Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am in the market for a thermostat to use with my hovabator because I’ve had to much flucuation in the temps. I’ve been doing research on the HELIX DBS1000 ($128) and the HELIX BASIC SYSTEM ($142) and can’t figure out the difference. Do I really need to get a proportional thermostat for just 1 hovabotor? I’ve also looked at the Single Cage LED Proportional Temperature Controller by GCS ($129), the Herp Power Proportional Thermostats by Big Apple Herp ($109.95), and the Ranco Electronic Temp Control ($75). I don’t think the Ranco is proportional. I’ve also seen others that are around $30, but I am weary of there reliablilty. What kinds to you use with you incubators? Any advise/suggestion will be considered greatly appreciated. Thank you.

I used hovabators up until this year... got tired of having 3 set up and running at one time. The best bet with a hovabator is to keep it in a cooler room of the house where the temps stay fairly constant. If you do want to use a good thermostat I would suggest the Ranco model at http://www.dsreptiles.com/ It is a fairly inexpensive and ACCURATE thermostat. This is the same thermostat I used this year when I built my own incubator. Costs $75 shipped. I bought the one with the surge protector added to it to run my fan and heat pad, etc

Hope this helps
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Lisa
Cricket free babies!
LIVE hatchling web cam 8 - 8 EST
www.beginnersbasics.com

I was considering the Ranco. When doing research, I learned that there is two types of thermostats on the market. There's the proportional thermostat, which controls the amount of electricity to the unit, and then there's the thermostat that simply shuts the unit off/on. I think the Ranco just shuts the unit off/on. Do you think I need a proportional thermostat for my incubator? I found that there are proportional thermostats avalable for just a little more that what the Ranco costs.

Thanks for always replying to my posts. I would reply to others too, but I don't feel qualified...yet.

Greg

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>>Thanks for always replying to my posts. I would reply to others too, but I don't feel qualified...yet.
>>
>>Greg

I use just the Ranco and have 6 clutches in there right now and two clutches that just both had 100% hatch. The way a hovabator works is a power on / power off .... so no, I wouldn't pay the extra and go for a proportional. But... that is just my opinion

I made my own incubator this year and have converted a medium sized freezer. All I used was a fan out of an old forced air hovabator and a reptile heat pad in the door. This combined with the ranco has given me very steady temps. For the humidity I have a deep tupperware dish in the door full of water. I have pics if your interested in making one. Just let me know.
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Lisa
Cricket free babies!
LIVE hatchling web cam 8 - 8 EST
www.beginnersbasics.com

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Lisa
Cricket free babies!
LIVE hatchling web cam 8 - 8 EST
www.beginnersbasics.com

Do you remove the wafer-type thermostat on the hovabator and just use the Ranco thermostat to regulate the temp? Also, if you recommend leaving the wafer-type thermostat in, should I turn the wafer-type thermostat at the highest temperature (counter-clockwise) or the lowest (clockwise)? Okay, maybe that was more than one more question. Thank's so much for your help.

Greg

>>Do you remove the wafer-type thermostat on the hovabator and just use the Ranco thermostat to regulate the temp? Also, if you recommend leaving the wafer-type thermostat in, should I turn the wafer-type thermostat at the highest temperature (counter-clockwise) or the lowest (clockwise)? Okay, maybe that was more than one more question. Thank's so much for your help.
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>>Greg

Errrrrr I dunno! lol
I wouldn't remove it... I would guess you would turn it up just slightly higher than the Ranco thermostat was set on. That way you have a "backup" if anything did go wrong. If you turned it down to the lowest, it would never come on.
I never had anything go wrong with my hovabators.
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Lisa
Cricket free babies!
LIVE hatchling web cam 8 - 8 EST
www.beginnersbasics.com

Thanks again!

Lisa, you should get compensated for the referral!

>>Lisa, you should get compensated for the referral!

no, lol

He is a good guy and does good business .. He deserves the referrals
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Lisa
Cricket free babies!
LIVE hatchling web cam 8 - 8 EST
www.beginnersbasics.com