Zoo-med 500R Thermostat

[joshuadude]

Is anyone familiar with these things? I plan on purchasing one friday along with ther 6 x 10 UTH, but what I want to know is, do these have a digital display on them that shows the temperature? Or is there some type of nob you have to fiddle with to get the proper temperature, and use a thermometer to read said temp? If this is the latter, what makes it any different than a rheostat, and what thermostats would have a digital read out on them?

 

[zet]

I haven't seen that thermostat personally, but most are digital displays that have buttons where you set the temperatures. I'm using this one at the moment and it's working great: http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTP...3S/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1319783004&sr=8-12

Basically, it tells you what the current temperature is according to the probe. You set a temperature to your liking and it'll shut whatever is plugged in off when the probe reaches that temperature. The thermostat comes with a power cord that plugs into an outlet, and it has an outlet itself for the UTH to plug into -- that's how it controls the temps. Hope this helps!

 

[grboxa]

I got the 500r at a good price, thats why I purchased it, ive heard negative and positive reviews from it but I love it. I'm sure theres better ones out there, but its working perfectly for me, and very straight forward to do. Put the probe on the hottest part of the UTH, and its basically just trial and error. Like someone said before, its a glorified rheostat . I dont think it works well if your room fluctuates in temperature, could be the negative reviews.

 

[Mrgecko]

I had one a few years ago. It worked well, it basically turns the uth on and off once you get the temperatures set correctly. There is no digital display and has a wheel like knob you turn to raise and lower temperatures. Works fine in rooms that fluctuates in temperature a few degrees. Mine did any ways.

 

[OnlineGeckos]

I haven't seen that thermostat personally, but most are digital displays that have buttons where you set the temperatures. I'm using this one at the moment and it's working great: http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTP...3S/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1319783004&sr=8-12

That's basically the cheapest digital display thermostat you can find, and it works very well. Just read the positive reviews on it on Amazon. I'd recommend that one over dial thermostats or rheostats.

If you are breeding I'd go with Herpstat or Helix. But for single tanks the hydrofarm one is a great affordable option.

 

[Desdemona]

I will triple the Hydrofarm recommendation! I have 5 of them and love them. I bought the day/night thing from one of the big reptile companies (not at home right now) and it seems cheaper than the HydroFarms even though I paid more for it. No digital display and the little timer on it doesn't seem to keep a 24 hour period correctly.

 

[Taquiq]

I used to have a 500R, good and cheap for maintaining temperatures, bad for incubation.

 

[Russellm0704]

Hydrofarm all the way! I got it for 26 bucks shipped from amazon and it only took about 5 days to arrive. Very reliable and much cheaper than the ones at pet stores.