• Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

  • IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!! About the Google Adsense ads being displayed

    =====================
    Posted 08/15/2025
    =====================


    Yeah, I know. They are a pain in the butt. But they pay the bills to keep my server running. Just a fact of life, I am afraid.

    Want to get rid of them? Simple. Just become a Contributor level member or above and they will be gone. -> Please click HERE."

    Is that too much for me to ask of you to keep this site running? Well, sorry about that. I too wish I could get everything for free. But alas.....

    =====================
    Addendum: 01/10/2026
    =====================


    Google Adsense ad revenue for December, 2025 was just $30 over the cost of the lease for the server running this site. So, in effect, the money providing the incentive for me to continue running this site is coming SOLELY from the paid memberships and sponsorships here. Which honestly ain't much....

Anyone using the Johnson Controls A-419?

Shadera

Shadera

Wayward Python Wet Nurse
Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
3,272
Reaction score
481
Points
0
Location
Charleston, WV
I'm looking for a thermostat that can handle a 1500 watt room heater with some decent temperature accuracy. Anyone have experience with the Johnson Controls model A-419?

Other model recommendations would be appreciated if anyone has them. Need it for a walk-in incubator so accuracy and reliability is key.

Thanks!
 
Yes I have used the Johnson A419, and it works great. I usually keeps my temps within 2 degrees of set temperature. Now I never put the max wattage load on it, the most was around 1200 watts
 
I have some of the Johnson's in use as well. After having two Rancos fail in the same winter, the Johnson's have become my thermostat of choice.

I use an upright freezer as an incubator, and one of those keeps the temps at +/- 1 degree due to the insulation of the fridge.
If your walk in closet is very well insulated, it should keep the temperatures just as stable, and it will be unlikely that you'll actually need the full 1500 watts to maintain temperature.
I've used one to control a room heater in the snake room, an oil filled radiator. The heater has two switches on the front that can be set to low (500 watts), medium (1000 watts), or high (1500 watts). There's also a dial with a 1 to 10 setting.
That room is not very well insulated and actually has a window that needs replacing and leaks cold air into the room. I still only need the medium setting with the dial from 3-4 to maintain the room at a comfortable temperature.
 
I've been using the JC A-419 for some time - including my room heater and various racks, as well as an occasional incubator. A few of them have been in continuous service for nearly 10 yrs; and the only problem I have ever had was when a power strip failed...and that was my fault because I spilled water on it a few times :blush: (Just for the record, I replaced the power strip & that particular unit is still in use today)

Accuracy will depend somewhat on the application - and having realistic expectations helps a lot. (I'm not saying your expectations aren't realistic, I don't even know what they are.) There is more to maintaining consistent temps than having a good thermostat; but if all the other bases are covered, the A419 is a reliable unit that will serve you for many years.
 
I've been using them for about 10 years.

They operate my oil filled electric radiator heaters, ac units, cooling/exhaust fans, and heat tape on racks.

I've had no problems with them.
 
I have several here that did the job when they were in use,I bought them after acouple Ranco units popped.As mentioned they are limited but still decent quality,for accuracy and reliability I now run exclusive HerpStat products for all my power controls.
Good Quality power strips are also a must,I use Tripp Lite Isobar* exclusively.
 
Clay, you especially pretty much described exactly what I'm hoping to do. Very well insulated extra bathroom (8x11'), and I hope to never have to put the heater up on full wattage. Just seems anything but the big boys won't handle the extra watts I might potentially need. Anything that will handle a temp swing of less than a couple degrees either way ought to work just fine, since the eggs will still be in tubs and I'm hoping that a larger rooms temps should take longer to fluctuate. I have a small fan for helping to move air around in there and prevent layering. The snake room seems to be doing well with the extra heater I put in there to get my ambient temps up, so I have similar expectations for the bathroom experiment. Figured I have the extra room now, so why not give it a try?

Thanks for all the input, guys.
 
Back
Top