I need advice on thermostat probe placement

[DeathMetalMax]

I just finished my first rack system about a week ago, but the temperatures of the flexwatt are a bit off, not dangerous, but different than what I set it at. I am using to piece of crap zilla thermostats and will be buying a herpstat 2 next month with the dual probe set up. I just wanted to know what people here have to say about probe placement. Right now I have two zilla themostats, one with a probe on the top shelf on my first strip of 3" wide flexwatt and one with a probe on the bottom shelf on my 2nd strip of 3" wide flex watt. I'm wondering if the temps are off a bitt because I am using two strips of flex watt, or if its due to my probe placement. Any advice on probe placement or on regulating two strips of flex watt would be greatly apreciated. When I get the herpstat 2 I want to set it up right the first time and save my self from all this hassel.

The collection of
Rachelle/shelliebear &
I Max/DeathMetalMax

1.0 Ringer bp <name="Nurgz"/>
1.0 Dark wild type/Dinker bp <name="CleoMantra"/>
0.1 Bright wild type/Dinker bp<name="Madison"/>
1.0 Butter motley corn <name="Schiztz"/>
0.1 Ultramel motley corn <name="Cheesecake"/>

[The Serpent Merchant]

How many shelves is the rack?

Do both strips of Flexwatt heat all of the tubs? or does one heat the bottom tubs, and the second heat the top?

[suzuki4life]

thermostat should be used to regulate temp of tub, not the temp of the flexwatt. Flexwatt should be regulated on its own.

If this is your flexwatt (imagine this over an area of a foot or 100 feet, all the same principle)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but you place the probe in the center
..............................................O................................. ............
The flexwatt can still fail here
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.............XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The probe is only guaranteeing that ONE tiny area of the flexwatt is safe and within set temperature. Once a fire gets ignited, turning off the thermostat will not stop it.

Fire requires oxygen (air in room), fuel( and combustible material eg: tub rack etc) and ignition source (eg: heat or spark).

What happens...unregulated flexwatt absorbs voltage spikes found in common electrical output. Over time, these voltage spikes cause burns to develop in the flexwatt. These burn marks become shorts (areas where a void develops and the current must "jump" over void). These shorts become sparks. These sparks become your ignition source.

Regulate your flexwatt to below 92 degrees with a dimmer switch. Use the thermostat to control the max temp of the tub. (I prefer regulating the cold side)

If you are using the proper amount of flexwatt per sqauare inch of your tub in conjunction to the ambient temp of your room, the flexwatt will turn on and off periodically and not just remain a constant "on" position.

[DavidMundy]

thermostat should be used to regulate temp of tub, not the temp of the flexwatt. Flexwatt should be regulated on its own.

If this is your flexwatt (imagine this over an area of a foot or 100 feet, all the same principle)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but you place the probe in the center
..............................................O................................. ............
The flexwatt can still fail here
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.............XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The probe is only guaranteeing that ONE tiny area of the flexwatt is safe and within set temperature. Once a fire gets ignited, turning off the thermostat will not stop it.

Fire requires oxygen (air in room), fuel( and combustible material eg: tub rack etc) and ignition source (eg: heat or spark).

What happens...unregulated flexwatt absorbs voltage spikes found in common electrical output. Over time, these voltage spikes cause burns to develop in the flexwatt. These burn marks become shorts (areas where a void develops and the current must "jump" over void). These shorts become sparks. These sparks become your ignition source.

Regulate your flexwatt to below 92 degrees with a dimmer switch. Use the thermostat to control the max temp of the tub. (I prefer regulating the cold side)

If you are using the proper amount of flexwatt per sqauare inch of your tub in conjunction to the ambient temp of your room, the flexwatt will turn on and off periodically and not just remain a constant "on" position.

.....Umm what?

[The Serpent Merchant]

thermostat should be used to regulate temp of tub, not the temp of the flexwatt. Flexwatt should be regulated on its own.

If this is your flexwatt (imagine this over an area of a foot or 100 feet, all the same principle)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but you place the probe in the center
..............................................O................................. ............
The flexwatt can still fail here
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.............XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The probe is only guaranteeing that ONE tiny area of the flexwatt is safe and within set temperature. Once a fire gets ignited, turning off the thermostat will not stop it.

Fire requires oxygen (air in room), fuel( and combustible material eg: tub rack etc) and ignition source (eg: heat or spark).

What happens...unregulated flexwatt absorbs voltage spikes found in common electrical output. Over time, these voltage spikes cause burns to develop in the flexwatt. These burn marks become shorts (areas where a void develops and the current must "jump" over void). These shorts become sparks. These sparks become your ignition source.

Regulate your flexwatt to below 92 degrees with a dimmer switch. Use the thermostat to control the max temp of the tub. (I prefer regulating the cold side)

If you are using the proper amount of flexwatt per sqauare inch of your tub in conjunction to the ambient temp of your room, the flexwatt will turn on and off periodically and not just remain a constant "on" position.

Can you back the claim up with something?

[DeathMetalMax]

How many shelves is the rack?

Do both strips of Flexwatt heat all of the tubs? or does one heat the bottom tubs, and the second heat the top?

Both strips heat the entire rack. The rack is 6 shelves high and the two strips of flex watt snake up each shelf. I see you seem a bit skeptical of the post in regards to placing the probes in the tub and I'm new to rack systems, can you explain what you think would be the best way of going about probe placement in my setup. Thanks.

[kitedemon]

Typically with racks probes are placed on the top of or under the flexwatt. There is a huge amount of chance for the probe to be puled free of the flexwatt and this often causes over heating. The probe MUST be secure. The problem with probes in tubs, the tub needs to move and the probe must not move. The probe would also need to return to the same place again a hard task with a moving probe.

[DeathMetalMax]

thermostat should be used to regulate temp of tub, not the temp of the flexwatt. Flexwatt should be regulated on its own.

If this is your flexwatt (imagine this over an area of a foot or 100 feet, all the same principle)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but you place the probe in the center
..............................................O................................. ............
The flexwatt can still fail here
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.............XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The probe is only guaranteeing that ONE tiny area of the flexwatt is safe and within set temperature. Once a fire gets ignited, turning off the thermostat will not stop it.

I can see where your coming from. I've noticed variations in temperature throughout about a foot of flex watt in my setup. The spot with the Probe stays at about 88-90 F and other parts away from it get 95-101. So I've had to set the temp on the thermostat to about 85 F just so the parts of flex watt without the probe wouldn't go above 92 F.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Both strips heat the entire rack. The rack is 6 shelves high and the two strips of flex watt snake up each shelf. I see you seem a bit skeptical of the post in regards to placing the probes in the tub and I'm new to rack systems, can you explain what you think would be the best way of going about probe placement in my setup. Thanks.

ok, what i would do is place both probes on the center shelf. The top and bottom of the rack will always be different temperatures since heat rises. if you have a probe at the top and one at the bottom with flexwatt that goes through all of the levels you will have very inconsistent temps. I would try to get the middle shelf to 90 degrees. this allows the top of the rack to be warmer 92ish, and the bottom to be cooler 88ish while still being in the ideal range of 88-92 degrees.

My issue isn't putting the probe in the tub, that is a viable option. No my issue is the whole dimmer shorting out thing.

[DeathMetalMax]

Thanks for the advice I will give that a try. Thanks for clearing that up.

The collection of
Rachelle/shelliebear &
I Max/DeathMetalMax

1.0 Ringer bp <name="Nurgz"/>
1.0 Dark wild type/Dinker bp <name="CleoMantra"/>
0.1 Bright wild type/Dinker bp<name="Madison"/>
1.0 Butter motley corn <name="Schiztz"/>
0.1 Ultramel motley corn <name="Cheesecake"/>