Heating

My thermostat is stopping at 90 degrees(That's where I need it), but my digital thermometer is saying it only 79?? Any thoughts?:(

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AnnieHeart

My thermostat is stopping at 90 degrees(That's where I need it), but my digital thermometer is saying it only 79?? Any thoughts?:(

---

What kind of digital thermometer are you using?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Neal

What kind of digital thermometer are you using?

---

Exo Terra

Should I trust the thermostat or digital thermometer?

What are you using as a heat source?
Where is the thermostat probe placed?
Where are you taking your temperatures from?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

What are you using as a heat source?
Where is the thermostat probe placed?
Where are you taking your temperatures from?

---

I'm using an UTH.
The thermometer probe is put on the hot spot.
The probe in under the glass.

I don't have the BP yet, so no worries, I'm setting it up right now to make sure THIS didn't happen, I'm so glad. :):)

What kind of thermostat?

I'd honestly trust the thermostat over that digital one.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Neal

What kind of thermostat?

I'd honestly trust the thermostat over that digital one.

---

It is the Zilla thermostat

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AnnieHeart

It is the Zilla thermostat

---

Alright, correction then. Either of those two could be right. You'll just have to touch that spot and see if it's cooler or not. I would personally ditch that thermostat and thermometer. I'd go for the digital laser temp gun and a herpstat thermostat. A bit more money, but much more safer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Neal

Alright, correction then. Either of those two could be right. You'll just have to touch that spot and see if it's cooler or not. I would personally ditch that thermostat and thermometer. I'd go for the digital laser temp gun and a herpstat thermostat. A bit more money, but much more safer.

---

How warm should it be to touch at 90 degrees?

Are you saying the ambient temp in the enclosure is reading 79?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by craigafrechette

Are you saying the ambient temp in the enclosure is reading 79?

---

I raised the thermostat to 93 to see if that would give me 90 degree hot side, and it went to 81 and then the thermostat turned off. Should I keep raising the thermostat temp until my thermometer gets a 90 degree hot spot?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AnnieHeart

I raised the thermostat to 93 to see if that would give me 90 degree hot side, and it went to 81 and then the thermostat turned off. Should I keep raising the thermostat temp until my thermometer gets a 90 degree hot spot?

---

I wouldn't keep raising it, especially if you don't know which is reading wrong. Also the other cheaper thermostats, if they fail they get blasted wide open so it can and will kill your snakes. I've seen it happen to other people. For now I would get one of the thermometer guns from amazon for under $10. They're pretty accurate.

I totally agree with the temp gun recomendation

but you will always have to play with the temp and usually it’s always going to be higher than what you really want it to be because the probe is on the outside pressed right against the heat. It now has to go through glass or plastic or pvc to then heat the other side of the cage.

I have a few different types of cages and they still all need to be a bit of trial and error to dial it in. You always want to take the temp right at the surface of the cage not the substrate because the snake will move that.

Great job testing things before you snake arrives as well.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Neal

I wouldn't keep raising it, especially if you don't know which is reading wrong. Also the other cheaper thermostats, if they fail they get blasted wide open so it can and will kill your snakes. I've seen it happen to other people. For now I would get one of the thermometer guns from amazon for under $10. They're pretty accurate.

---

Don't you want a heat gun for a UTH as the digital thermometer will read air temperature and not surface temps?

Unless you're using a temp gun your readings are inaccurate.
It sounds to me like you're relying on a regular thermometer to find your hot spot temps. That thermometer will only read ambient temps, not surface temps.

Unless, of course, you have a probed thermometer and you're laying the probe on the hot spot???

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MD_Pythons

Don't you want a heat gun for a UTH as the digital thermometer will read air temperature and not surface temps?

---

You want a temp gun period. They're accurate and are reliable. That's the best way to know your temps. You can use it to check ambient as well as hot spots. Digital thermometers for the most part I find to be inaccurate.

You need to be taking your temperatures UNDER the substrate directly on top of the glass.

I went to Home Depot and bought and inferred temp gun, and now I'm raising the temp while measuring with temp gun.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AnnieHeart

I went to Home Depot and bought and inferred temp gun, and now I'm raising the temp while measuring with temp gun.

---

Honestly, use it to sort your temps out, but order the one from amazon and bring that one from home depot back. Save yourself some money.

Make sure you know the temps at the base under the substrate, but shooting glass with a IR temp gun won't be accurate because you're not supposed to shoot reflective surfaces.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Neal

Honestly, use it to sort your temps out, but order the one from amazon and bring that one from home depot back. Save yourself some money.

Make sure you know the temps at the base under the substrate, but shooting glass with a IRI temp gun won't be accurate because you're not supposed to shoot reflective surfaces.

---

I'm fine with the temp gun I bought, but If I ever need another I will buy on Amazon. I changed my hot spot to paper towels, and then the cool side is with a thin layer of eco earth. I raised the thermostat and have the temp now at 85 and am checking it with the temp gun. :)

I visited the rescue today and I'm bringing home a baby ball python tomorrow, SO GLAD this is all figured out before hand.

Thank you, everyone, for helping out with all this! The temp gun is soooo helpful and I'm glad I have one now.

:)Will show pics of her later when she's all settled in.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AnnieHeart

I visited the rescue today and I'm bringing home a baby ball python tomorrow, SO GLAD this is all figured out before hand.

Thank you, everyone, for helping out with all this! The temp gun is soooo helpful and I'm glad I have one now.

:)Will show pics of her later when she's all settled in.

---

Sounds like you're in good shape!!! Be sure to start a thread for your new guy/girl once you've got her home. Then let him/her settle in for a bit.

Great job getting your setup ready ahead of time!!

Good luck!!! Feel free to ask any more questions you may have.