Hydrofarm T-Stat Issue

Tape on a snake is horrible, skin injurys all the way up to potentially blinding a snake. They're good at finding ways to get even to most solidly stuck-down tape up too.

The specs for hydrofarm state +/- 2ºC so if it is working as it is designed it can be 4ºF from correct either up or down. They also from the set point have 'swing' it will kick on at 3º below the temp set and off at 1º above the set point. (could be as much as 7º below where you expect or 5º above) This is if it is 100% working exactly as it was designed. I have tested a handful 7 now I think 3 'new and improved' and 4 older ones all were high the worst was more than 4ºF.

The real killer of this is the probe. The big metal heavy probe, it has a lot of mass it hold heat and is slow to cool. It can be very slow to adjust and while it is taking its time adjusting the power is on to the heater causing a spike. The reverse is true for cooling. This is made worse by cooler rooms temps and thin enclosures (like a tub alone in a room 68ºF or so). The tub heats up and cools faster than the probe does causing greater spikes. I suspect you are seeing a combination of these.

Accurites are not accurate in my experience either. The specs say +/-2ºF (some are 3ºF+/-) it took three units before one was inside 2ºF. The problem is what is accurate? I believe hydrofarms need to be joined with an accurate thermometer of some sort. The easy answer is not cheap, a scientific traceable thermometer of 0.5º +/- accuracy. They are usually well over 100$ often in the 600-1000$ range. The next best thing is well bluntly a proportional thermostat designed for reptiles the ones on the market have accuracy of +/-1ºF or less they are actually very accurate thermometers for the price. The third option is the law of averages. Companies attempt to make accurate thermometers, due to the nature of how they work there are a huge number of very minute things can cause them to be incorrect (bad joint, dirt, poor quality wire... on and on) The solution if you have multiple thermometers placed all together the ones that are higher than average or lower should not be trusted. I buy very cheap esu ones some ebay searching will usually turn up them for 1-3$ each with shipping. I usually but 10-20 units. This gives me extras and some junk ones this is the cost of 1-3 accurites. The added bonus no batteries in the enclosure. I toss them when the readings seem off and replace it with new. (or if the cord is damaged in anyway or if it gets pulled or peed on or dirty.)

I actually believe probes in enclosures are fine IF the t-stat is protected against over or UNDER temps by either a second fail safe or internal circuitry. the probe also MUST not move. I use hot melt to secure the probe and all the probe wiring. It is very secure nothing standing up no way to get under it and firmly fixed in place (hot melt must be cool and well set when the snake is returned don't hot melt glue your snake.) The internal placement provides more accurate temps especially in rooms that have variable ambient air temps.

Again with an interior mounting the suggestion is for a new T-stat personally there is only one option the herpstat 1+ they have internal circuits that when enabled will shut down power if the temp suddenly drops or spikes. When a fail safe Tstat is added it is such low odds of both failing at the same time is very low (major event excluded). I personally feel that interior mounting needs a herpstat or at least a primary and fail safe.

*Sigh*

Sounds like I might as well buy a Herpstat 4 like I'd planned.

Duct tape is out of the tank. Thanks for letting me know. It's hard to believe snakes can pull up duct tape.

yes actually they can and have. tape stuck on a snake is a huge problem

Be careful even sticking a temperature or humidity gauge on the inside of the enclosure (the kind that stick to the walls). My snake crawled on one once and ended up wearing his humidity gauge as an accessory. -_- Wasn't fun getting that off.

Good luck with your difficulties. I can feel you with the thermometer being off by so many degrees, as I've been having that problem a lot as well.

Sooooo not happy now, since I have a Hydrofarm T-stat already paid for and in transit. . . . .