Stat probe on top of or underneath substrate?

Probably been asked a thousand times, but i can't seem to swing either way with what i read on the internet.

Assume this is the hot side and the mat is inside a wooden viv.

I would be VERY concerned about having the thermostat probe and heat mat inside the enclosure at all. That being said, if you have eliminated the risk of the heat mat causing an electrical fire (spilled water + electricity = bad), I would place the thermostat probe between the mat and the bottom of the enclosure to minimize the risk that the BP moves the probe and the mat becomes unregulated. Neither the thermostat or thermometer probe EVER go on top of the substrate, because then you are not regulating the temp at it's hottest point (direct contact under the substrate).

Do you mean thermostat or thermometer probe?

Being only a novice i'm guessing the only reason wooden vivs are so popular here in the U.K is because of the cold climate and better heat insulation than glass/plastic. Is it better off to heat the wooden viv solely with a ceramic and ditch the heat mat?

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

Do you mean thermostat or thermometer probe?

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Both.

Thermometer probes on top. T-stat probes only under very specific conditions are safe for interior mounting and with out discussing the conditions required to keep them safe I would be unwilling to comment further. PROBES MUST BE SECURE no matter what the set up they simply cannot be easily moved under any circumstances.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

Thermometer probes on top. T-stat probes only under very specific conditions are safe for interior mounting and with out discussing the conditions required to keep them safe I would be unwilling to comment further. PROBES MUST BE SECURE no matter what the set up they simply cannot be easily moved under any circumstances.

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I respect your line of thought with possible danger to the snake but like i said earlier with a wooden viv there isn't an option to put the mat/stat outside. Is the recommended method to heat a wooden viv therefore with a cieling or wall mounted ceramic bulb?

As i am having issues maintaining decent ambient temps in the current vivexotic lx24 with a heat mat i am moving over to a different type of viv when it gets delivered tomorrow if you are reading previous posts. My long term plans are however to go back to the vivexotic wooden stack systems so want to get this right.

As you can see i am 100% committed to getting this right so please excuse any ignorance shown so far.

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Originally Posted by iPHAILZ

I respect your line of thought with possible danger to the snake but like i said earlier with a wooden viv there isn't an option to put the mat/stat outside. Is the recommended method to heat a wooden viv therefore with a cieling or wall mounted ceramic bulb?

As i am having issues maintaining decent ambient temps in the current vivexotic lx24 with a heat mat i am moving over to a different type of viv when it gets delivered tomorrow if you are reading previous posts. My long term plans are however to go back to the vivexotic wooden stack systems so want to get this right.

As you can see i am 100% committed to getting this right so please excuse any ignorance shown so far.

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Have you tried an RHP? It acts similarly to a ceramic bulb, but doesn't reach the same temps to the touch, so it is less dangerous to have inside an enclosure. If you go with the bulb, make sure it is caged somehow so your BP can't come in direct contact.

Here is a link with more about RHPs: http://www.reptilebasics.com/radiant-panel-faq

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Annarose15

Have you tried an RHP? It acts similarly to a ceramic bulb, but doesn't reach the same temps to the touch, so it is less dangerous to have inside an enclosure. If you go with the bulb, make sure it is caged somehow so your BP can't come in direct contact.

Here is a link with more about RHPs: http://www.reptilebasics.com/radiant-panel-faq

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I have seen people on here mention these before but couldn't seem to find any U.K retailers selling them, unless i was looking in the wrong place.

I went ahead and bought an exo terra CHE (40w) but with the fitting and guard is was massive in a 2ft viv so a RHE may be a viable option if i can find one as i'm sure i will be wanting to make use of this empty 2ft viv when it is just sitting there tomorrow.

http://www.reptiles.swelluk.com/rept...tor-26225.html

Interior mounting such as you are speaking of (with the UTH inside the enclosure) a waterproof UTH should be used one designed for this type of use. They are very costly products (http://www.kanemfg.com/) Even then there are other issues that would need to be addressed before attempting such a thing (fail safe, probe securing ect.) If the probe moves with a conventional system it is quite likely to seriously injure or kill the animal. This is not a practice that should be taken lightly or even recommended.

The solution to the UTH IMO is a different bottom wood makes a grand insulator but a very poor conductor so using a different material bottom is far safer and easier PVC (not expanded) makes a very good conductor and ridged bottom material and is far preferable to the installation you are proposing.

typically RHP and UTH do not heat air anyway (radiant heat sources) this is not part of the ambient air temp equations. Heat sources that effect humidity are heating air ones that do not are not. Some have used heat syncs to transfer heat from a RHP to air effectively I personally do not have experience in that. Although if a RHP is making great increases in air temps then I feel it represents a safety issue and at the very least a fail safe would be needed. Some here have recommended caging then in low height installations as well although if that is the case the over all height is infringed on.

For me its a definite no to the mat in the tub, one because it can be dangerous and 2 because its an pain to do.

For the thermostat probe, we used to put the probe in the tub below substrate and simply not stack the tub with substrate but now we've found it works equally as well to put the probe straight on the mat outside the tub. You'll need to alter the thermostat setting though according to the temp IN the tub, not the mat temperature