HELP - Opinion on thermostater use with RA

[rrodriguess]

hi there!!!

I searched the web and havent found anything about it, so I decided to ask the RA family for insights.

I have bought a 300w Enhein thermocontrol to my 800 liters tank (210 gal aprox.). Its a great thermostater, no doubt on that.

Regarding energy efficincy, I would like your opinion based on expertise on: Whats is the best use of the thermostater? Setting it on a fixed temperature (and letting it control itself) or setting a fixed range and letting RA control it?

For example: My aquarium is a amazon biotope, and the temperature is suppose to be around 27 C (80,6 F). My external temperature (inside home) is 24,5 C (76,1 F) and outside is 20 C (68 F)

I can set the thermostater at 27,3 C (81,1 F) and let it control itself, turning on and off all the time OR set a range at RA, from 27 C to 27,5 C (80,6 F to 81,5 F). This way RA will turn it on at 27 C and keep it on untill reachs 27,6, and then turn it off. The second one is what I am trying right now.

Again, regarding energy efficiency, what is the best? And yes.. each dime counts since I live in a thirdy world country and have to pay my ass off for my eletrical bill (and no.. no chance moving out of here.... yet)

Below is the temperature chart. Dont mind the trough around 10 am. Its my automatic water change which I am still regulating not to impact this much.

temp sump.JPG (43.63 KiB) Viewed 4945 times

Thank you all for the help

[lnevo]

I feel like standard heaters have a pretty broad range of temperature. When you set one of them to 80, you might get 79-81. Between my heater, my fan and my RA, I'm able to keep a very tight range on my temp.

http://www.easte.net/mrtg/temp-day.png

Max Average Current
T1 81.1 degrees 80.4 degrees 80.4 degrees
T2 80.6 degrees 79.9 degrees 79.8 degrees

[rrodriguess]

Tks Inevo

One more reason to use RA and not the heater alone.

Rafa

[icecool2]

The sensitivity varies by heater manufacturer and even from heater to heater. I set my heater 1F above what I want it to be and use the RA to cycle it on and off. I've found the RA is reliable to about 0.5F, much under that and you get chatter on the heater relay.