Whats up with my heat tape?

[pavlovk1025]

Ok I built a rack, stabilized 3 out of 5 habitats so far...now my issue. I have my thermostat probe sitting on the FW on the middle shelf, set at 96 to make it about 94 inside the tubs. First, 4/5 would be at 96 with the bottom FW reading 108. I put all the tubs in the rack, this stabilized the temps, but now the top and bottom FW are reading 84.4 while the 3 middle shelves are 96. What's going on?

[rocky88]

the top and bottom shelves only have heat coming from either the top or bottom. And the middle tubs have heat coming from both. What is the ambient temp in your room, what size heat tape/tubs do you use, do you have any pics of your setup? Picture will help the most

[pavlovk1025]

Ambient in my room is 79. Tubs are sterilite's 34qt/32L and Im using FW 11" running in parallel hooked up to a Herpstat.

[shadraak]

did u use clips or solder, if clips i'd suggest soldering, sometimes clips dont get a very good connection, i have that problem with mine where it'll get warm and cool spots etc...

[2kdime]

Id double check all your connections at the Flexwatt.

Flexwatt is also made with an ink based heating element. The manufacturer allows a 5% variance if not more between pieces if I remember correctly.

So that COULD be where part of your problem is.

[pavlovk1025]

I soldered the connections. I figured it out, appreciate all the help. What I did was increase the temp on the thermostat to 108 and now all my hot spots inside the tubs under the substrate read 94. Does anyone else have to set their Herpstat that high just to achieve those temps? I know that it happens but is that abnormal to set at 108 for a 94?

[Kevin_Hornby]

If you are measuring off the tape I think so. It takes a lot of heat to warm up the ambient temp inside those tubs.

[BeastMaster]

FWIW, that is a really nice looking rack setup you've got there

Did you do a pictorial in the Caging or DIY Forums, and What did it cost you to make?

[pavlovk1025]

I didnt do a complete pictorial, but I have a parts list in the DIY forum. About 200 bucks, but 109 of that is the Herpstat.

[Rbenda]

I have almost the exact same setup with a herpstat II. My ambient room temp is around 79 and my thermostat needs to be set at 106 -108 to keep a 94 hot spot.