Zoo Med thermostat500r User Manual

Day/Night Cycle Feature, continued

Note: Make sure that the lower wattage
nighttime heating device has enough
watts so your terrarium does not drop
more than 10°F at night. Use Zoo
Med’s Min/Max Thermometer to
monitor both the day and night
temperatures.

When the timer turns back on in the
morning, the thermostat will then
automatically re-establish the “daytime”
temperature set point.

Lastly, make sure that your lower
wattage nighttime heat source is a non-

illuminating

Infrared Heat Lamp or Under Tank
Heater and not an illuminating type heat
bulb as your animals need natural
darkness at night.

Ceramic Heat Emitter, Repti

WARRANTY

Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc. (Zoo Med)
warrants each ReptiTemp® Thermostat
Temperature Control product to be free
of defects in material and workmanship
under normal use and service for 12

calendar months.

this warranty is limited to the repair or

replacement,

product or any part thereof, when the
product is returned to Zoo Med, freight
prepaid. No claim shall be allowed
under this warranty if, in the opinion of
Zoo Med, the thermostat or part has
been subject to accident or improper
usage, including but not limited to: water
damage, improper storage, accidental
dropping, etc. This warranty is in lieu of
all other warranties and representations,
express or implied. Please include your
receipt, full name, address, and phone
number along with a note explaining
failure when sending any product back
to Zoo Med.

Please allow 2-4 weeks for repair or
replacement.

The obligation under

at Zoo Med’s election, of the

LOOK FOR THESE AND OTHER FINE ZOO MED

PRODUCTS AT A QUALITY PET STORE NEAR YOU!

For a free color catalog of other quality Zoo Med products write to:

Zoo Med Laboratories, Inc.

3100 McMillan Ave
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 USA

Phone: [phone]
e-mail: [e-mail]
Check us out on the web:
www.zoomed.com

®

REPTITEMP

500R

REMOTE SENSOR

THERMOSTAT

INSTALLATION

INSTRUCTIONS

ITEM# RT-500R

Introduction

Thank you for buying a Zoo Med

Reptile Product. Zoo Med is a company

run by hobbyists for hobbyists. We

make quality reptile products used by

zoos, veterinarians and reptile

hobbyists throughout the world. Please

read the following directions carefully

and should you have any questions,

feel free to write, phone or e-mail us at

the address listed below.

Description

ReptiTemp®500R: Remote sensor wire

thermostat which will control a
maximum of 500 watts of reptile
heating devices.

IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS

WHEN USING ELECTRICAL
APPLIANCES, THE FOLLOWING BASIC
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE
FOLLOWED:

1. READ AND FOLLOW ALL

INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY.

2. WARNING — To reduce the risk of
fire and electrical shock:

DO NOT USE THIS CONTROL FOR

ANY COMBINATION OF HEATERS

EXCEEDING 500 WATTS.

3. Wires or cables to the control
should be arranged so that their
weight does not pull on the control.

4. Do not immerse the control in water
for cleaning.

5. Install all heater plugs prior to

plugging control into a wall outlet.

6. Do not allow heavy objects to rest
on the control or heater cords.

7. This control is NOT designed for use

inside the terrarium.

8. This control is NOT designed to
control the temperature of a rock
heater inside the terrarium. (Use
Zoo Med’s ReptiTemp Rheostat
instead.)

8. To reduce the risk of electric shock,
this equipment has a polarized
plug (one blade is wider than the
other). This plug will fit in a polar­ized outlet only one way. If the plug
does not fit fully in the outlet,
reverse the plug. If it still does not
fit, contact a qualified electrician to
install the proper outlet. Do not
change the plug in any way.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING — FIRE OR ELECTRICAL

SHOCK MAY RESULT FROM MISUSE.

MOUNTING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Insert heater plugs into the ReptiTemp

Thermostat’s plug receptacles before
attaching the ReptiTemp®to the glass
side of your terrarium.

2. Mounting thermostat to terrarium:
Peel the release paper from the back
side of the thermostat then press
thermostat firmly against side or rear
glass terrarium panel. Hold
thermostat in position for 1-2
minutes so it will adhere properly.
Note: Your thermostat has a Velcro
attachment which will allow you to
remove the thermostat for adjustment.

3. Plug control cord into an electrical
power source. (Use of an extension
cord is not recommended.)

4. Remote Sensor Probe: Place the end
of the 6 ft. sensor wire inside the
enclosure. Wherever the probe is
placed is where the 500R will be
sensing the temperature.

5. Set the control knob at the middle
setting initially. The thermostat’s
indicator light should be on, with
the power going to the heating
devices. If not, turn the knob
clockwise (higher) slightly past the
point at which the indicator light
comes on. When the light goes off,
this indicates the terrarium
temperature has reached the
thermostat’s “set point.” If you desire
higher or lower temperatures then
simply turn the thermostat control
knob either up or down until the
desired temperature has been
reached and set. Remember: the
indicator light will cycle on and off
to show that the thermostat is
working and is at a “set”
temperature. (Much like the
thermostat adjustment on an
aquarium heater.)

6. When you are satisfied with the
temperature achieved, slip the

®

control safety cover into place so

®

that the long tabs on the inside of
the cover fit into the slots along the
mid side of the controller housing.

7. VERY IMPORTANT: “Wattage versus

overall ambient air temperature.”
When purchasing a reptile heating
device make sure it has the ability
(i.e; wattage) to reach the air
temperature you desire inside your
terrarium. Example: A 150 watt
ceramic heat emitter may be able to
warm a 30-gallon terrarium to 80°F
in a 65-70°F house. However, a 60
watt ceramic heat emitter or spot
bulb on a 30 gallon terrarium might
not be able to reach 80°F in a 65­70° house!

Remember: When controlling

heating devices with the ReptiTemp
Thermostat make sure you have
enough watts of heat to bring your
terrarium up to the desired
temperature level.

®

Applications/Advantages:

®

ReptiTemp

500R

(Remote Sensor Thermostat)

Besides your normal glass terrarium,
the remote sensor wire feature on the
above thermostat is also ideal in the

following applications:

Acrylic Terrariums: The ReptiTemp

works perfectly in all acrylic terrariums

10 gallons or larger.
IguanAriums

The remote sensor wire can be put at

®

and Wire Terrariums:

®

500R

any level of the cage for precise

temperature control.

Very large glass terrariums: 100 gallons

and up whereas the sensor wire will
give precise control in the warm basking

area

thus allowing a normal
temperature gradient in the rest of the
terrarium.

Day/Night Cycle Feature

Many Reptile Thermostats (currently on
the market) have built in day/night
cycle features but cost you $300.00 or
more!! Zoo Med’s ReptiTemp®500R
can simulate a natural day/night
temperature cycle with the simple
addition of an inexpensive timer. Here’s
how it works — say you are heating a
30 gallon terrarium with one 100 watt
ceramic heat emitter and one RH-5
(ReptiTherm®Under Tank Heater). Plug
the higher 100 watt heating device into
the thermostat and plug the UTH
directly into the wall. Next plug the
thermostat into the timer (make sure the
timer is rated for at least 100 watts),
and finally plug the timer into the wall.
Now as per previous instructions
establish your “daytime” temperature
set point (with timer in the “on”
position). Once a stable set point is
established, set the timer so it goes on
at 6:00 A.M. and off at 7:00 P.M.
Since the “daytime” temperature set
point is maintained using both the
ceramic heat emitter and the UTH,
during the “night cycle” the
temperature will drop due to the shut
off of the Ceramic Heat Emitter and
Thermostat by the timer.