thermostat ?

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?t=117706

well i got the thermostat up and running .. this is how i set it up .. as my uth was already attached to the bottom of the 10gal . i taped the probe on the inside bottom glass in the middle of the pad. i then also taped this probe..http://www.zilla-rules.com/products/...hermometer.htm
next to the hyrofarm stat probe.. i set the temp on the stat at 92. but when the thermostat turns off its showing 92degs as i set it ..BUT the zilla probe is showing atleast 1.5 degs lower ( 90.5) i also have a acurite from wal mart. has proved to show a diffrent temp aswell .(not in use) this digital therm . if i have the probe next to the unit its showing a 3deg difrence..from inside to outside. the hyrdrofarm seems to be working and holding with in 2degs as advertised. time will tell how it holds up.useing light layer of reptibark .cool side got ran 85 most of the day..so inconclusion seems to be running good.. but either the probe on the thermostat is off or the zilla is off .ill keep an close eye on this for sure!.coments on the cool side temp are very welcome.i might add that the warm side hide is placed over the thermostat and therm probes..

Hi,

Unless you are using low tack painters tape or similar you really want to take it oput and replace it with a few drops from a glue gun.

Having the thermostat probe in the tank really isn't the best idea either as the snake will sit on it or pee on it at some point which will throw off the reading and possibly lead to overheating.

How is the UTH attatched to the bottom of the tank?

Could you loosen it enough to get the probe in there?

As to the thermometers it isn't that unusual for there to be small variances - I sometimes calibrate them by putting the two probes side by side and marking the units with the variance. ( +3 degrees or -2 degrees etc, Just pick one you want to use as the refference).

Oh and your cool end it too hot - aim for 80-82f if you can.


dr del

Quote:

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Originally Posted by j_h_smith

The probe is about 1 inch long and less than 1/4" thick. It is cylindical, not ball shaped. The ball shape you may be referring to is the suction cup that can be used to hold the probe in place. I cut the suction cup off and used metallic tape to secure the probe to my heat tape.

I like mine and for less than $30, how can you go wrong for an on/off thermostat?

Jim Smith

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I was just looking at a crummy photo I could not tell what it was. My problem with on/off thermostats is easy to explain. It delivers 100 percent and zero basically it averages the peaks to get the temp you have programmed. I had a 500r (by all appearances the digital one in question is much better) It produced 129 degrees and then off then back up again. If you have a thick bottomed plastic enclosure like a vision that may not be a problem but tubs the internal temps changed almost instantly. Personally I was unwilling to risk hurting my guy and replaced it with a proportional one for an extra 70 bucks it seems like a no brainer. That is my set up you likely have something different and are not seeing the spikes. Based on MY experience I had with it that is why I'd be careful with a on/off style.

OP do you have access to an accurate thermometer? (like a traceable one?) if you don't there is a cheap and very accurate one (Hallcrest products digitemp tank and tray thermometer, I tested 2 cases and found 100% read the exact same and accurate to a traceable thermometer for 3 bucks) that you can use to find out which temp is the correct one often when a thermometer is off it is off the same all the time just stick a note on that one and do the math.
hope that helps.
Alex

I used the blue painters tape on both probes.. also thee pad its self is a exo terra.desert peel and stick . i guess i could try to peel it up and add the the probe under it. but what i was thinking here was get the temp where the snake will be cloesest too .but im def open to switching it around .ill also get that cool side temp down .thanks for everyones advice..

The good thing about this thermostat is 108 degrees (max temp) isn't enought to do a lot of damage quickly like some other thermostats. Your thermostat reaching 129 degrees can get dangerous quickly. But this has always been an issue with on/off thermostats. I guess it's something you either like or don't like. But I guess it's also a compromise. Buy a Helix for $140 or this thermostat for $30.

Jim Smith

Most digital thermometers that I have found locally (accurite, ect) are +- 2 degrees. This also includes most infrared temp guns. So if the temp is actually 90.0 one thermometer can read 88.0 and another 92.0 and they are both still considered accurate. I bought ten different models as a test once and only three of them were within a degree of each other. The sensors we use in the Herpstats are rated +- .9 degrees. So for the same scenario our sensors could show from 89.1 to 90.9. I did alot of shopping around before I picked the sensors for our units and I couldn't find a better digital sensor. Being digital they are all factory calibrated internally by a program. Our thermostats just ask the temp and the tiny sensor sends the data stream. Its pretty slick. So in most cases the Herpstat reading will be the closest true temp. Alot of things affect that readout that you have to take under consideration. A infrared temp gun takes a surface temp reading. This won't be the same as a probe. A probe will be touching heat to one side while the other side is open to the air so there is an affect. Also sometimes I get an email from someone who has them taped down with aluminum tape. The tape dissipates the heat and (just like a heatsink on a computer) can "sink" the heat or also cool the probe due to more surface area to the ambient air and causing a cooling affect on the probe. I usually recommend packing tape for mounting the probes. Just a couple of thoughts on probes and temp. :D

Dion Brewington
Owner, Spyder Robotics