I need to find a thermostat to control a 120VAC, 60 Watt (thus 1/2 Amp)
resistive load. I want to turn on a heater when the temperature drops
below about 35 degrees F.

Where should I look for a good, not to expensive, thermostat. Any
brand/model suggestions?

Thanks!

Lowes, Home Depot, or other "big box" store. They have wall mounts, or
kind that go on the heater itself. IIRC, the last time I got some,
they were for 220 V, and broke both sides of the line, but obviously,
you could use just one circuit. Also, try a good electrical supply
house. I've found their quality better, and the prices not out-of-
line, all things considered. Since you are doing the work, you can
afford to spend more on parts has always been my opinion.

professorpaul wrote:
Lowes, Home Depot, or other "big box" store. They have wall mounts, or
kind that go on the heater itself. ...

Unlikely any of those will have temp range below about 50F though, 40F
at outside (which might be adequate but higher than OP asked for)...

Seems like last time this question arose there was at least one at Grainger.

Seems I've seen some in the farm supply online catalogs but don't have
one handy here to look at at the moment; all our waterers have builtin
rheostats so haven't looked for external thermostats...

--

On Jul 25, 8:14*am, wrote:
I need to find a thermostat to control a 120VAC, 60 Watt (thus 1/2 Amp)
resistive load. *I want to turn on a heater when the temperature drops
below about 35 degrees F.

Where should I look for a good, not to expensive, thermostat. *Any
brand/model suggestions?

Thanks!

I bought one similar to this
http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies...oductId=280387
for my greenhouse, I put leads on both the heat and cool sides, one to
control a fan in the summer, one to control heat lamps in the winter

On Jul 25, 8:52*am, Eric in North TX wrote:
On Jul 25, 8:14*am, wrote:

I need to find a thermostat to control a 120VAC, 60 Watt (thus 1/2 Amp)
resistive load. *I want to turn on a heater when the temperature drops
below about 35 degrees F.

Where should I look for a good, not to expensive, thermostat. *Any
brand/model suggestions?

Thanks!

I bought one similar to thishttp://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10052&s...
for my greenhouse, I put leads on both the heat and cool sides, one to
control a fan in the summer, one to control heat lamps in the winter

Come to think of it it was this one
http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies...roductId=60389

On Jul 25, 11:23*am, professorpaul wrote:
Lowes, Home Depot, or other "big box" store. They have wall mounts, or
kind that go on the heater itself. IIRC, the last time I got some,
they were for 220 V, and broke both sides of the line, but obviously,
you could use just one circuit. Also, try a good electrical supply
house. I've found their quality better, and the prices not out-of-
line, all things considered. Since you are doing the work, you can
afford to spend more on parts has always been my opinion.

Hi professor.
We have used wall mounted 230 volt AC thermostats for the last 38+
years to control our baseboard heaters and found them very reliable.
Typical maximum load per thermostat circuit is a maximum of around
5000 watts. Can't recall what the maximum 'resistive-non inductive'
load rating is.
I had always thought they were double pole i.e. switching both of the
live 230 volt sides/legs!
But a few years ago one poster mentioned that some so-called DP
thermostats are actually single pole, in regard to temperature control
and the contact in the 'other' side of the line is actually only used
when the wall thermostat is turned to the 'Off' position.
I haven't bothered to test ours for that but when one does turn them
to the off position there does seem to be a small amount of spring or
resistance that may be the 'off' contacts opening.
Just thought I'd mention it, not as a criticism of any posting but
find that one is always learning!
Sounds as though, depending on the kilowatt load, that a regular home
heat thermostat would be OK for the OP?
Cheers.

wrote in message
...
I need to find a thermostat to control a 120VAC, 60 Watt (thus 1/2 Amp)
resistive load. I want to turn on a heater when the temperature drops
below about 35 degrees F.

Where should I look for a good, not to expensive, thermostat. Any
brand/model suggestions?

Thanks!



That is a tough order. What you need is a single pole line voltage heating
thermostat. The problem is that most line voltage heating stats run from
50-80 degrees. You may have to go to a programmable, but I don't think that
they go less than 40 degrees. Here is one such unit from Grainger:
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1UHG4

wrote:
I need to find a thermostat to control a 120VAC, 60 Watt (thus 1/2 Amp)
resistive load. I want to turn on a heater when the temperature drops
below about 35 degrees F.

Where should I look for a good, not to expensive, thermostat. Any
brand/model suggestions?

Thanks!
$22. On at 35, off at 45.
http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/acce...controls.shtml