Weird Temp issue

Ok, this has me stumped. I set up my Johnson stat on Wednesday, after my rheostat finally gave up (temp was 98 :() and set it to 92 initially. I placed the probe under the heat mat, but haven't taped it in place yet. After waiting for the temps of mat and cage to drop, I watched the thermometer (an accurite)...and it never rose above 85! Ok fine, something weird. I raised the set temp of the stat to 96 (so it wouldn't get dangerously hot) and the meter still won't register any higher than 87! I only have 2 layers of newsprint with a fingernail depth of cypress on top as substrate...there couldn't possibly be a 10 degree difference between the bottom of the heat mat and the inside of her warm side hide!

I got a new accurite just in case the one in there was damaged (possibly by the PAM spraying??) but before I peel off the old meter, is it possible that those temps are accurate?

Hi,

A couple of possibilities to try before giving up;

Some makes of heat mat are more directional than others and heat rises anyway so put ther thermostat probe on top of the heat mat rather than underneath it.

Is your heat mat inside the tank or outside?

Measure the temps at the hottest part the animal can reach first - directly on the inner surface of the viv over the heat source. Try and get this around 95 (ish) then vary the depth of substrate above it till the desired range (90-94) is on the surface of the substrate inside the hide.

How long are you giving the temperatures to adjust after resetting the thermostat?


dr del

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Originally Posted by dr del

Some makes of heat mat are more directional than others and heat rises anyway so put the thermostat probe on top of the heat mat rather than underneath it.

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I wish I could, but the UTH is adhered to the glass. It's outside underneath the tank of course. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dr del

Measure the temps at the hottest part the animal can reach first - directly on the inner surface of the viv over the heat source. Try and get this around 95 (ish) then vary the depth of substrate above it till the desired range (90-94) is on the surface of the substrate inside the hide.
How long are you giving the temperatures to adjust after resetting the thermostat?

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Hmm...I'll give putting the probe on the glass first a try, that's a good idea. I readjusted the stat to 96 on Wednesday night and it's been cycling on and off since then without being touched.
Also, the humidity reading seems a bit odd as well, leading me to believe the problem might be with the meter. Tho the cypress is dry, the reading is at 68%. I'll try your suggestion first, though. I just hope I didn't have to do anything to set up the stat other than plug it in, plug in the mat, place the probe, and reset the set temp.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Argentra

I wish I could, but the UTH is adhered to the glass. It's outside underneath the tank of course. :)



Hmm...I'll give putting the probe on the glass first a try, that's a good idea. I readjusted the stat to 96 on Wednesday night and it's been cycling on and off since then without being touched.
Also, the humidity reading seems a bit odd as well, leading me to believe the problem might be with the meter. Tho the cypress is dry, the reading is at 68%. I'll try your suggestion first, though. I just hope I didn't have to do anything to set up the stat other than plug it in, plug in the mat, place the probe, and reset the set temp.

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A temp gun may be handy to read the actual surface temperature of the glass above the UTH...since the probe on top of the glass will be skewed by air temperature.

www.proexotics.com or www.reptilesbasics.com are great places to find a good temp gun!:D

Hope this helps.

-Jason

If you can't get the thermostat glass between the mat and the glass, can you get it right on top of the glass in the tank???

I've seen people with that set up around here... I know there might be danger with damage etc, but if there was a way you could do that, and possibly cover it with some tightly tied plastic wrap that the ball couldn't get into or moved around you could be okay.

Thanks for the ideas, everyone. I never thought those temps could be real.
I'll see if I can create a pocket for the stat probe between glass and mat without hurting the mat. If not, I'll look into finding a way to make a plastic pocket of sorts inside the tank for the probe.

Nagini won't be happy about having to be out in her holding tub while I mess with her home, but oh well :)

I'm off now to the R.M. expo to find a cute corn! :fest2:

I managed to move my old UTH from my first tank using a plastic spatula and working it back and forth slowly... I never bent the UTH more than enough to get the spatula under there... :)

I have the uth stuck to the glass on the bottom (outside) of the tank. I have the temperature probe sitting on the substrate right in the middle of the hide so my snake lies right on it when he's in it. The probe is anchored a few inches away so it can't be moved very far.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bearhart

I have the uth stuck to the glass on the bottom (outside) of the tank. I have the temperature probe sitting on the substrate right in the middle of the hide so my snake lies right on it when he's in it. The probe is anchored a few inches away so it can't be moved very far.

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the problem with that is it might not be a very accurate reading, cause it would be taking the temp of the snake. if the heat when off and the probe still read 88-89 whatever the snake has his body temp at. so the tstat wouldn't kick on and it would just colder and colder until the snakes body temp actually dropped to the set point.

and another thing if the snake moves around it might knock the probe off the heat mat where its cooler. well the tstat is gonna keep cranking cause its not reached the set point and then you have a cooked snake.

just my spare change.