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Heat issues....

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  • 05-09-2011, 07:24 PM
    Keyboard Warrior
    Heat issues....
    I'm seriously beginning to lose it. I'm devoting more time to this snake than anything.

    I bought a zilla temperature controller 1000 watt. Seemed to kinda work with my other heating pad, but the heating pad didn't get hot enough. So I got a zoo med heating pad. Plugged it in, and it isn't maintaining consistent temperatures at all. I put it on 90, and the heating pad goes to 110 degrees. I lower it to the point that, that red light goes off which is before 90, and it lowers it to 85. I don't know what to do, and I'm getting extremely frustrated...
  • 05-09-2011, 07:40 PM
    Skittles1101
    Spend the extra money and get a proportional thermostat, it's really the best way to maintain consistent temps...the on/off ones won't do as well if your room temp fluctuates a lot.
  • 05-09-2011, 07:52 PM
    RichsBallPythons
    Re: Heat issues....
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Keyboard Warrior View Post
    I'm seriously beginning to lose it. I'm devoting more time to this snake than anything.

    I bought a zilla temperature controller 1000 watt. Seemed to kinda work with my other heating pad, but the heating pad didn't get hot enough. So I got a zoo med heating pad. Plugged it in, and it isn't maintaining consistent temperatures at all. I put it on 90, and the heating pad goes to 110 degrees. I lower it to the point that, that red light goes off which is before 90, and it lowers it to 85. I don't know what to do, and I'm getting extremely frustrated...

    Thermostats are only programmed to control the same heating source. You cant put 2 different brands/sizes on same thermostat and expect it to control them both properly.
  • 05-09-2011, 09:10 PM
    blushingball419
    Re: Heat issues....
    I would also definitely recommend getting a different thermostat. If you have the money, a proportional thermostat is awesome, but if not, I would suggest the Hydrofarm one that you can find on amazon for only around $27. It's still an on/off, but I use it and my temps only fluctuate a degree or two, definitely not anything like what you're experiencing now.
  • 05-09-2011, 09:11 PM
    Keyboard Warrior
    So it only works with Zilla heat mats? I have never heard that before, and that sounds highly unreasonable, the thing cost $50. It seemed to work fine with my exo terra mats, except it couldn't get it hot enough which I read is a problem with the exo terra mats.
  • 05-10-2011, 10:58 AM
    blushingball419
    Re: Heat issues....
    I think what he might have meant is that you can't have 2 different heat pads plugged into one thermostat at the same time... I could be wrong though. But no, every thermostat will work with every brand of heat mat, the only thing is that, as you've already found, every heat mat is different as far as quality and heat output.

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Keyboard Warrior
    the thing cost $50.

    Wow, what an overpriced piece of crap :no: On amazon they're only $30, and even that's too much if it works as poorly as you say. The Hydrofarm one is much better, plus it has a digital readout, and of course a proportional one is the best. Is there any way you can get your money back?
  • 05-10-2011, 04:35 PM
    Keyboard Warrior
    Yeah, I bought it in store. It seemed to work fine, now its gone haywire....Right now I'm using the dimmer and thats kept a really consistent temperature. But thats just a temporary solution...I'd really like to get the zilla temperature controller working again....any ideas??
  • 05-10-2011, 04:42 PM
    Annarose15
    Re: Heat issues....
    I've used that same thermostat on up to two heat mats at the same time, with no problems. Are you adjusting the thermostat setting based on an independent thermometer (or heat gun)? I did find that the temp reading on the thermostat dial itself will not match the true hot spot temp, so I just sync it to a separate thermometer probe (or gun). Another point that has been mentioned is that the on/off stats don't do well in a room with highly fluctuating temps. My room temps only vary 3-4 degrees.
  • 05-10-2011, 11:34 PM
    Keyboard Warrior
    Re: Heat issues....
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Annarose15 View Post
    I've used that same thermostat on up to two heat mats at the same time, with no problems. Are you adjusting the thermostat setting based on an independent thermometer (or heat gun)? I did find that the temp reading on the thermostat dial itself will not match the true hot spot temp, so I just sync it to a separate thermometer probe (or gun). Another point that has been mentioned is that the on/off stats don't do well in a room with highly fluctuating temps. My room temps only vary 3-4 degrees.

    I think people are thinking I'm using 2 heating pads with it, I'm not, I'm using only one. Yeah, I've been using a temp gun. I leave it on its lowest setting to where the red light goes on...it automatically heats it up to 110, and sometimes it shuts it off, other times it lets it go to 117, which its not supposed to.
  • 05-10-2011, 11:38 PM
    RichsBallPythons
    time for new thermostat as the probe may be faulty
  • 05-11-2011, 12:01 AM
    kitedemon
    Sometimes the problem is a few small issues that compound each other. The accuracy of the probe (I have not looked at the specs of the zilla but Johnson, Ranco and hydrofarm are +/-2ºF) That in itself isn't a huge issue but then it will alter from the set point some degrees. The better on/off ones are usually 1º but the cheaper zilla maybe more I again do not have specs for it. Again that isn't too big a problem. The last is how quickly the probe and controller responds to the temp is it altered ever second or every min or every 5 mins? Typically on/off styles do not change faster than one min increments.

    What all that means is a if you have a poor insulating container (plastic tub for example) the temp changes inside very quickly. The probe may not be correct (set to 90 it may actually be 92 and still be passed by the manufacturer) then it might have a one degree throw so make that a high of 93, and a slow to change probe/electronics and the enclosure has no thermal mass so it changes rapidly, you can add 3 or 4 degrees more to over shooting the mark... so a high of 96-7. That is a good case if the variation off the set point is 3 degrees or 5 degrees you can easily see 100 + then a drop to mid 80S than back up again.

    The old pads sounded like they were underpowered and that means the controller ran them more on than off so that did not allow for a swing at all it never hit the set point.

    Possible solutions change the heat pad so it is on something that will take a min or two to heat up and cool off to help take the edge of the top and bottom of the swing. leave a small air space under the enclosure (to do the same) Replace the T-stat with something more reliable (in a cool room with unstable room temps a proportional style works better.) Heat the room to a constant 80º that will cause the probe to trigger off faster. There are likely other options but these are what I can think might work. To my mind the solution is a better T-stat, proportional one, the rest are band-aid fixes. The only other real solution is to change the enclosure to one that has more mass but that can create other issues depending on what you went with.
  • 05-11-2011, 02:38 AM
    Keyboard Warrior
    Thank you kitedemon for that post. Anyways, I think I kinda figured out the problem. It was just bad probe placement on my part. I readjusted it in the tank, and so it appears the thermometer is going to where exactly I put it. But it shuts off and gets too low.

    I set the dial to 93, cause it will heat it up to 100, which is where I need it to get to 90. The glass only gets to 95, so no fear of burn. So when it shuts off at around 100, it dips down to 93, like on the dial, perfectly. Problem is, that drops the ground temp. for my snake from 90, to 80. If I set the dial higher, it goes past 100, and I dont want it that high. Is there any way to keep the shut off time lower, or is there always going to be that 10 degree discrepancy. I mean, the $12 dimmer was doing a better job, and constantly kept it at 100....ideas?
  • 05-11-2011, 06:33 AM
    kitedemon
    Can you use the rheostat to control the max output and and use the t-stat at the same time to adjust for smaller changes? I have never tried that but it might work. I hate experimenting with the snake still in the enclosure but I guess there is no help for it.
  • 05-11-2011, 11:33 PM
    Keyboard Warrior
    Yeah, I've been waiting till its nightime to experiment, because he's out and about, and not on the uth.

    I'm just going to stick with the dimmer. It has kept a really consistent temperature, mind you it will have to be monitored. But there are no real wild temperature changes in my room, that can't be compensated with fiddling with the dimmer.
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