Humidity Controller. What do you use?

[broderp]

My cheap timer is not working out. The humidy swings up to over 90% then quicky plumets back down to 40% based on time of day and temp in the enclosure. The iissue is two fold:

1. I'm to lazy to figure out the proper on and off time as there are many variables.
2. My minimum timer cysle for my humidifier is 30 minutes. It turns into a monsoon in 10.

Anyone here have experience with this product or can you recommend a reliable similar product?

http://www.amazon.com/IMAGE®-Digita...+Controller+WH8040+Range+1%~99%+RH+HM-40+Type

I'm an engineer by trade and schooling and have access to all the proper tools to make this properly for under $35 (incuding the unit above)

I know Zoo Med makes one, but it's like $50. Worth the money?


(Ok, I'm not lazy as I indicated, but I have to return to work Monday from my xmas vacation of two weeks and no one will be home to monitor and check.)

 

[CarlC]

It should work for your needs. I would use a good outdoor rated enclosure to keep moisture away from the contacts.

Carl

 

[Psychobunny]

I don't understand how this works
Do you plug it in to a standard home humidifier and this controls it?

 

[CarlC]

You would need to wire in a power supply cable, a 120v 3 prong plug. On the output of the controller you would wire in a 120v grounded wall type outlet.

Carl

 

[kenluvschameleons]

You may not want to spend the money, but it is totally worth it to buy a zoomed hygrotherm. it monitors and controls heat and humidity with a night time setting, that drops temp. I run a fog humidifier and a basking lamp off of mine. and I use a timer for my uvb lighting. simple, easy, effective.

 

[broderp]

It should work for your needs. I would use a good outdoor rated enclosure to keep moisture away from the contacts.

Carl

Thats proving to be the hardest part! The Enclosure. I have a plan in mind, I just bought a stand for my terrarium. I plan on hiding everything under his enclosure, out of the sight of the mositure.

I don't understand how this works
Do you plug it in to a standard home humidifier and this controls it?

Thats what I'm doing. I have afaily large Walgreens humidifier that I use, but even on the lowest setting and shortest timer cycle, the humidity rockets to 80+ percent. I need a short cycle. This controller not only allows me to control the on and off times separately, but the hysteresis as well. At least in theory.

You would need to wire in a power supply cable, a 120v 3 prong plug. On the output of the controller you would wire in a 120v grounded wall type outlet.

Carl

Thats about right!

You may not want to spend the money, but it is totally worth it to buy a zoomed hygrotherm. it monitors and controls heat and humidity with a night time setting, that drops temp. I run a fog humidifier and a basking lamp off of mine. and I use a timer for my uvb lighting. simple, easy, effective.

The money really isnt the issue. I want flexibility, and I'd like to have a display I can read and buttons I can press. I'm sure the Zoo Med is perfect, but the enginerer in me says I can make that better! One thing I didn't say in my original post is that I am also looking at this:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008KVCPH2/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A197YPAPAP8V04

It's the matching temp controller. I'm contemplating going to a Ceramic type heating element (no light output) and use LED or Flouresent lighting (as well as a UVB bulb).

The flouresent would be attached to a light sensor for dawn to dusk operation. The temp and humidy controller would control the rest.

Like I said, it's a work in progress.

 

[CarlC]

You may not want to spend the money, but it is totally worth it to buy a zoomed hygrotherm. it monitors and controls heat and humidity with a night time setting, that drops temp. I run a fog humidifier and a basking lamp off of mine. and I use a timer for my uvb lighting. simple, easy, effective.

This is a descent little unit if controlling a small area. The limits of the unit are a combined 1000w. If you use it to control a space heater of which most are 1500w and a few light set up's you've easily exceeds the units ability.

Industrial type controls come out to be the better value at the end of the day if you ever decide to expand since individual components can easily be changed out for heavier duty piece's.

Carl

 

[fluxlizard]

Have you taken a look at spyder robotics website? My herpstat pros are supposed to be able to do all kinds of things that I've never used them for (day/night temps, heating and cooling control, sunrise and sunset dims on lights, and for you- humidity control).

I've never had to worry about humidity control and only use them for incubator control and now heat tape control for insects. But they've got lots of neato settings and there are buttons to push and very informative displays.

 

[CarlC]

The herpstat is a nice unit but again it is a hobby/small area type controller and that's probably what the OP is looking for. It is perfect for a few cages and incubation and is priced nice.

The heating option is nice in that it controls proportional and non proportional heating devices. The downside is you are limited to 450w per output.

The AC line control is a really nice feature! With this you can control incandescent lighting being able to dim it.

Carl

 

[fluxlizard]

The heating option is nice in that it controls proportional and non proportional heating devices. The downside is you are limited to 450w per output.

Yeah I like too how it can set the APM for more and less power use depending on the need automatically. My incubators run apm 0 to 3. usually at 0, 5 or 10 percent My heat tape runs 3-6 depending and anywhere from 30 to 80 percent. So it is very "intelligent".

The power limitation you mention I recently came across running 12" wide heat tape on shelves for breeding insects. In the end I decided to limit my shelves to 16' long so I wouldn't go near the maximum load on the herpstat pro controlling each shelf. I figure if I don't work it so hard it will last longer. I'll need more than 4 shelves so I'll need another controller in the near future though. Which is pricey. It's the first time I've even had the fan kick on for the unit cooling- My incubators don't work them hard at all.

And I forgot but I do sometimes use the night temp drop feature on incubators depending on whats cooking. Very handy for chameleons which I like to do that with.