Herpstat 1 odd?

So when I first got my Herpstat 1 set up and running on the dimming proportional mode it would go around 50% to maintain the temperature I set then 0% if it exceeded it and that was fine for a few days. It would change based on the current temperature of the probe like it's supposed to do. Now I looked at it today and it is only going between 90-100% then to 0% after it hits the number as if it were running on/off. The second it goes under the temperature I set it is immediately at 90-100% instead of trying to match the temperature to the power like it previously did. I checked the settings and nothing has changed. The probe is attached directly to the 4 inch heat tape with aluminum tape. I also did a quick search online and didn't find anything useful. This doesn't seem normal since it didn't start off doing this. Is there something wrong with my Herpstat 1?

Contact Spyder Robotics and ask Dion. He answers questions very quickly.

Probes should not be attached with al. tape.

From your manual...
Do not use aluminum tape on the probe tip. This can cause false readings and poor regulation.

Herpstats will often sit at 0% mine often will run (I have 19) )% 20% 60% 80% then back to zero. The more it sits at zero the more efficient the set up is. The more time it sits at high % the less efficient it is.

Dion is fab his service is better than anyone else.

What do you use to hold your probes on? Aluminum tape was just what I had seen other people use before and made sense as I would think that it would take in more of the heat from the heat tape and not from the air temp.

I will use aluminum tape on the wire directly behind the probe when mounting it to a uth. The weight of the cages then keep the probe in contact with the uth.

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Originally Posted by AdamL8

What do you use to hold your probes on? Aluminum tape was just what I had seen other people use before and made sense as I would think that it would take in more of the heat from the heat tape and not from the air temp.

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It conducts and traps heat when over the probe. Thus your Tstat will read higher and regulate the enclosure at a lower rate.

I've always used regular scotch on the probe cord. Just tape the cord closest to the probe. You can even tape down the very tip of the probe as well. Just don't cover it.

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I wish I had taken a picture of mine to show you. I secured my probe by taping down the wire and folding a piece of paper a couple times over and putting the paper over the probe and taping down the sides of the paper. That way it holds the probe tightly to the heat tape and allows ventilation around it so as not to give false readings or trap heat and cut off heat before reaching the right temp.

So the only thing that I had found when I searched this issue online had somebody say to do a master reset on the Herpstat but that didn't solve the problem for that person. I did it anyways and at least for the time being it is working correctly going between 40% and 0% when it hits the temperature. I haven't changed the tape yet but I will do that regardless of whether the problem comes back or not. I'll be keeping a close eye on this though because now I'm curious as to why it only got to that point over time but a quick reset was able to fix it instantly even though I changed all the settings back right after the reset.

It's right back to doing it so I'll change the tape right now and see what happens with it.

Edit: I'll change the tape after the BP on that row finishes eating because she is not a good eater.

Changing the tape out so that the probe is just pinned down but with the middle section completely open seems to have fixed it for the past few hours. I'm sure that must have been the problem and it will be just fine now. Thanks for all the help.

I don't attach my probe right to the heat tape. I cut a 2"x 2" piece of plastic from a old tub and put that between the heat tape and the probe.it keeps the temps steady. Directly on the tape seemed to cycle constantly. I also taped the cord and left the probe itself open.

Shane

It's right back to doing the same thing again even though I only have masking tape on the cord and the very tip of the probe. It's running as if it were an on off going full power to no power. It worked fine the past few days until last night so suffice it to say that I am thoroughly confused.

I emailed Dion about it so hopefully he has seen this issue before and knows what is causing it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by AdamL8

What do you use to hold your probes on? Aluminum tape was just what I had seen other people use before and made sense as I would think that it would take in more of the heat from the heat tape and not from the air temp.

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I use duct tape. It's non-conducting and is designed for high temperature applications.

I thought about using duct tape but masking tape seemed like it would be even less conductive. It clearly isn't doing anything so I will switch to the duct tape right now and see if it changes at all.

eletrical tape most are rated to 90ºC (194) flame retardant and designed to do what you are trying to do it is made for the job.

Adam,

I got your email this morning and wanted to answer the question here in case anyone else was curious. Everything in your symptoms shows that the thermostat is working properly. Your heating device is struggling to maintain your setting of 99.0 degrees. In your email it listed the room temperature swings from 80 and drops down to 70. For some heating devices (and depending on probe placement) it may be difficult to reach your 99 degree setting with the room temp at 70. This is not a fault of the thermostat. What is happening is the thermostat is determining how much power it takes to reach and maintain your target temp. When you did the master reset you are clearing its learned power curve. This clearing also happens if you enter the menu or if the device is unplugged. The device will then slowly work its way up to the target temp. When it gets two degrees below target temp it will start figuring out a curve. Every cycle if the temp is below your setting it will bump the power up a percent. If the device overshoots the target temp then it will bump the power down a percent. In your case it had to continue bumping the power up to 100% to keep close to the target temp. Once it goes over the target it shuts power off which is designed. The object is to stay as close to target without overshooting by much. In your case this is providing regulation 98.7 to 99.1 degrees. This is excellent regulation! I wouldn't suggest changing anything unless you started seeing the temps drop too much in which case you would need to keep the room consistently warmer or upgrade the heating device to a higher wattage. Now if you had a hot room or a overpowering heating device your would see those numbers backing down and not staying at 100%. Hope that helps clear things up. :)

Dion Brewington
Owner, Spyder Robotics

It actually goes up to 99.7 but that still isn't bad at all. I figured that it had something to do with the devices learning curve but I wasn't sure if that would sound stupid. It stays just about perfect on the temperature either way. Thank you for the quick response.

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Originally Posted by AdamL8

It actually goes up to 99.7 but that still isn't bad at all. I figured that it had something to do with the devices learning curve but I wasn't sure if that would sound stupid. It stays just about perfect on the temperature either way. Thank you for the quick response.

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I could see 99.7 on initial regulation. Once its been running for an hour I would think that would settle down some. If not then by changing the probe position to be closer or farther away from the heating device will affect the overshoot so with a little experimentation you could probably minimize the overshoot.

Always happy to help!

-Dion