Heat tape is just not getting that warm.

How is a ambient temp of 76.5 degrees?


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Originally Posted by Billy29

How is a ambient temp of 76.5 degrees?


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The ambient temp has nothing to do with the heat tape. The heat tape is a hot spot only. The ambient temp would have to be much lower then 70 before the heat tape couldn't get to temp. 11" heat tape with 32 qt tubs? That would cover half the bottom. I asked earlier what is the heat tape watt and what is the temp on the heat tape. You have to have a heat gun to setup thermostats. A heat gun as far as I am concerned should be the first thing purchased before you even get a snake.

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Originally Posted by bondo

The ambient temp has nothing to do with the heat tape. The heat tape is a hot spot only. The ambient temp would have to be much lower then 70 before the heat tape couldn't get to temp. 11" heat tape with 32 qt tubs? That would cover half the bottom. I asked earlier what is the heat tape watt and what is the temp on the heat tape. You have to have a heat gun to setup thermostats. A heat gun as far as I am concerned should be the first thing purchased before you even get a snake.

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Exactly. This is what I was saying in my previous post. You might actually have sufficient temps on the hot spot. An ambient temp in the mid 70s is fine. Either there is a connection error on the tape, or you need to replace the tape. Even in a cold room heat tape should be able to generate a significantly high hot spot. Get the temp gun before anything else.

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Originally Posted by Billy29

Can you get these at Lowes or Home Depot?

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Yes. If you search their web sites look for "infrared thermometer".

I have several different models, mainly because there's one in every room that has a rack or stack, plus another for the QT room. Doing comparisons I did find the cheapest one offered at Lowes ( http://www.lowes.com/pd_73790-56005-...ed+thermometer ) reads 4*F lower than all of the others. It can be recalibrated, I found directions online, but for now I just account for the inaccuracy.

When I looked at heat guns at home depot it had specs showing temp deviations +/- 5 deg. I think the Pro exotics temp gun I have is +/- 1 or 2 deg. Still any temp gun will get you much better info than a prob thermometer.

Just want to clear things up. I do not have one snake in this rack as they are all hanging out comfortably in terrariums hooked up to thermostats getting the proper care.

I'm going to Lowes right now to pick up a temp gun.




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Ok here is the verdict with the infrared temperature gun.
I made one tub have a single strip of 3" flexwatt tape. The other tub has two strips of 3" flexwatt tape.

Heat tape measures 95 degrees

Single strip tub
Hot side = 85 degrees
Cool side = 76 degrees

Double strip tub
Hot side = 88 degrees
Cool side = 78 degrees


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Billy29

Ok here is the verdict with the infrared temperature gun.
I made one tub have a single strip of 3" flexwatt tape. The other tub has two strips of 3" flexwatt tape.

Heat tape measures 95 degrees

Single strip tub
Hot side = 85 degrees
Cool side = 76 degrees

Double strip tub
Hot side = 88 degrees
Cool side = 78 degrees


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Are the temps directly on the tub surface?

On the paper towel, should I measure the tub itself?


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On the double strip tub the tub surface measures

Hot side = 94
Cool side = 77

Single strip tub measures

Hot side = 93
Cool side =77


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