Another Heating Question

X2

The tstat probe needs to be on the heat cable. They sell thermostats with a probe for pretty cheap at Walmart, just get one of those to monitor the temp in the tubs.

I am also in San Diego and it also sounds like you need a oil filled heater in that room... We're going into fall right now and it's just going to get colder. You need to insulate like stated above and have the space heater going to heat up the room.

The flexwatt in a rack is basically for creating a hot spot only, the oil filled heater will raise the ambient temps in the room and the rest of the tub.

I tried placing the probe on the cable and it got worse. I did some searching and found that Spyder Robotics does not recommend placing the probe on the cable because it heats up/cools down too fast. They suggested that I put the probe inside the tub. I was told two different things and tried them both, A) Place the probe on the bottom of the tub (inside) underneath the paper towel and B) Place the probe on the back wall inside the tub, about an inch above the bottom of the tub.

Both methods does not work too well for me.

This morning, I noticed my thermostat set on 82 and saw that it was pushing 100% power and used my heat gun and found various temp inside the hide, ranging from 91-105 degrees. WTF??? Is it possible that my thermostat is bad? Or maybe my probe is bad?

Then I'm not sure what to say about it. I use helix, herpstat, and ranco with flexwatt and I've never had that problem with so much of a variance. I only have a couple degree variance from bottom tub to top tub. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone having such a variance. Then again, not a lot of people use cable either. I honestly don't know what the issue is if the thermostat isn't keeping a steady temp even when the probe is directly on the heat source. That is very odd.

If you had to set the thermostat to say, 96 (with the probe directly on the cable) in order for the hot spot inside the tub to stay tight around 90, give or take a degree, that would be normal. Your problem is different and I can't figure it out.

I guess the probe could be bad or not plugged in all the way but if you adjust the setting down does the temp drop?

It might be staying wide open because the probe isn't on the cable. the heating element has to get pretty hot to get 82 degrees through the space under your tubs, and the tub itself not to mention substrate, and more air if you have it on the back wall. If it is on the back wall crank it down to like 78 and see if that helps or move the probe.

the probe really needs to be on the wire for a couple reasons.

1: Its reading right at the source. If its in the tub or, even worse, the back of the tub then the heat cable has to heat up way past what it needs to for the heat to penetrate through the tub and up to get to the probe to shut it off.

2: it's a lot less likely to be knocked off or accidentally disconnected if it's stationary.

The temp that the thermostat is reading is irrelevant if the temps are correct according to your temp gun. For example if the thermostat is saying that it's 60 degrees at the probe but it is the perfect temp in the tubs then your set. Just keep playing with it until it's where you want it and then see if the temps hold throughout the day for a couple days.