Rack temperatures help!

[brobertson]

Okay, so I was pretty sure that my rack was doing perfect on temps, but even though I now have a herpstat, I am still,experiencing some issues. The probe is on the middle level of the rack, on the heat tape. The middle and bottom tubs are occupied, and the top empty. I assumed that my temperatures were fine, the snakes were thriving, and I temp-gunned the top of the substrate(paper towels) at 90. However, just the other day, I pulled up the hide and temp gunned under the towels, and it hit as high as 97-98 in a spot or two, usually 95 or so. Worried, I checked the bare upper tub, thinking that it would be hotter because it is higher up, and it was only 88 on the hotspot. I decided to do a little test in the top tub. I used the same paper towel layout as the other tubs, then put a hide over them and came back Ina few hours. When I checked on top of the towels, it was about 92. Under them, 95 on average, with a few spots as high as 99. Lastly, I checked the bottom tub, and on top of the towels was 87-89, under, a high of 95. What course of action would you reccomend?

[kitedemon]

Check the probe is plugged in and that it is in the right space for the rack outlet. I would also make sure the probe has not pulled free it sounds like it could be loose. Have you used aluminum tape to secure the probe? This can drop the probe response some as it is effected by ambient air temps. Have you checked the herpstats temp settings just to double check? Do you have a failsafe or have you set the low end temp to power off? What are the ambient air temps.

Racks often have variation middle top and bottom and flexwatt varies 5% typically spot to spot (5% at 100º is 5ºF) I like to run a max power test before any animals are around to a find out how bad a failure will be (how critical a failsafe is) and to find the hottest hot spot. It is also possible you have a cool area and just happened to place the probe there. Racks are always a compromise about getting the approximate temps they often vary some not as much as you have described but some.

[3skulls]

What's the temps on the cool side?

[brobertson]

Check the probe is plugged in and that it is in the right space for the rack outlet. I would also make sure the probe has not pulled free it sounds like it could be loose. Have you used aluminum tape to secure the probe? This can drop the probe response some as it is effected by ambient air temps. Have you checked the herpstats temp settings just to double check? Do you have a failsafe or have you set the low end temp to power off? What are the ambient air temps.

Racks often have variation middle top and bottom and flexwatt varies 5% typically spot to spot (5% at 100º is 5ºF) I like to run a max power test before any animals are around to a find out how bad a failure will be (how critical a failsafe is) and to find the hottest hot spot. It is also possible you have a cool area and just happened to place the probe there. Racks are always a compromise about getting the approximate temps they often vary some not as much as you have described but some.

Yes, my probe is secured with aluminum tape, what other method would you recommend? The ambient air is a bit cool in the room, usually about 72-75, never lower than 70. The rack's cool side hovers about 74 when I wake up in the morning, and goes up to 76-80 during the day. Yes, my fail safe is the herpstat, it has high and low temp alarms and will automatically shut off if it gets too hot.

[kitedemon]

I would use electrical tape as it suggests in the instructions. 72 is too cool I would suggest you heat the room to a stable temp perhaps 78-80 range. The al. tape may cause the probe to to be infulanced by the air temp and cool off reading below actual temps.

I use this method I place al. tape on the heating element (about a 2 inch long and 1.25 wide) (it helps transfer heat to the probe and even off the variations in the flexwatt) in the middle of the centre rack slot flexwatt. I place the probe on the centre of the al. tape and use electrical tape to cover the probe and al. tape. My method it works for me.

Some herpstats (not all) have a mechanical relay that have the ability to set a low temp and high temp turn off points. If the probe is pulled loose of the heat and dangles free the herpstat with this feature enabled will not continue to try to heat the rack but power down and start beeping a warning. If this is not enabled the unit will record too low temps and max out the heater in an attempt to heat the probe to correct temps again (when the probe is pulled off the heat this will never happen) this can cause a 'run away' heat and the temps will sky rocket. A failsafe is a second T-stat usually probed on the top (hottest) slot and it will measure the elevated temps and kill the power to the primary t-stat. In practice the same thing as the mechanical relay will do. (only the HS1 and better have this and then it needs to be set up in options)

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[digizure]

Try removing the aluminum tape that's used to secure your probe. Herpstat advised against it.