )

While multiple racks can be run off one thermostat (providing you don/t exceed the current limit) there are problems that can crop up doing that. If the heat elements are not identical, one rack can run hotter than another. That already is likely happening in your single rack with the upper tubs warmer than the lower ones.

Also, reminds me of an old saying "don't keep all your eggs in one basket" By putting more and more on a single thermostat, more and more is tied to the performance of a single point of failure. If that single thermostat does fail, you have a lot more at risk.

I personally am not a fan of on/off units like Ranco. Two reasons....

1) Can be a much larger temp swing, when the probe cools enough to turn on the heat, the cage temps can actually be cooler. By the time it warms up enough to shut off, the heat element can be otter than desired. That is greatly affected by probe location. The closer to the heat element, the less of an affect, the further away, the greater!

2) Unsure on Ranco but I think it's a mechanical contactor? If so, mechanicals "can" stick in the on position applying full power to the heat elements = very bad!!! Again, bandaids can be applied... Use a dimmer in line so even if full on, does not get toooo hot.

I have Several herpstat Pro's and love em!! Totally programable, up and down, built in night drop, solid stat proportional. Four independant channels with 12' probes!

Only slight downside I've found is the back where all the cords and probes plug in is a little crowded. Some RHP's I have used a right angle plug and that would not work, had to be straight on or it covered the probe socket.
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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

2) Unsure on Ranco but I think it's a mechanical contactor? If so, mechanicals "can" stick in the on position applying full power to the heat elements = very bad!!! Again, bandaids can be applied... Use a dimmer in line so even if full on, does not get toooo hot.

The ETC-111000 is a micro-processer based thermostat, with a built in diagnostic loop. In the event of hardware failure the unit shuts down all output...in otherwords it fails in the open position.

I have Several herpstat Pro's and love em!! Totally programable, up and down, built in night drop, solid stat proportional. Four independant channels with 12' probes!

That's because you make a bundle of Reese's pieces...

If I had to have a on/off thermostat it would be Ranco. If I could afford it, It would be Herpstat Pro's. At $50 I can have the saftey of a thermostat...someday maybe I can get a Herpstat Pro...
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Jeremy Payne
JB Reptile

1.0 Snow "Kahl"
0.2 Triple Het Moonglow "Kahl"
0.1 Orange Tail Hypo Het Leopard
0.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow
1.0 Ghost
0.1 Possible Super Hypo
0.1 DH Ghost
1.1 "Kahl" Albino
1.0 Hypomelenistic
1.3 Pastel Hypo
0.1 Suriname/Columbian cross
0.1 Anerthrystic

1.1 Morelia Clastolepis

Appreciate the input. Leaning towards the Pro model (fill up the piggy bank) for peace of mind. My two on-off thermos have given me grief a no. of times (yes, I have detailed instructions on useage, but still got burned.
My "D" model alarm went off once because I forgot to reset clock for the daylight savings thing. Working on multiple settings with night drops sounds like "fun", but until I get separate rooms, don't have a choice. My room temps fluctuate too much in the fall/winter. Looking forward to mothballing these two or maybe use as backups.

Mike

I use Rancos and a Herpstat Pro. For the money the pro unit its like buy 3 get one free. I had an issue with the pro unit once and the Spyder Robotics customer service is above & beyond. They sent me a 2nd unit to help diagnose the problem and spent the time to get my issue fixed. It was because my house has dirty power & a lot of electrical interference. The helix units seem like old technology. With the Herpstat II & pro you can optional package to update the firmware when changes are made. It seems like the herpstats are more updated & more newer tech. Also you get a lot more features compared to the helix models. On/offs work great but if your going proportional I would suggest a herpstat. I bought the pro during the holidays and it cost me like $300 includeing shipping. Verry happy with the purchase.