temperature problem for pvc snake rack

I'm having trouble to get the right temp for hot and cold side with my pvc rack.
This is the design i used for my rack: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...highlight=xpvc
i used THG heat tape with a herpstats 4 the current temperature setting for my herpstats is 92.5. Substrate is aspen shaving.
Current hot side is around 85 and the cold side is around 80. Humidity around 50 to 60%.
There are currently 3 balls in this rack with 16 qt. sterilite tub. Only one of them have eaten since I got them, I'm a bit worried about them (I got them about 3 weeks ago). Their weight has not really drop significantly.
I used temp gun to measure all the temperature.
The aspen shaving can be one of the factors that lower the temperature, and I'm not sure what to do!

I tape the temperature probe directly onto the heat tape with some electrical tape, since the owner's manual said that aluminum tape can cause the probe to read inaccurate temperature

Where are you measuring that 85 degree hot spot? Inside the tub? On top of the substrate? If it's set at 92.5 and it's only giving you 85, then you need to set it higher. Unless your thermostat probe is inside the tub (not recommended unless you have a dedicated tub just for the stat probe) then you're going to need to set it higher than 92 to get a proper reading inside the tub.

I got my reading inside the tub on top of the substrate.
The temperature of the heat tape is around 92, so i just have no idea how it drops so much in the tub.

The aspen is soaking up the heat. Even paper towel soaks up a little. Try setting the t-stat higher like the others recomended.

How thick is your substrate layer?

ok i will set the temp higher.
my substrate is around 1/4 to 1/2 inch think
i already cut down some substrate to just cover the bottom of the tub.
For those of people that used aspen, what temp do you guys set to?

The surface of the tub is what you want your temp set for then put in whatever you are going to use for substrate.
There will bee a couple degrees loss from the gap between the tub and tape.
What are the temps of the room the rack is in?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by j94712

I got my reading inside the tub on top of the substrate.The temperature of the heat tape is around 92, so i just have no idea how it drops so much in the tub.

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Check the temp of the surface of the tub, not the top of the substrate. You want your hot spot to literally be the hottest place in the tub that your BP can get to, which is under the substrate. You will probably still need to raise your thermostat setting slightly, but make sure you are reading in the correct place. I don't believe your room temp is the issue, since you are achieving 80deg ambient temps.

i just measured the temp under the substrate, and it's around 91. So it should be fine then. wow, i was measuring the wrong place before! thanks guys.
I live in california, it can get pretty hot here in summer, so they are just in room temp. Sometimes the cold side can can get around 78 or 79, is that ok?

Yes, that's fine. You'll only start to have problems when you start staying below 70 or 75 for long periods of time (though I've kept one at those temps because I had no other choice and he was fine). So long as you have a proper hot spot and your house isn't 60 or so, your snakes will be just fine.