Thermometer

BeardeddragonDino · May 3, 2020

Does anyone have any recommendations for a thermometer that you plug a heat lamp into to control temperature? I know many of these thermometers use temperature probes, and I was also wondering if these worked well with overhead heating sources?

Claudiusx · May 3, 2020

If you want it to control the heat source, that would be called a thermostat. And you will most likely want a dimming thermostat as opposed to an on/off thermostat, depending on what you are using it for.

-Brandon

BeardeddragonDino · May 3, 2020

Claudiusx":247mtq3u said:
If you want it to control the heat source, that would be called a thermostat. And you will most likely want a dimming thermostat as opposed to an on/off thermostat, depending on what you are using it for.

-Brandon

Thanks! Do you know of any specific thermostats that work well?

CooperDragon · May 3, 2020

I use a Herpstat and it works well. There are a lot of good options out there to fit budget and needed features though.

BeardeddragonDino · May 3, 2020

CooperDragon":2uleh9wd said:
I use a Herpstat and it works well. There are a lot of good options out there to fit budget and needed features though.

Yeah I was looking into getting a Herpstat. Which version do you use and how exactly do you place the temperature probe?

CooperDragon · May 3, 2020

I have an older version of the herpstat2. One probe sits on the cool side floor and the other is sitting on the basking surface with a rubber band. The wire is zip tied and anchored to the wall along the back corner. I have one bulb set to pulse and it's a heat projector that comes on at night if the temps drop out of 70-73 range that is controlled by the cool side probe. The basking light is controlled by the basking site probe and is set to be 100-103 and dim as needed.

BeardeddragonDino · May 5, 2020

CooperDragon":28g6f9i7 said:
I have an older version of the herpstat2. One probe sits on the cool side floor and the other is sitting on the basking surface with a rubber band. The wire is zip tied and anchored to the wall along the back corner. I have one bulb set to pulse and it's a heat projector that comes on at night if the temps drop out of 70-73 range that is controlled by the cool side probe. The basking light is controlled by the basking site probe and is set to be 100-103 and dim as needed.

So would the herpstat 1 be a good choice? I am getting a 5x2x2 PVC enclosure for my bearded dragon soon, and am trying to get all the lighting/heating worked out since PVC holds heat better than glass enclosures. Do you know if the herpstat 1 is dimmable? I would like it to dim the basking bulb instead of flicker on and off.

CooperDragon · May 5, 2020

Yeah the herpstat1 is good. It just has 1 output instead of 2. If you don't plan on using a second basking bulb or an overnight heat projector (not often necessary) then the herpstat1 should be able to do a nice job with a dimmable basking bulb.

BeardeddragonDino · May 5, 2020

Does the Herpstat have a built in timer (one that will turn on in the morning and off at night) or can an external timer system be used?

CooperDragon · May 5, 2020

Sure does. You can program it to simulate sunrise and sunset so it will ramp up and down slowly. There is night and day mode. A battery backup to save settings in the event of power failure. More features I haven't messed with (yet). They are pretty elaborate little machines.

BeardeddragonDino · May 5, 2020

CooperDragon":2xs4pa41 said:
Sure does. You can program it to simulate sunrise and sunset so it will ramp up and down slowly. There is night and day mode. A battery backup to save settings in the event of power failure. More features I haven't messed with (yet). They are pretty elaborate little machines.

Sorry, last question. If I was to need two basking lamps for the tank, is it possible to plug both into the Herpstat 1 using a plug adapter (they would be at the same temp)?

CooperDragon · May 5, 2020

It might physically work since the computer controls power output to a regular three pronged outlet. I wouldn't recommend splitting it though since it isn't designed to control multiple bulbs from one output. That may create an increased fire risk as well. I would get a herpstat 2 if you want to control two bulbs.

BeardeddragonDino · May 5, 2020

CooperDragon":m3hjeda9 said:
It might physically work since the computer controls power output to a regular three pronged outlet. I wouldn't recommend splitting it though since it isn't designed to control multiple bulbs from one output. That may create an increased fire risk as well. I would get a herpstat 2 if you want to control two bulbs.

So do you think I could get by with one basking bulb for a 5 foot tank? It’s pvc so it should hold heat a lot better, I’m just not sure if you know anything else about heating a pvc tank.

CooperDragon · May 5, 2020

It should insulate pretty well and as long as your house doesn't get super cold overnight I'd imagine it will stay above 65 in the tank (avoiding the need for a heat projector/ceramic). As far as the basking light goes, it really takes some trial and error since every enclosure is different. Is your top fixed or is it removable? I've suspended my basking light on an adjustable stand and I leave the top off the tank so I can raise/lower the fixture to give me some more leeway (and space). If you have a fixed top it's more important to dial in the wattage more closely. I have good luck with halogen flood lights. Try an 80w to start with and see how that goes. PAR38 or BR30/40 tend to work best and are fairly cheap. Once you found one that gives you the general temp range you want, buy some spares to have on hand. Then you can let the thermostat fine tune the output as needed.

BeardeddragonDino · May 5, 2020

CooperDragon":3p8lbh6v said:
It should insulate pretty well and as long as your house doesn't get super cold overnight I'd imagine it will stay above 65 in the tank (avoiding the need for a heat projector/ceramic). As far as the basking light goes, it really takes some trial and error since every enclosure is different. Is your top fixed or is it removable? I've suspended my basking light on an adjustable stand and I leave the top off the tank so I can raise/lower the fixture to give me some more leeway (and space). If you have a fixed top it's more important to dial in the wattage more closely. I have good luck with halogen flood lights. Try an 80w to start with and see how that goes. PAR38 or BR30/40 tend to work best and are fairly cheap. Once you found one that gives you the general temp range you want, buy some spares to have on hand. Then you can let the thermostat fine tune the output as needed.

That’s helpful, thanks! So I should be ok with one basking spot? ... I’m assuming the extra “insulation” of the pvc will provide a better temp gradient then a glass tank.

Thermometer

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