Thermostat help

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Originally Posted by JohnNJ

It looks like the back of the rack is open like the front. I had the same problem with a DIY rack that was open because I keep my house cool is winter.

Place a wired probe in one of the tubs and keep the main unit on top of the rack so you can easily read the inside temp. Cover the front and back with bath towels.

The towels keep the heat inside and the thermostat doesn't have to work so hard. I have nine snakes in a rack that's covered and they're all fine and the temps are maintained well.

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I'm sorry, but the back is not open at all, there is only a hole in the top left corner for the flexwatt cords and for the thermostat probe to enter. Other than that the back is covered...

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Originally Posted by cdavidson9

Just curious, after hanging the towels (which I think is a great idea)... do you ever lack ambient lighting for the animals? Or do they get enough day light through the sides of the tubs?

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They don't need any light but I'm sure the white towels I use do not block 100% of the daylight or lamps. I remove the front towel to check on them daily plus feeding and play times.

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Originally Posted by LGray23

I'm sorry, but the back is not open at all, there is only a hole in the top left corner for the flexwatt cords and for the thermostat probe to enter. Other than that the back is covered...

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Then just cover the front.

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Originally Posted by JohnNJ

Then just cover the front.

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I will try that, thank you :)

I here what you say about the tubs not touching the flexwatt. I have the same issue and have to crank mine up to maintain 87-88. The way the sterilite tubs are made only the ridge around the edge touches. I live dwon south and during the day temps are higher in the house cause we both work and AC is set higher. But when bedtime comes AC gets cranked down and temps in tubs drop off. So I have just come to a happy medium and let it ride. I love my babies but they are tougher than most people believe

I don't believe there is a 'right' answer for any heat issue, just different answers. Each keeper needs to over come the individual set up issues that they encounter. I also have a cool room, 68 is high and I often see 63 in the winter. Racks are very space efficient but are really really poor when it come to heat.

My solution may or may not work but it worked for me. I run cool side heaters on my rack, rigged up the 17 inch flexwatt on the cool side controlled by a herpstat it is set as you might expect to 82ºF and delivers 80 inside the tubs. The next thing was to add a piece of rigid foam insulation to the top and bottom of the rack to help a bit. I then (being a spaz with such things) stopped using the top and bottom tubs as they ran quite different from the others. I then wired the bottom with a 11 flexwatt strip the runs front to back (no animals in the bottom) and covered the front of that compartment so the heat holds and rises inside the rack. (it is on an on off t-stat set to 100º as it is just an air heater)

Since I have perfect temps but the effort to get there was quite silly really 3 t-stats for a 5 (3 as the top and bottom are useless) rack is a bit excessive I know. I have a very draughty place and heating up the whole room just isn't practical. The simple solution is if you want the rack just heat the room to the cool end temps. If that isn't possible well so other way needs to be found. Mine is a bit over the top but then again I have a 450 dollar thermometer as I just could not tolerate the error of cheap ones.

Good Luck maybe this might spark an idea.
Alex

Some good ideas here. Im gonna give the towel idea a shot for now especially at night when we cool the house down...

The power matching curves (h1, h2 etc) only come into play if the temp is getting within one degree of the set temperature and you just want to bump the power up to make it the last few tenths to get even closer. If the temp on the display is less than one degree from you actual setting then its feeding full power to the heat device (same as plugging the heat device straight into the wall). So if the temp never reaches within a degree then its not the thermostat its the ambient temp / power of the heating device.

For people who put the probes directly on the heat tape you will always have to experiment with higher temperatures to get the right temp in the tubs. If you want to take the easy route put the thermostat probe in the tub, set your tub temp, and let the thermostat do the work for you. Just use clear packaging tape to secure the probe in the tub closest to the heat source. Never use aluminum tape to secure a temperature probe or you will get false readings.

Hope that helps. :D

Dion Brewington
Owner, Spyder Robotics

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Originally Posted by spyderrobotics

If you want to take the easy route put the thermostat probe in the tub, set your tub temp, and let the thermostat do the work for you. Just use clear packaging tape to secure the probe in the tub closest to the heat source.
Dion Brewington
Owner, Spyder Robotics

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if you have ever seen a snake wrapped up in tape you would never suggest tape inside an enclosure. im guessing you havent. i have and its not a pretty site.

if you want to put the probe inside the tub you can drill small holes in the tub over the area where the heat source is and use a zip tie or a twist tie. use tape on the under side of the enclosure to keep spilled water or urine from leaking out of the holes.

oh, and correct me if i am wrong but whether you put the probe inside the enclosure or directly on the heat tape really shouldnt matter. the tape/heat source will have to emitt the same amount of heat to get the proper temps inside the enclosure. only the "set temp" will be different. it will have to be set higher if the probe is directly on the tape and set lower if inside the enclosure. but either way the heat will be the same depending on your animals specific requirements.