heating problem in new rack

just set up my 4-32 qt sweaterbox rack from reptile basics. well i have tested the flex-watt without it being plugged into the thermo and it got to the desired temp. so then i plugged everything back in and taped the probe to the flex-watt tape directly and set temps to 93 for the hot side. well for some reason it hasnt gone above 72 degrees. what is going on. if anyone has anything that would be greatly appreciated.:taz:

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Originally Posted by tmartin2347

just set up my 4-32 qt sweaterbox rack from reptile basics. well i have tested the flex-watt without it being plugged into the thermo and it got to the desired temp. so then i plugged everything back in and taped the probe to the flex-watt tape directly and set temps to 93 for the hot side. well for some reason it hasnt gone above 72 degrees. what is going on. if anyone has anything that would be greatly appreciated.:taz:

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back heat or belly heat?

how cold is the room?

belly heat. it was recomended for rooms that are below 74 degrees.

are you using an accurite thermometer?

what i had to do was tape my thermostat probe just in front of the heat tape, with foil tape..........i set my helix to 94, and i hit 92-93 degrees in the tub

try this set up

when you say right in front do you mean not even have the probe over the heat tape just next to it taped down. cause right now i have it right on it. and im using a thermometer made buy zilla but im gonna get a accurite ive heard good things. i just dont get why its not even getting above 75.

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Originally Posted by tmartin2347

when you say right in front do you mean not even have the probe over the heat tape just next to it taped down. cause right now i have it right on it. and im using a thermometer made buy zilla but im gonna get a accurite ive heard good things. i just dont get why its not even getting above 75.

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I mean not directly on the heat tape, just slightly in front of it...........taped down, so you can slid your tub over top of it.....

Your going to want to get an accurite 9$ at walmart, in the outdoor wild bird section

just want to add that, my room temp is at about 77, and i have tried to put the probe directly on the heat tape, and i could not get the temps high enough.......once i moved the probe just an inch in front of the tape it worked out great!

i know a lot of people do it different, so i would suggest checking out what everybody else says, and making a choice (but this was the way i had to do it)


i hope this helps

ok ill try that. thanks. i actually say those the other day at walmart and just thought id be fine. by the way what are you using for a substrate and what do you have for a rack. im using aspen and have the 4-32 qt sweaterbox from reptile basics.

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Originally Posted by tmartin2347

ok ill try that. thanks. i actually say those the other day at walmart and just thought id be fine. by the way what are you using for a substrate and what do you have for a rack. im using aspen and have the 4-32 qt sweaterbox from reptile basics.

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same rack............i'm using paper towels

have you found paper towels and newspaper if you used newspaper work very well. id imagine heat transfers a lot better and more efficient through those than aspen.

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Originally Posted by tmartin2347

have you found paper towels and newspaper if you used newspaper work very well. id imagine heat transfers a lot better and more efficient through those than aspen.

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i don't think it matters.........i always check right on the floor or bottom of the tub! i want to know what the temp is when my snake moves the paper or aspen....i don't want to know the temp on top of it because it could change, if and when they get under it

so thank you for helpn me out. right now temps are at 86 and earlier they werent even getting passed mid 70s. whats your name. oh and by the way i love your cowboys logo. i live in new england and no matter how good the patiriots are cowboys will always be my favorite team. id have to say they are both almost equal but cowboys have just a tiny bit over them.

that actually makes a lot of sense. so im sorry for asking a lot of questions but this is my first rack. so where do you place your thermometer probe. in his hide? or under the substrate right on the tub?

Ask all the question you can! thats what this place is for

the accurite has an outside and inside temp..........the probe is at the end of a long cord, and i tape that down under the substrate on the bottom of the tub...........then the unit itself reads the inside temp, and i place that on the cool side

sweet. now is there any reason someone might put a thermometer on the cool side also or is it just a for sure thing that that other side is in the correct cool temps?

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Originally Posted by tmartin2347

sweet. now is there any reason someone might put a thermometer on the cool side also or is it just a for sure thing that that other side is in the correct cool temps?

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well since the accurite is all one piece( and it reads the outside and inside temps) i just put it to use, but the temps are perfect on the cool side when the warm side is on the money



did you move your probe yet?

yes i did and right now it just turned to 93 degrees. thanks man. youre a life saver. ive been so pissed off all day about this. im gonna go get a few thermometers tomorrow and get my own personal stash of paper towels. do you use any certian type of paper towels like non printed.

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Originally Posted by tmartin2347

yes i did and right now it just turned to 93 degrees. thanks man. youre a life saver. ive been so pissed off all day about this. im gonna go get a few thermometers tomorrow and get my own personal stash of paper towels. do you use any certian type of paper towels like non printed.

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remember be careful man! don't let it go to hot and go to sleep, just to be on the safe side, keep it lower and then mess with it all day tomorrow

oh ya well right now my snake is still in his 10 gal tank. i would never think to put him in the rack without having temps all stable. but thanks for helping me out. im very pumped about tomarrow now. have a good night.

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Originally Posted by tmartin2347

oh ya well right now my snake is still in his 10 gal tank. i would never think to put him in the rack without having temps all stable. but thanks for helping me out. im very pumped about tomarrow now. have a good night.

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sweet! later bro! good luck, let me know how it works out

I had the exact same problem. I took the probe off the flexwatt and it moved it about an inch or two from the flexwatt and temps are perfect.

reediculous i was wondering even with my temp on the hot side saying its 93.5 how do i know what the actual air temp is? cause isnt that just the temp of the plastic tub under the substrate. and how else would you raise the cool side mine wont go above 74?

fireball where do you have your thermometer probe in the tub? under substrate? or on the back wall behind hide?