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Ranco Problems

Who has had problems with Rancos?

  • I have had a failure

    Votes: 8 18.6%

  • I personally know someone that had a failure

    Votes: 3 7.0%

  • I have had no failures

    Votes: 23 53.5%

  • I know of no failures

    Votes: 9 20.9%
  • Total voters
    43
DThomas

DThomas

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The reason for this poll is that I have been informed by a customer of mine that they had two Ranco's fail. This resulted in a significant loss of animals for this person. I have seen posts on the internet before from people complaining of Ranco failures. However, this is the first time I have had a customer notify me of one in 3 1/2 years. The one's I am currently using are still going strong.

I would like to know of anyone that has first hand knowledge of a Ranco failure. Either you had one fail or you know of someone that did. If so, please make a post giving further details of the failure. From what I have read, the most common form of failure is the temp probe. This in turn causes the unit to run at full power and never shut off.

The Ranco temp probe is hard wired in and is not user re-placeable. Additionally, it can not be programmed to shut off if the probe fails. On the other hand, the Johnson Temp probe is easily replaced and can be programmed to shut off if the temp probe fails.

If there seems to be a pattern of problems with the Rancos failing and killing animals, I can not in good concious continue to offer them. I will sell the Johnsons only. I do not want to sell a product that can have the potential of killing some one's animals.

So in a nut shell, this poll is to try to guage the extent of the problem with the Rancos.
 
I have had 2 out of 5 fail this last yr. When they should "kick on", E2 appears in the window. This is "memory failure" accoring to the inside of the unit. I just put them aside untill I figure out if it is worth shipping them back to Ranco.
 
I haven't had a failure but I did have an error issue for 2 weeks. I kept getting E5 on my screen if I dropped my temps . I played with the unit a bit and it finally got some act right going but I'm sure I'll change everything over to Johnsons just because its a more user friendly unit as far as probe replacement , emergency shut off etc.
 
I have not had a problem with any of the Ranco units. I have 5 running at all times.

I have had problems with the, shall we say, less than expensive power strips that I wire to the Ranco. I have just decided why go cheap when the animals are in questions so use nice power strips rather than the cheapest ones out there.
 
Casey Hulse said:
I have had 2 out of 5 fail this last yr. When they should "kick on", E2 appears in the window. This is "memory failure" accoring to the inside of the unit. I just put them aside untill I figure out if it is worth shipping them back to Ranco.
Click to expand...
I can get them replaced for you through my supplier if you wish. Would only cost you shipping.
 
Hey Dennis, the only problem I have had with one of mine was that after about three years it just needed re-wired. I cant remember the error code that kept popping up, but I decided to take the offending unit apart and look around the inside. I noticed that a screw holding down one of the wires was allowing for a little wiggle room so it was losing contact. I unwired it, broke out my can of compressed air, gave it a healthy spray, re-wired it and it has ran problem free for about a year now.

I own two others that I have had just as long and have never had a problem of any kind with either.
 
I have had one Ranco running for 4 to 5 year without problems, it's the only Ranco I use routinely.

Now that you've got me worried I might retire it.
 
I can get them replaced for you through my supplier if you wish. Would only cost you shipping.
Click to expand...
Thanx Dennis, I have a suspicion what may have caused the problem, they were both on the breaker that I run my welding units on, and they cause some flux in current when they are running, I can tell because the lights dim.
 
I am not sure a power flux would cause the issue. Most thermostats like ranco can handle power lose or near brown out conditions with little effect. I have only had one ranco tstat fail on me but it was on a commercial heating application not on a rack. I prefer the Johnson Controls but the ranco has done its job for me so far. I do have mine set up with a dual stat application one stat killing power to the other in case of failure. Its possible casey you just got a bad batch of stats. My only complaint with The ranco so far is the tempeture probe is not as accurate as it should be. Testing the temps against my Johnson controls and my tempseeker probes have shown tempetures off by 3 degrees....
 
I had to change my vote. Today was the first time I had to replace a Ranco. No matter what I did all I could get out of it was E2 on the screen. I pulled it and swapped in a Johnson that I had on hand.
 
Even though this poll doesn't seem to reflect it, I am still hearing stories of Ranco failures. On the other hand, I have not heard one single story of a Johnson failing. My original ones from over three years ago are still going strong.

As such,I have removed the Rancos from my site and I won't be selling them anymore. It's not worth the risk to other's collections.
 
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Serafim said:
I am not sure a power flux would cause the issue. Most thermostats like ranco can handle power lose or near brown out conditions with little effect. I have only had one ranco tstat fail on me but it was on a commercial heating application not on a rack. I prefer the Johnson Controls but the ranco has done its job for me so far. I do have mine set up with a dual stat application one stat killing power to the other in case of failure. Its possible casey you just got a bad batch of stats. My only complaint with The ranco so far is the tempeture probe is not as accurate as it should be. Testing the temps against my Johnson controls and my tempseeker probes have shown tempetures off by 3 degrees....
Click to expand...


I have finally experienced a thermostat failure on my Ranco. The stat failed and allowed my rack to overheat. Lucky thing I istalled a highlimit None of my snakes were harmed Thank God but the only way I would use a ranco now is if it were free....
 
Rancos/Johnsons

I have sold quite a few of both this past year, as well as Helix DBS's. Something that I have long felt through personal experience has been proven out by my experiences. ANY thermostat can and will, sooner or later, fail.

Rancos: I have had 2 DOA (never worked right out of the box), 4 returned and 3 report problems out of a 750 (+/-) sample group this season. A little over 1%. I absolutely agree that the non-replaceable probe and lack of a "failsafe" in the software are drawbacks. Would be nice to see these added.

Johnson controls: 5 DOA (1 didn't work at all, 4 had wire/screw holddown problems with the terminal blocks) and 3 returns due to relay malfuntions (all 3 had a lot of "bounce" and would flutter several times when switching periodically. This is out of a sample group of about 560 units +/- or about a 1.5% failure rate.

Helix: Haven't added up my total sales on these yet this year but it is right around 300 units: 2 DOA's and 3 reported issues that DID NOT pan out to be probe abuse. While an accurate percentage can't be calculated until I add up the total sold it is right around 1.6% or so.

Had a few power strip issues (6 or so) that had no relationship to thermostat function.

Ofcourse, I have no way of estimating failures/problems that were not reported to me.

ALL thermostats of any make should be regularly checked out for proper function. There is no substitute for paying attention or for utilizing backup thermostats. I do practice what I preach, learned the hard way several years ago. Won't get fooled again.
Just my observations
 
Just to beat "Murphy" in case something happens could someone post the link for the Johnson's controllers?

Thanks
 
I will see if I can find a link. I use the johnson controls and rancos at work so I pick them up at the local hvac supply house.. Im not sure who sells them on line..
 
My Ranco was a double unit- because as said ANY unit can fail. When my primary failed (in the on position BTW) the secondary unit kicked in and saved a huge number of my collection from being fried. I can't tell you what a relief it was that after years of flawless performance, (when the unit did go out), the safety of having that second unit payed for itself a million times over. I'd NEVER use an on/off unit without it being configured as a double unit - PERIOD.

BTW- Thanks Dennis, for my new double gang Johnson- it's up in the place where my old Ranco was and working like a charm.

The spare T-stats I had put up when the Ranco failed can now be set aside again for my eggs (they are all proportional units). I prefer on/offs for my main racks & the proportionals for my incubators.
 
Deb,

Could you explain a little more how you connected both in-line? That's what I want to do in my reptile room also with the Johnson's I just purchased from Dennis.

Thanks

Dan
 
The BoidSmith said:
Deb,

Could you explain a little more how you connected both in-line? That's what I want to do in my reptile room also with the Johnson's I just purchased from Dennis.

Thanks

Dan
Click to expand...

Hi Dan,
I actually had Dennis prewire mine & my Double Ranco was pre-wired from Boaphile. Dennis could probably explain it better. But here is a link to view what a wired double unit Ranco looks like (scroll to the double unit):
http://www.boaphileplastics.com/thermostat.html

How it works is both units have a probe extending from them. You place the two probes in EXACTLY the same spot & you program your primary unit to heat. Your secondary unit is set at 2-3 degrees higher than the primary so if your primary gets stuck in the "on" position (continuing to heat) the secondary unit acts as a fail-safe; when the temp hits that 2-3 higher off-set, it will shut the set-up down.

PS BTW- those looking for Johnsons... DThomas here sells them unwired & wired.
Hope this helps- Deb
 
The BoidSmith said:
Deb,

Could you explain a little more how you connected both in-line? That's what I want to do in my reptile room also with the Johnson's I just purchased from Dennis.

Thanks

Dan
Click to expand...
If you do not want one wired up together like in the link Deb posted, it's a simple matter. Set your primary unit at the temperature you want. Plug the heat source into it. Take the power cord from your primary unit and plug it into the back up unit's power strip/receptacle. Set the back up unit 2-3 degrees higher than the primary unit. Plug in the secondary unit and place both temp probes in the same position and you should be all set.

If you want to wire up a couple like in the link, I can set up some instructions for you. It might take me a couple of days due to work schedule, but I can get them made for you. It's not difficult to wire them.
 
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