Help! New Rack overheated.

I'm sorry first all. I go to college mon-Thursday and come home Friday morning to check on my snakes. Well I've been having heating issues (see my last thread) and well checked on them a few minutes ago and the rack was up to 115F I have no idea if it was like that all week or just a few hours. I have a ve-100 thermostat set at 79 which for about a week or two ran it all at 89. Well now a week later it hit those temps. The snakes all seem ok all were off the heat except my normal male, no visible burns ATM.

Help is it the thermostat broken? What do I do in the mean time I unplugged the heat and removed all snakes from the bins until it cools down.

Should I use my hydrofarm thermostat in the mean time? I have two adult males and two babies (1 of which is wont eat). I have no idea what to do :'(

I feel like such a bad owner :(

Oh, it's a 4 slot 31qt boamasters rack with 3" flex watt from reptile basics who installed the plugs and wire on the flex watt.

Sounds to me like maybe your probe is loose. Check your probe placement and make sure it is secure.

The VE should display the probe temperature, so you can compare that to a temp gun reading. What does that show? It could possibly be a failure, but it sounds more like a probe issue to me.

The probe is secure I have a small 15qt tub for the baby who won't eat so the probe is on the third level down secured by shipping tape but the tape isn't on the probe. A tub doesn't come in contact so the probe doesn't slide or move. The probe and temp gun are reading the same give or take 4 degrees.

I have no helpful advice, I just like the fact that you HAVE a hydrofarm thermostat ;)

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Originally Posted by MrBubblyDrink

I have no helpful advice, I just like the fact that you HAVE a hydrofarm thermostat ;)

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A lot of people do. Its the recommended tstat for low cost start up.

I had them when I have two free standing tubs they ran great for me. Kept temperatures constant. I'd honestly give it a higher rating than my ve-100.

Give Rich a call at Reptile Basics. Describe exactly what is happening. He can tell you if it is a thermostat problem. I have somewhere around 10 of the VE's in my reptile room. I had one that would not reset properly during a power outage (one of the earliest models). Rich replaced it promptly. Other than that, I've found the VE's to be very good thermostats. I use the VE100's as back ups on all of my racks.

Is there any way I could set up the hydrofarm as a back up until I get a new thermostat in? How do I go about that?

I also put electrical tape on the end of the flex watt on the good colored sections (I was afraid of a fire or shock) could that be affecting it?

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Originally Posted by Malaika

Is there any way I could set up the hydrofarm as a back up until I get a new thermostat in? How do I go about that?

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I would call Rich. If it is a bad, he will have you send it back for it to be swapped out. While it is in transit, you will have to use your hydrofarm to get you by.

If you want to use the Hydrofarm as a backup, then you would place the Hydrofarm's probe similar to your VE100 probe. Then plug your VE100 into the Hydrofarm (Hydrofarm plugged into the wall). Fiddle with the Hydrofarm until it is a few degrees higher than the VE100. If the VE100 gets too hot, the Hydrofarm will shut it off.