temp gun and digital thermometer??

sorry for the millions of questions and posts with redundancy. I just want to make sure i take care of my bp the best i can. I posted pics in a different post about heating, but i figured i'd create a separate one that was just about this particular question

does it matter what kind of temp gun i get? i'm kinda short on funds at the moment and if i can get away with a cheaper one i would prefer it. i had never even heard of one before now so i'm guessing this is what people are talking about? correct me if i am wrong. i noticed they look completely different at tempgun.com so i'm not sure if this is the same thing.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

also, here is the digital thermometer (again on the cheap side) that i was looking at and wanted to know your thoughts.
http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/image...6ebc7110.L.jpg

are these ok? are there trusted brand names anyone prefers?

I suggest these
http://cgi.ebay.com/Pro-Exotics-PE-1...item1e64df4d50

http://www.amazon.com/Chaney-Instrum...0089683&sr=8-1

The thermometer should be indoor/outdoor, not just indoor, that way it reads both side temps and humidity :)

Temp guns are for the most part very similar. The things that differ are the DS ratio (the size of the measurement area at a given distance it also relates to the optimal measurement distance) and the accuracy.

ratios and optimal measurement distances

1:1 = 4"
6:1 = 24"
8:1 = 32"
12:1 = 48"
20:1 = 80"
50:1 = 200"

I personally like 1:1 I have no problem reaching into an enclosure and taking close range temps. People with aggressive snakes might choose something that has a longer optimal range.

Accuracy is almost always either +/- 1ºC (1.8ºF) or +/- 2ºC (3.6ºF) I would not buy a gun that was rated to +/- 2ºC.

Thermometers come in three flavours, inconvenient, expensive, and inaccurate. sarcastic yup a little.

Inconvenient would be a whole range of glass analogue ones. They are accurate and reasonably priced but are simply not useable for the most part with snakes.

expensive, there are very accurate (+/- 0.5ºF or better) easy to use digital thermometers out there. They are not off the shelf items and are not going to be cheap. I basically mean the type used in research labs. They are generally start at 100$ and go up from there. Hard to justify.

Inaccurate, this is most used in the hobby. They are basically the same resistive sensor in them all. The errors are about +/- 2ºF, the accurite pictured is one of these. My advise is easy pick out the cheapest one you can find. (I found some on ebay for 2$ each with shipping in) buy at least 3 and 5 would be better. Place them all in the same location let them stabilize and only use the ones that are basically the same.

Hygrometers are also an issue the errors of digital ones are quite wide. Good ones cost too much and CANNOT get dirty at all> (wet bulb types) Ones designed for cigar humidors seem to be quite good and both digital and analogue are calibrateble. The test for them is easy it is a salt test (google hygrometer salt test) The analogue ones are cheaper and the adjustment is a recessed screw over a knob on the front (my snake kept exploring and adjusting the digital one I had)

Probed hygrometers are great they just go out of calibration really easily and often become inconsistent, correct one moment then off the next. The combo ones that have a probe again the cheapest possible as they are not great for accuracy.

The upshot is it makes little to no difference, buy 3 or more and check them against each other and use the ones that are the closest to each other.

i am going to go with the acu-rite indoor/outdoor. i'm going to go pick it up from lowe's first thing in the morning. where is the best placement for it in the enclosure? i see it comes with a probe too. does that need to go over the uth?

one probe in the hot one in the cool hides and one for the ambient enclosure temp .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

one probe in the hot one in the cool hides and one for the ambient enclosure temp .

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i believe it only comes with one probe. do you know of one with more? i have the probe from the thermostat for the uth under the substrate right above the uth already.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jarobin

i believe it only comes with one probe. do you know of one with more? i have the probe from the thermostat for the uth under the substrate right above the uth already.

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In the DIY section, you can find a thread on how to rewire it to have 2 ext probes. also lowes had a temp gun on sale for like $9, a member posted it last week I believe

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Originally Posted by llovelace

In the DIY section, you can find a thread on how to rewire it to have 2 ext probes. also lowes had a temp gun on sale for like $9, a member posted it last week I believe

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thanks i will check out that thread. the temp gun at lowes is $40 now. i was so disappointed when i looked it up. I just bought one off e-bay for $20. it's the same one sold on tempgun.com

actually would this be better? or would i still need to modify it
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...6L._SS500_.jpg

I just looked at the descript of the zilla, it doesn't say if they are temp probes, I think one is for humudity, the other for temp. I like it though, may get 1 myself :).

The zilla are not temp probes one is temp one humidity. The accurite uses resistive sensors both for temps and humidity changing the resistance to the probe by adding a wire will alter the readings it produces and potentially by quite a lot.

Here is a link to a cheap probed thermometer. typically humidity is less than 10% higher in hides so a single ambient hygrometer is all you usually need and if it is kept around 50-60% there should be no problems.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/New-Digital-LCD-T...item415167348c

http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digita.../dp/B0007VWEQA

I don't think anyone has mention the Tempgun series yet but I freaking LOVE my PE2.
http://tempgun.com/products/pe2/

6:1 D:S ratio
Laser guided
Reasonably priced at $35

If you are looking for a dependable tempgun for a fair price I definitely recommend the PE2.

I have a PE-2 and usually use that but I bought a few of these temp guns (in the link) also and they measure pretty much the same as my PE-2. I grab one of them if they are closer or I put my PE-2 some where that I forgot at the moment. I have a lot of temp guns around my house in case I misplace one and for ease of using - lol. They are one of my favorite things and VERY important IMO for a keeper have!!! They are $15 at harbor freight but go on sale a lot and Harbor Freight always has coupons: http://www.harborfreight.com/non-con...ter-93983.html

i'm not exactly handy when it comes to modifying electronics. i'd probably just break the thing. would it maybe be ok to just use the zilla with 1 probe to put under the hide on the warm side (over the uth under the substrate) and use the other probe for humidity? Either that or get the accu-rite since it does indoor/outdoor temp plus humidity and then just use the temp gun for ambient and cool hide temps, etc? and just use it frequently? i was planning to use it on my f/t mice too to make sure they are thawed and at the right temperature. (i bought the PE1)

right now my analogs are making me worried about the ambient temp and i want to get more accurate readings. do i just put the digital part of the device on the glass where the analogs are inside the enclosure? the package for the uth and thermostat said to put it on the high side (90-95) for ball pythons, but the analog thermometer keeps reading at 70/75. the substrate is warm though.

again sorry for the millions of questions, im such a newbie and i fell in love with my bp the moment i brought him home. i feel like a new mom that just brought her baby home and wants to overdo all the protection and make him safe and secure and happy all the time lol.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jarobin

i'm not exactly handy when it comes to modifying electronics. i'd probably just break the thing. would it maybe be ok to just use the zilla with 1 probe to put under the hide on the warm side (over the uth under the substrate) and use the other probe for humidity Yes. Once you get the PE. 1 you will be good to shoot your surface temps on your cool side, warm side and the substrate!? Either that or get the accu-rite since it does indoor/outdoor temp plus humidity and then just use the temp gun for ambient and cool hide temps, etc Thats fine too. I rely mainly off the temp gun for surface temps for everything and the digital thermos I use more for ambient temps and a rough estimate of humidity.? and just use it frequently I check surface temps frequently but if you have a good thermostat generally they are always around the same temps. ? i was planning to use it on my f/t mice too to make sure they are thawed and at the right temperature. (i bought the PE1)

right now my analogs are making me worried about the ambient temp and i want to get more accurate readings. do i just put the digital part of the device on the glass where the analogs are inside the enclosure Yes. because that will give you your ambient air readings inside your tank. If you put it on the outside you are really just getting the outside of the tanks ambient air temps and that does not help you to know what the inside of your tanks air temps are.? the package for the uth and thermostat said to put it on the high side (90-95) for ball pythons, but the analog thermometer keeps reading at 70/75. Once you get your PE 1 you will know exactly what your temps are!!!! Some times you might need to set your themostat at like 100 just to get your suface temps where they need to be (the 100 was a random number). Go off of your PE 1 and not what your setting your temps at on your thermostat. the substrate is warm though. Without the temp gun there is no way to really know exactly how warm though sadly.

again sorry for the millions of questions, im such a newbie and i fell in love with my bp the moment i brought him home. i feel like a new mom that just brought her baby home and wants to overdo all the protection and make him safe and secure and happy all the time lol. Ask as many questions as you need!!! That is what we are here for. You can always feel free to PM me too if you are not getting the answers you need to your questions in your posts.

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