Herpstat 2---Probe placement/ Probe sensitivity?

I purchased a Herpstat 2 and set up an individual tub with it. I set the probe between the top of the 11" flex watt and the bottom of the tub; according to the probe reading on the Herpstat it is 100.6 yet the floor of the tub reads 85 with a temp gun. I was looking on Spyder's troubleshooting and they made it sound like that the probe should be inside the animals enclosure. I have always placed the probe between the flex watt and the tub. Is this right? and do I need to adjust the probe sensitivity? Thank you for taking the time to read this an hopefully respond.

The probe between the tub and flex watt creates space between and flex watt and floor therefore lowering the temp of the floor. I would put the probe where you want to watch temps which is inside the tub. What's the temp of the flex watt with your temp gun?

sorry had to reboot computer... the temperature of the flex watt is 96.5-97

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Originally Posted by Slip

The probe between the tub and flex watt creates space between and flex watt and floor therefore lowering the temp of the floor. I would put the probe where you want to watch temps which is inside the tub. What's the temp of the flex watt with your temp gun?

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Placing the tstat probe inside the tub is incorrect and places your animal in harm. If the probe gets moved the tstat will run hot and could burn your snake as well as cause other issues. The only probe that should be put inside the tub is one of a thermometer.

Op, Have you put something in the tub that could represent the snake laying on the tub floor over the heat tape? This will make the tub lay on the heat mat and should raise the surface temp.

If so it is common to run the tstat at a higher temp to give the desired hotspot temp inside the cage do to heat loss because of the distance travelled through the materials of the cage.

Any substrate over the hotspot needs to be thin, 1/4 is usually good.

You should be placing (securing) the probe directly on the Flexwatt. Doing so ensures the most accurate control of the temperature inside the enclosure. Once you're confident it's secure and reading the temperature of the Flexwatt (there's no reason to adjust the sensitivity of the Herpstat probes - they're more accurate than most thermometers), then you can use your temp gun on the tub floor to adjust your thermostat up or down.

Personally, I secure my Herpstat probes to the heat tape using a piece of tape (packing, electrical, etc) on the probe's cord right below where the probe is to keep it in contact with the Flexwatt.

To Slip: Your logic is well-intended, but inaccurate. If you place a thermostat probe inside of the enclosure, there's a good chance it'll get moved, peed on, etc, causing the probe to read temperatures cooler than what you actually have (which sends a signal to the thermostat to crank up the heat - a bad thing). Keeping the thermostat probe for a UTH out of harm's way outside of the enclosure is the best practice.

I have the same question but i have a glass tank and the temp controll probe is very large and if i place it between the glass and heat mat it moves most of the mat off of the glass and doesnt not heat efficiently...

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Originally Posted by SpecialGreg

I have the same question but i have a glass tank and the temp controll probe is very large and if i place it between the glass and heat mat it moves most of the mat off of the glass and doesnt not heat efficiently...

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Place it on the bottom of the uth so the uth can be mounted to the tank bottom flush. It will work the same.

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Originally Posted by SpecialGreg

I have the same question but i have a glass tank and the temp controll probe is very large and if i place it between the glass and heat mat it moves most of the mat off of the glass and doesnt not heat efficiently...

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For you, securing the probe to the under side of the heat mat will likely be best. In this case, having a good thermometer (temp gun highly recommended) will be critical. You'll be getting slightly different temperature readings on the bottom side of the heat mat, but this can easily be accounted for if you know what temperatures are the result of this placement inside your tank.

Edit: Obviously KMG is much less wordy than I am, and thus a couple minutes faster tonight. Ha-rumph... :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Eric Alan

Obviously KMG is much less wordy than I am, and thus a couple minutes faster tonight. Ha-rumph... :rolleyes:

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Your wordy answers are good though. :gj:

Thank you both i will be messing around with it tomorrow. I have a zoo med thermometer with a probe. Will that work. Eventually i would like to get a temp gun but funds are limited and i would not like to cheap out on a temp gun.

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Originally Posted by SpecialGreg

Thank you both i will be messing around with it tomorrow. I have a zoo med thermometer with a probe. Will that work. Eventually i would like to get a temp gun but funds are limited and i would not like to cheap out on a temp gun.

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Yea, I figured that's what you had. That probe is huge. Placing it on the bottom will work fine. Check Amazon for a temp gun. They are surprisingly cheap.

okay probe is secured to the flex watt and tub placed on top. The probe temperature is reading 102 and tub floor is reading 75 (atm) on top of paper towel substrate. I will be up for awhile and will watch to see what I need to do. I wanted to make sure that I had my ducks in a row.

When checking the surface temp, check the actual tub floor. Checking the paper towel is not going to give you the most accurate numbers.

You always want to make sure you know what the warmest temp in the cage is so you know that your snake is not in danger no matter where they are. No matter what substrate is used a snake can burrow, push, and lift it out of the way and get directly onto the cage floor so that's why you want to know what that temp is and that it is safe for your snake.

I just checked the actual floor of the tub and its 92.5. The probe of the herp stat is 104. I just find that range of temperature gap questionable. Could the probe be bad or going bad? Or am I just being to much of a perfectionist?

When using my zoomat and the thermostat I ordered from petsmart had huge probe no possible way to mount between glass and pad so I used alluminum tape and put it on the back side of the Mat and taped around the whole pad and sensors then hot glued my acurite thermoter probe to the surface and have had good results from that according to temp probe I'm only getting 1-2 degree difference from when it turns on and off also temp gun regularly to make sure probe is reading correct

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Originally Posted by JPerkins

I just checked the actual floor of the tub and its 92.5. The probe of the herp stat is 104. I just find that range of temperature gap questionable. Could the probe be bad or going bad? Or am I just being to much of a perfectionist?

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If the probe is outside between flexwatt and tub you are going to be running hotter to reach desired temps on the inside from traveling threw tub material and such

Thanks Michaelt and thank you everyone else. I love my snakes and only want to do the best for them.