“Emergency” thermostats?

I managed to terrify myself with stories about broken thermostats. :sob: So basically… I discovered that the lighting I was using was not a good match with the thermostat I bought… Because I really don’t want to mess up again (first viv), I need a little help. :tired_face:

I’m using a flood bulb and a ceramic heat emitter, alongside an Arcadia UVA/B light. I DO have digital thermometers inside the enclosure that alert me via my devices if something goes under or over certain temps or humidity levels, but they have no power over the lamps, obviously. So I would have to be awake and at home to actually take action… I keep reading that certain thermostats turn bulbs on/off nonstop, and cause them to break randomly… so what should I have in place for an “emergency shutoff” if something were to cause the temps to get too cold or hot? There are so many types of thermostats, and so many sources online saying different things… :face_with_spiral_eyes:

In summary: I just need something to shut down the heating devices (CHE and PAR38 flood bulb) if something should go haywire… but that won’t flicker them on and off until they break, or affect my day/night timer switch (flood bulb and Arcadia UV “tube” linear light for day, CHE for night). Also… I’m struggling a little with keeping temps up in the “ideal” range with the flood bulb… close, but not quite. What should I do to give it a “boost” enough to meet those ideal ranges?

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Sounds like you need a dimming thermostat. As I understand it, that’s really the only kind that works well with heat sources that produce light.

Vivarium Electronics and Herpstat by Spyder Robotics are probably going to be your best bets. Those are very trusted and highly-rated brands, both are very reliable and well-made. And both have excellent safety features. I have a Herpstat, and it’s awesome. They aren’t cheap, but you get what you pay for. Each brand has several options based on the type of thermostat (on/off, pulse proportional, or dimming; you’ll want one with dimming capabilities), as well as various safety features and various numbers of outlets and probes. You can choose whichever model(s) suit your needs best.

If your flood bulb is not quite up to the task of achieving the temps you need, you could combine it with an under-tank heater, CHE, or radiant heat panel. So long as it’s all connected to a high-quality thermostat, the thermostat should be able to have everything running at the temps you need.

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