Temperature issue

My thermostat for my BP's is set at 89 degrees Fahrenheit but when I checked the heatmat with my new infrared heat gun it showed around 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit and I'm confused why this is happening?? Any help is appreciated

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Originally Posted by BrandonPythons

My thermostat for my BP's is set at 89 degrees Fahrenheit but when I checked the heatmat with my new infrared heat gun it showed around 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit and I'm confused why this is happening?? Any help is appreciated

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If the probe is sandwiched between the heat mat and the bottom of the enclosure you will typically always have to set the thermostat higher than the temperature you are looking for. How much higher depends on the placement of the heat mat, the material used for the enclosure, and the type of thermostat. What kind of thermostat and enclosure are you using, and how is the probe/heat mat set up?

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The temperature you set your t-stat on is often not the temperature your warm side will be at which is why you have to adjust until the hot spot is adequate.

Now of course this means you need to have a reliable t-stat and the probe placement must be right as well, if not that is where you start.

Kinda goes without saying, but you have to temp gun the surface when the thermostat is on, and ideally, right before it clicks off to see what the max temps are. When my UTH turns off the hot spot will drop down to 80-84 degrees before it pops back on.

You also have to be careful for inconsistent UTH's. You can get hot spots so if the probe is on a hot spot it may results in lower temps.

With that much of a difference between what your thermostat is set for and your surface temperatures, I'd want to know:

1) What is the temperature of the glass above the UTH?

2) How thick is the substrate on top of the UTH?

3) What are your ambient temps in the enclosure?

4) Where is your thermostat probe placed? (Hopefully sandwiched between the UTH and the bottom of the enclosure - if this is the case, have you checked to make sure the probe hasn't come out on accident? I've had that happen a few times. Sometimes it seemed like no matter how much I wedged them under the UTH, they eventually found their way out. This is why I seal the edges with foil tape.)

5) What kind of thermostat are you using?

Most cheaper thermostats are the on/off variety (ie, Jumpstart). I have several Jumpstarts, but you need to know that there's a temperature differential of approximately 2 degrees in either direction. So if you set your thermostat for 89, theoretically it will turn on when temps drop to 87 and turn off when it gets to 91. But depending on other factors (substrate depth, ambient temps, probe placement, etc.), you might not actually achieve those temperatures on the surface, which is why you usually have to fiddle with the thermostat to achieve desired temps.

I use a PVC enclosure . My thermostat is a a Herpstat and I use heat tape under my enclosure. My probe is inside the tank, screwed down with a clamp keeping it from ever moving. My herp stat matches my heat gun plus or minus 1 degree F. I use cypress mulch throughout my enclosure about an inch and a half thick but under the hot hide i use reptile carpet. I just cut a small square the size of the enclosure which is easy to switch out for a new piece and allows the heat to penetrate the hot side.

Hope this helps