• Posted 12/19/2024.
    =====================

    I am still waiting on my developer to finish up on the Classifieds Control Panel so I can use it to encourage members into becoming paying members. Google Adsense has become a real burden on the viewing of this site, but honestly it is the ONLY source of income now that keeps it afloat. I tried offering disabling the ads being viewed by paying members, but apparently that is not enough incentive. Quite frankly, Google Adsense has dropped down to where it barely brings in enough daily to match even a single paid member per day. But it still gets the bills paid. But at what cost?

    So even without the classifieds control panel being complete, I believe I am going to have to disable those Google ads completely and likely disable some options here that have been free since going to the new platform. Like classified ad bumping, member name changes, and anything else I can use to encourage this site to be supported by the members instead of the Google Adsense ads.

    But there is risk involved. I will not pay out of pocket for very long during this last ditch experimental effort. If I find that the membership does not want to support this site with memberships, then I cannot support your being able to post your classified ads here for free. No, I am not intending to start charging for your posting ads here. I will just shut the site down and that will be it. I will be done with FaunaClassifieds. I certainly don't need this, and can live the rest of my life just fine without it. If I see that no one else really wants it to survive neither, then so be it. It goes away and you all can just go elsewhere to advertise your animals and merchandise.

    Not sure when this will take place, and I don't intend to give any further warning concerning the disabling of the Google Adsense. Just as there probably won't be any warning if I decide to close down this site. You will just come here and there will be some sort of message that the site is gone, and you have a nice day.

    I have been trying to make a go of this site for a very long time. And quite frankly, I am just tired of trying. I had hoped that enough people would be willing to help me help you all have a free outlet to offer your stuff for sale. But every year I see less and less people coming to this site, much less supporting it financially. That is fine. I tried. I retired the SerpenCo business about 14 years ago, so retiring out of this business completely is not that big if a step for me, nor will it be especially painful to do. When I was in Thailand, I did not check in here for three weeks. I didn't miss it even a little bit. So if you all want it to remain, it will be in your hands. I really don't care either way.

    =====================
    Some people have indicated that finding the method to contribute is rather difficult. And I have to admit, that it is not all that obvious. So to help, here is a thread to help as a quide. How to become a contributing member of FaunaClassifieds.

    And for the record, I will be shutting down the Google Adsense ads on January 1, 2025.
  • 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.

Helix Tstats

v2rherp

v2rherp

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i'd like to hear from helix owners please. if any of you have/had any problems with helix stats. i've heard alot of rumors about them not working or working correctly? i have these on my racks and incubator and have not had any problems. i see alot of posts with people using helix, i'd like a show hands. how many poeple have helix and how many people are having problems with them? :IThankYou

inquiring minds want to know :look:


vaughn
 
I have used a Helix and was happy with the results for a long time until the temps started creeping. I'd reset the system and it would go back to normal but a week later i would notice the temps slowly creeping up again. I sent the Helix back and recieved a new one which seems to be working perfectly. Right now I just can't decide which reading is right, the helix, the ESU theremometer , or the flukers theremomter!
 
I've owned several Helix Thermostats (DBS1000), with mixed results. Right now I have one working and one sitting in a box from a electronic malfunction, both have needed fuse replacements (i.e. I found them no longer functioning) in situations that seemed random. I know many people love them; they were one of the first proportionals to by widely deployed for reptiles and have a good system for larger facility integration. But they are fallible – perhaps more than some would admit, less than others are suggesting.

So when it was time for me to choose new thermostats for 2 incubators, Helix wasn’t my choice because they didn’t do all that I wanted and from my experiences with them, I’d always wonder if it was working. So went looking for something to fill the following:
• Made from modern technology
• Easy to setup/use
• Has audible Hi/Lo temp alarms (an incubator must)
• Outage memory and report

I had examined a couple of choices, but I ended up with a Herpstat II by Spyder Robotics (from MG Reptiles). It an amazing piece of technology that has the ability to adjust the proportional power curve (another great feature for incubators) and control lighting. It’s been running both incubators for months now with no temperature fluctuations or problems of any kind – I’m very happy with my choice.

*During this same period - I’ve had 2 Big Apple thermostats – both working 24/7 for years now. They are fine, just a bit too basic for what’s available now for the cost.

Those are just my experiances - others will differ.
 
I have the regular Herpstat that I bought from Matt at MG Reptiles running on one of my racks and it works flawlessly.

Helix has a bit of a quality control problem but the Herpstats are definitely worth looking into if you want a new thermostat.
 
We have had several customers complain about the helix stats and have opted for another "brand" before ever calling us. Companies and products change sometimes for the better and sometimes for the, well yo uget the point.. I stopped carrying the Helix stats about 7 months ago becasue of customers complaining they were not holding steady temps and also of having a hassle when something with the unit arises.. If I am going to carry a product the manufacture has to be behind there product 100% not saying that Helix does not have good customer service it is just not what I thought was right for my customers if they had a problem!
 
I bought a Helix and all I got was a very EXPENSIVE thermometer. It could tell me that it was cooking my animals very well. The shut-off function (you know, the thing that makes it an actual "thermostat") was completely non-functional. In a bind, I bought a Herpstat and I couldn't be happier...it's been running for 6 months with no more than 1/2 degree variance. Now THAT's what I expect out of a thermostat that cost $100 +.
 
Hmm, I might've been lucky. I bought 3 units of Helix thermostat about 3 months ago, and all seem to be working very well (still). There is a 3 degrees temperature fluctuation though.
 
gothra said:
Hmm, I might've been lucky. I bought 3 units of Helix thermostat about 3 months ago, and all seem to be working very well (still). There is a 3 degrees temperature fluctuation though.
Click to expand...

3 degrees on a proportional thermostat is not working well..lol.. I would expect temps like that from a Zoomed thermostat..
 
wow, out of the thousands of helixs' sold and the thousands more in use everyday, i would of thought that hundreds would be replying saying how they had problems! :rolleyes: doesn't sound like a major problem to me considering the amount sold and in use! i myself had a failure with a herpstat, but dion at spyder robotics was very professional and repaired/returned it
promptly. interesting responces.



vaughn
 
V2Slerp said:
wow, out of the thousands of helixs' sold and the thousands more in use everyday, i would of thought that hundreds would be replying saying how they had problems! :rolleyes: doesn't sound like a major problem to me considering the amount sold and in use! i myself had a failure with a herpstat, but dion at spyder robotics was very professional and repaired/returned it
promptly. interesting responces.

Spawn
Click to expand...

Just give it time more will come.. I made a ton of cash selling the helix stats and make less selling the herpstats.. I just think it is better to sell someone a working and relicable unit as opposed to the customer haveing trouble and not being satisified. Just curious but are you on the Helix payroll now? If you are you need to tell the 1000 kids in singapore building these things to double and triple check their work...
 
what is v2rslerp? matt? that is very childish

it is v2rherp... i was really looking for expierence from users not jobbers trying to bad mouth products they don't sell and promote the ones they do sell.


vaughn
 
I'm using over a dozen Helix DBS1000 units, and also have a few of the BigApple units. To date I have never had a failure or temperatures that wouldn't hold consistently on any of the units on either type of thermostat here.

I'm using Helix on my homemade incubator and successfully hatching gtp eggs two years in a row now, on all my adult and sub adult cages. I'm also using the Helix on my baby rack which houses about 30 neonates and young babies under a year currently.

The only connection I have to the Helix company is that I also purchased a neonate python from the company owner a few months ago. Haven't spoken to him since but sure enjoy the snake and the thermostats so far!!
 
v2rherp said:
i was really looking for expierence from users not jobbers trying to bad mouth products they don't sell and promote the ones they do sell.
vaughn
Click to expand...

Your right I dont know anything about the thermostat market..lol I dont sell the Helix's anymore because they are not up to par. Why not offer the public a better unit for less money with better customer service.. Sure. there are lots of people that use the Helix units and are perfectly happy with them, thats great and I honestly hope they perform well for them. I hope helix can pull their act together and get the stats to their origional goodness but until my customer base tells me they are having terrific results with them I will continue to let people know there are better options... It just amazes me to see people get so tore up over a thermostat "brand"..lol..
 
I don't post much, but I too have had problems with Helix products. I now have 3 sitting in my closet that do not work accurately. The codes displayed make absolutely no sense when compared to the manual?? I have tried to call the phone # in reptiles Mag. and it is a fax machine #. I have changed the fuses in one, and one of the others will not work at all even with a new fuse. I still have 3 in use, but am constantly checking with temp guns to be sure I don't cook anything. Hope this helps.
Jasin
 
I say use what works for you. If Helix have been good to you, stay with them. If you like BAH's, well then thats great. I have a couple Herpstats and love them. Reliable and the customer service from Dion is second to none. I'm not on anybody's payroll (unfortunately!). In all honesty, I have never used a Helix so I can't comment on their reliability or customer service. I know a lot of breeders use them succesfully!

Good luck all!
J
 
I have sold hundreds of Helix DBS1000 units and have had ZERO complaints. I also have a couple of Herpstats and they work fine also.
Just curious but are you on the Helix payroll now? If you are you need to tell the 1000 kids in singapore building these things to double and triple check their work...
Click to expand...
So the Helix are made in Singapore now?
 
I have two racks connected to a Herpstat Proportional, and two more controlled by a Helix DBS-1000. The Herpstat maintains a very tight temp range; the Helix does not.

I woke up this morning to find one of the Helix controlled racks cooking, and the other one hardly warm. The thermostat reading was 74*. The ambient temps in my apartment have been the same for weeks (or longer) and the thermostat has read between 83* and 87* until this morning. What the heck caused this drop? The probe is in the cold rack, so the Helix displayed that it was applying max output to the heat cables, but it seemed to really be only applying max power to the hot rack. I messed with the probe, and put it back in, and it stabilized at 82*. So I set the system to 81*. I had to go to work, but now I'm worried. I'll probably try to leave work early to check on things.

So I'm done with Helix. I just ordered another Herpstat, and it can't get here soon enough.
 
I would say the cold rack became unplugged, or lost electricity for some reason. The Helix read the cold one and turned on full blast. I can think of no other way for the helix to heat one and not the other if they are both plugged into the same elec. cord. I would check your connections, and make sure they cannot become unplugged. Good luck.
 
There may also be a short in the wiring in the cold rack, I would check all the electrical connections in both racks, could be a loose wire.
 
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