Can't get hot enough with Hydrofarm Thermostat

[CasualDude]

Hi guys, as the title says: I can't get hot enough with a hydrofarm thermostat.

I thought I'd just describe my set up and see if anyone would have any advice.
First off, this is a trial/mock set up, there are no animals in here. I'll try to be as specific as possible; I've got a 40 gallon glass terrarium with a mesh top with the majority of it covered by a piece plexiglass, I have a Zoo Med reptitherm U.T.H. that I've used aluminum foil/foil tape on the bottom of it to stick to the tank; and I have it hooked up to a hydrofarm thermostat with the probe taped directly onto the U.T.H. with aluminum foil tape. I have an Acurite digital thermometer. The tank is held up on the rubber feet that came with the U.T.H.. There are no box fans or window AC units, the room is cooled by central air to around 73-75 degrees. Unregulated, I have gotten temperatures from the high 90s up to 110 degrees(or greater) directly on the glass above the U.T.H.; with the Hydrofarm set to it's highest temperature(108 degrees) I get 85-86 on the glass, and that is checked with 2 different Acurite probes. On substrate(3-4 sheets of newspaper) the temperatures above the heat pad drop even further to 82-83. I think those are all the applicable details.

Now I'm wondering if anyone can help me troubleshoot this, It seems like I can only get it too hot or too cold. I'm thinking maybe it's the glass tank itself just isn't keeping the heat well; I really have no reason to think the thermostat or the U.T.H. are defective. Now I did use aluminum foil on the U.T.H. so I can move it around. I would like to find a solution for the glass tank, but I also have a 34 quart sterilite tub that I can set up and compare results. So, hopefully someone who has done this a few times has some ideas, suggestions, or advice on creating a suitable ball python environment; I'd be very grateful to hear them.

Thanks

[Eric Alan]

Did you put the foil tape directly on the sensor part of the probe or further up on the wire portion?

[Eric Alan]

My other thought is don't use foil tape at all with the probe - use electrical tape instead. See if that gives better results.

[CasualDude]

Yes it was on the probe, I have moved it down to the wire and am going to let it heat back up and take more temperatures again. I hope it's that simple, thank you.

Edit: switched the aluminum foil tape out for electrical tape. Thank you.

[Eric Alan]

You're welcome. Good luck!

[CORBIN911]

If you can get access to a IR temp gun you'll get a much better n quicker reading. I think it's a staple item in all herp keeping


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[grcforce327]

switched the aluminum foil tape out for electrical tape. Thank you.

Duct tape.

[CasualDude]

So, I went out and got a Ryobi temp gun from home depot, it was like 30 dollars, only temp gun they had. I'm finding that it is comparable to the 2 acurites I have, the gun may show 2 degrees warmer or so; should I assume the gun is more accurate? I moved the probe from the thermostat off the U.T.H. slightly so it's not really hugging down on it like it was before, and I'm getting slightly warmer temps,up from 82-83 on the newspaper to 86-87 or so, I'd like to bring it up to 89-92. I'm thinking I could try taping the probe down to the table directly below the U.T.H. instead of on the U.T.H. itself, this might allow it to get a little bit hotter. I've ran it unregulated some and it seems like the only time i can get it up to 92 degrees, the pad itself is like 120. I had the hydrofarm thermostat tell me it was up to 138 degrees at one point, I think the temperature on the newspaper was about 100, I'm sure the glass under was hotter. Feel like I should include a reminder: tank is empty, no animals inside. I haven't tried getting temperatures in my sterilite tub yet, I'll probably try here in a bit... I have a feeling it's going to be way easier in a tub. Any suggestions, advice, or feedback on my process would be appreciated, thanks.