Failed uth.

My one exo-terra uth seems screwed up. I have it on a jumpstart and it's immediately hitting 97 and turning off. The jumpstart functions perfectly well with my emergency dome lamps. Should i buy a new uth or switch over to heat tape?

I have an oak wooden vivarium with an under tank heater cut out and terracotta tile over top the cut out.

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Originally Posted by Pezz

My one exo-terra uth seems screwed up. I have it on a jumpstart and it's immediately hitting 97 and turning off. The jumpstart functions perfectly well with my emergency dome lamps. Should i buy a new uth or switch over to heat tape?

I have an oak wooden vivarium with an under tank heater cut out and terracotta tile over top the cut out.

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is the UTH turning off by itself @97 or is the Jumpstart turning it off? depending on where u have your t-stat set, 97 could be within it's range. as a control, unplug the UTH from the t-stat and plug it directly into the wall. see if it reaches over 97 while unregulated (which it should do easily after a few minutes). if it doesn't get over 97, u can call it a failed UTH. if it does get over 97, it's some other issue.

(also just checking - is your Jumpstart regulating both your UTH and dome lamp? or do they each have their own?)

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Originally Posted by Ax01

is the UTH turning off by itself @97 or is the Jumpstart turning it off? depending on where u have your t-stat set, 97 could be within it's range. as a control, unplug the UTH from the t-stat and plug it directly into the wall. see if it reaches over 97 while unregulated (which it should do easily after a few minutes). if it doesn't get over 97, u can call it a failed UTH. if it does get over 97, it's some other issue.

(also just checking - is your Jumpstart regulating both your UTH and dome lamp? or do they each have their own?)

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Uth is hitting 127 unregulated. I've unplugged the uth, removed it from the tank and let it run unregulated. I am using just a dome lamp on the jumpstart while I figure out a solution. (Every heat source has its own jump start)

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that seems really odd to me...so the UTH is just not being regulated by the thermostat? yet that thermostat works on your bulb?

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

that seems really odd to me...so the UTH is just not being regulated by the thermostat? yet that thermostat works on your bulb?

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The uth is heating too quickly. It hits my shut off heat in like 45 seconds. The T-stats seems fine. I could try using the uth with a different jumpstart to see which one is the issue.

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Originally Posted by Pezz

The uth is heating too quickly. It hits my shut off heat in like 45 seconds. The T-stats seems fine. I could try using the uth with a different jumpstart to see which one is the issue.

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that sounds awfully fast. definitely try using another UTH with it.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

that sounds awfully fast. definitely try using another UTH with it.

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Yeah the speed of it is what has me concerned. My other uths take a while to get there but this one is instant and is running 127 unregulated. Going to try a different t-stat on it and try a different uth on that ones jumpstart.

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Originally Posted by Pezz

Yeah the speed of it is what has me concerned. My other uths take a while to get there but this one is instant and is running 127 unregulated. Going to try a different t-stat on it and try a different uth on that ones jumpstart.

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let me know how it goes!

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

let me know how it goes!

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Same issue with another t-stat so its not the jumpstarts. I'm going to add a rheostat to it see if i can regulate it better that way. Just waiting for my electrician friend to wire it in properly. Dome lamp is keeping my ambient temps fine but I don't like Clyde not having belly heat.

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Speaking from experience here... Did you peel this off in the past and reuse it? They don't like being bent at all. Something heating that fast makes me nervous. Should be a gradual heat and not like "OMG FIRE" fast type of heat. I have had to toss so many UTHs over the years from stupidity.

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Originally Posted by SDA

Speaking from experience here... Did you peel this off in the past and reuse it? They don't like being bent at all. Something heating that fast makes me nervous. Should be a gradual heat and not like "OMG FIRE" fast type of heat.

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I've never actually adhered an uth. It just sat under my tiles. I like the option of being able to remove them when needed. I've removed it exactly because it's heating extremely fast and not gradually. Thinking I'll be going heat tape route sooner than planned.

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Originally Posted by Pezz

Same issue with another t-stat so its not the jumpstarts. I'm going to add a rheostat to it see if i can regulate it better that way. Just waiting for my electrician friend to wire it in properly. Dome lamp is keeping my ambient temps fine but I don't like Clyde not having belly heat.

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i'd stop using that UTH if you can and get another one. that doesn't sound good.

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Originally Posted by SDA

Speaking from experience here... Did you peel this off in the past and reuse it? They don't like being bent at all. Something heating that fast makes me nervous. Should be a gradual heat and not like "OMG FIRE" fast type of heat. I have had to toss so many UTHs over the years from stupidity.

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good point. @Pezz what kind of UTH is it?

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

i'd stop using that UTH if you can and get another one. that doesn't sound good.


good point. @Pezz what kind of UTH is it?

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Exo-terra 8 watt.

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Originally Posted by Pezz

Exo-terra 8 watt.

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you should look into Ultratherm UTHs from RBI. they're not adhesive and you adhere them to the enclosure with aluminum tape. all my snakes have Ultratherm UTHs and i like that i can remove and reapply them whenever i need to.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

you should look into Ultratherm UTHs from RBI. they're not adhesive and you adhere them to the enclosure with aluminum tape. all my snakes have Ultratherm UTHs and i like that i can remove and reapply them whenever i need to.

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Alright I'll look into them. In your opinion which should I get first new and better t-stats (using jump starts making the switch to either herpstats or ve T-stats) or a new uth? Is there any real advantage to an uth over heat tape?

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Don't forget heat tape is not water resistant so unless you somehow seal it, it should never go inside a wooden enclosure. Not sure but I think you have a ceramic cutout that allows the attachment outside the enclosure. if that is the case disregard point number 1 ;)

If it is made so you can attach outside ultratherm would be wonderful as it is already pre assembled.

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Originally Posted by Pezz

Alright I'll look into them. In your opinion which should I get first new and better t-stats (using jump starts making the switch to either herpstats or ve T-stats) or a new uth? Is there any real advantage to an uth over heat tape?

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Originally Posted by SDA

Don't forget heat tape is not water resistant so unless you somehow seal it, it should never go inside a wooden enclosure. Not sure but I think you have a ceramic cutout that allows the attachment outside the enclosure. if that is the case disregard point number 1 ;)

If it is made so you can attach outside ultratherm would be wonderful as it is already pre assembled.

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i don't have any experience with heat tape so i'd listen to what SDA said.

since you can't get that UTH regulated i'd consider it to have failed and i wouldn't use it. i would definitely invest in a new UTH.

if you can afford it absolutely upgrade your thermostats, but i would buy the UTH first before the thermostat. i'm saving up right now for two more Herpstats to replace my Jumpstarts.

I'll just say +1 on ultratherm if you decide to do a uth replacement. Good quality product!

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

i don't have any experience with heat tape so i'd listen to what SDA said.

since you can't get that UTH regulated i'd consider it to have failed and i wouldn't use it. i would definitely invest in a new UTH.

if you can afford it absolutely upgrade your thermostats, but i would buy the UTH first before the thermostat. i'm saving up right now for two more Herpstats to replace my Jumpstarts.

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Allright, going to order one now. Will put off on one of my new T-stats untill my next cheque. Hopefully can find the uth on Amazon so i can get overnight shipping

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Originally Posted by Pezz

Allright, going to order one now. Will put off on one of my new T-stats untill my next cheque. Hopefully can find the uth on Amazon so i can get overnight shipping

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sounds good!

We are all going to feel dumb if it ends up being the ceramic tile he uses causing the heat spike and not the UTH :O that is unless you completely took out the mat and tested it.

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Originally Posted by SDA

We are all going to feel dumb if it ends up being the ceramic tile he uses causing the heat spike and not the UTH :O that is unless you completely took out the mat and tested it.

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Yeah I've completely removed it from the viv. I thought it may have been the ceramic at first lol.

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Oh ok. Just didn't want to give bad advice. Good luck finding your heating element, I know Canada can be oh so much fun for that stuff. We need to start a black market supply company for "you people"

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Originally Posted by SDA

Oh ok. Just didn't want to give bad advice. Good luck finding your heating element, I know Canada can be oh so much fun for that stuff. We need to start a black market supply company for "you people"

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Cornells world is great and carry everything. I just don't like the mark up and paying extra for shipping. I have Amazon prime for a reason lol.

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Allright amazon has them for $149.78
Also ordered a roll of aluminum tape. Both will be here tomorrow. Clyde should be ok without belly heat for a day right or should i get some hand warmers to put in the cut out for now?

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Has he just been fed or anything else that would make the heat critical?

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Originally Posted by dr del [emoji173

️;2572181]Has he just been fed or anything else that would make the heat critical?

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Nope feeding night is tomorrow. He's a little pink bellied but not blue yet so I'd rather have uth than a lamp on in order to retain humidity.

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Go with heat tape. I will never go back to heating pads again, after using infrared heat tape, and infrared film heat mats.

Ultratherm heat pads are great, and they only get to 120~130 when unregulated/plugged straight into the wall. It takes a few minutes for it to get to that temp too.

Also, I would get a herpstat for the dimming function. My three jumpstarts (that I initially got when I first started) also all became very inaccurate within a year.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

you should look into Ultratherm UTHs from RBI. they're not adhesive and you adhere them to the enclosure with aluminum tape. all my snakes have Ultratherm UTHs and i like that i can remove and reapply them whenever i need to.

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Just an FYI....... You can do that with any heat mat. ;)
Remove the wax paper, apply foil tape to the sticky side of the mat (glue to glue) and now the adhesive is covered and you would then use foil tape around the edges to stick it to whatever.....

Reading your post Pezz with your great description my guess is you have a failed Triac in your UTH. I have never dissected a UTH but i have to believe a Triac or other current limiting device is used in them to control current. A dimmer switch uses the same principle except you vary the current of the variable resistor. When a Triac fails, it can cease all current flow. In your case you have the beginnings of a toaster allowing too much current flow. Toast anyone? LOL. Great catch!!!! Cut the cord off that thing and put it in the trash. Your idea of a dimmer switch on that thing....please don't. You have a failed circuit and the dimmer switch is no fix for the failed Triac even though it quite possibly would work. No such thing as shortcuts when it comes to electricity.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Just an FYI....... You can do that with any heat mat. ;)
Remove the wax paper, apply foil tape to the sticky side of the mat (glue to glue) and now the adhesive is covered and you would then use foil tape around the edges to stick it to whatever.....

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thank you. i just don't like using any heat mat that says you can't move or even bend it a little without sacrificing its integrity.

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Originally Posted by Momokahn

Reading your post Pezz with your great description my guess is you have a failed Triac in your UTH. I have never dissected a UTH but i have to believe a Triac or other current limiting device is used in them to control current. A dimmer switch uses the same principle except you vary the current of the variable resistor. When a Triac fails, it can cease all current flow. In your case you have the beginnings of a toaster allowing too much current flow. Toast anyone? LOL. Great catch!!!! Cut the cord off that thing and put it in the trash. Your idea of a dimmer switch on that thing....please don't. You have a failed circuit and the dimmer switch is no fix for the failed Triac even though it quite possibly would work. No such thing as shortcuts when it comes to electricity.

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Already trashed. I think this goes to show the crucial essentialness of a thermostat. If it was unregulated i could have had a burnt snake.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

thank you. i just don't like using any heat mat that says you can't move or even bend it a little without sacrificing its integrity.

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Sadly there are a lot of stupid warnings that have to be placed on items because of stupid people.......
Be if you put a crease in an ultra it will damage it too. I know it damages flex tape.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Sadly there are a lot of stupid warnings that have to be placed on items because of stupid people.......
Be if you put a crease in an ultra it will damage it too. I know it damages flex tape.

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You know I was thinking about that. Like how if you buy a coffee it has a Warning:Hot Beverage label on it. No where on the majority of uths does it say to use a thermostat.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Sadly there are a lot of stupid warnings that have to be placed on items because of stupid people.......
Be if you put a crease in an ultra it will damage it too. I know it damages flex tape.

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that's a good point, but IMO an UltraTherm is much more durable than a ZooMed or other adhesive UTH. do you think that's true? honest question.

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

that's a good point, but IMO an UltraTherm is much more durable than a ZooMed or other adhesive UTH. do you think that's true? honest question.

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They are all only as durable as the brain of the person doing something to them that shouldnt be done. LoL

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

They are all only as durable as the brain of the person doing something to them that shouldnt be done. LoL

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............................very good point. LOL. there was a user here a while ago that removed their adhesive UTH every night because it was unregulated...UGH. [emoji30]

It does sound failed. For interest sake, did you take a Temp-gun reading of UTH while it was in the tank hitting the "desired" temperature in 45seconds? I would have Temp-gunned the area to see if it kept going past that mark and if it was indeed hitting that mark quickly. I have a very low differential on my UTH (90-92F) so it is basically always kicking on and off and almost never takes more than a few seconds to return to the kickoff temperature. When I Temp-gun the area it is always at the desired temperature.

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Originally Posted by Zach_este93

It does sound failed. For interest sake, did you take a Temp-gun reading of UTH while it was in the tank hitting the "desired" temperature in 45seconds? I would have Temp-gunned the area to see if it kept going past that mark and if it was indeed hitting that mark quickly. I have a very low differential on my UTH (90-92F) so it is basically always kicking on and off and almost never takes more than a few seconds to return to the kickoff temperature. When I Temp-gun the area it is always at the desired temperature.

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Yeah I temp gunned in the enclosure. The tile was holding a constant 92 because it retains heat well. After removing the tiles the pad itself was having huge fluctuations. I have a pretty high variable off at 97 on at 88 (because tile retains heat). It took on avg 45 seconds to hit 97. When i took it out and ran it unregulated it got up to 127 in just a couple minutes. Just got the ultratherm and aluminium tape. About to open the box, test and install.

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I was about to tell you not to install it upside down but that would just be cruel of me (they can go either direction) :P

Let us know how it goes!

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Originally Posted by SDA

I was about to tell you not to install it upside down but that would just be cruel of me (they can go either direction) [emoji14]

Let us know how it goes!

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It's now in. The install was simple it's heating nice and gradually and has the tiles at the ever elusive 91. Now just to strip the copper out of the old uth cord lol.

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