I have littered my question in my other threads but they were going no where and bits and pieces of my question here and there, so I am sorry but I start a new thread to ask this question and consolidate it into one.

While I was testing my new rack, I put newspaper (which is the substrate I will use) into the tubs, and then TAPED the thermoMETER probe onto the newspaper. PLEASE don't say tape it to the heat tape, because it is NOT the thermoSTAT probe (THAT'S on the heat tape), it is the THERMOMETER probe, inside the tub. There are NO snakes in there so the tape can not hurt anyone, I was just testing the rack.

So I taped the probe down to secure it, and I got the rack temperatures just right, with each tub around 89F showing on the thermoMETER, and the thermoSTAT set to 93.

Now, since tape isn't good in a tub with snakes, I took the tape out, and placed the thermoMETER probes in the same places. WOW the temperatures measured dropped! The thermoMETER probes are slighly oval shape, sensitive part in the front, so since they are not taped down now, some face up, some face down with the tip touching on the substrate. Regardless, the thermoMETERS now show much lower temperatures, ranging from 82F (where the probe is pointed up slightly about 1mm away from the newspaper), and 86F (where the tip is touching the newspaper).

I have now set the thermoSTAT to 99F in order to get the temperature (where the tip is touching newspaper) back up to 89F! The ones pointed up (not touching substrate) are still at 85F.

YES I do have a temp gun, and I am trying to check them as well, but I practially have to pull the tub all the way out to check as these are relatively shallow and deep tubs (4 inches tall). Besides, I want to set the thermometers up right anyway.

So,

1) Should the oval shaped thermoMETER (NOT THERMOSTAT) probes, which are inside the tubs, be put so that the tip of the probe is touching the substrate, or such that it is, because of the shape of it, and the wire, be raised slightly off the substrate, like 1 mm?

2) Why is it that the probes in exactly the same positions, even with the ones touching, have SO MUCH greater temperatures when there is tape? It is just normal cello-tape, and I am not covering the whole probe and trapping heat either, just a piece to tack it down.

3) When I taped the thermoMETER probes down inside the tubs, it only took the thermoSTAT to be set at 93F to get the temps inside to 89F. But without the tape down, I need to set the thermoSTAT to 99F to get the temps up to 89F, and that's just for the ones where the thermoMETER probes' tips are touching the newspaper. I usually read people don't need to set their thermoSTATS that high.