Where do you place your thermostat probe?

[shavemycoinpurse]

I also put mine directly on the flexwatt. I fasten it so it lays completely flat on top of the heat tape. I've had great results. I would hate to put the probe in the enclosure.. what if the snake moves it? eek..

Tape works really well to keep the probe in place.

[myballsandmyword]

inside the hide, he lays on it, keeping it on the substrate

[jotay]

I to place the probe from my Helix right in the cage in the bedding(reptibark)
inside his warm side hide. He never moves it and temps have stayed a steady 92-93 always for the duration I have had my AP cage.
I figure that will be the temp he absorbes thru his belly when laying in there. So far it has worked well.

[jglass38]

I rig my probe to "hang" about a 1/4" above my flexwatt. On thermostats that run in on/off it seems when the probe touches the heat tape it turns on and off way to frequently. By having that small gap it allows for a much more smoother transitions, so it doesn't cause the thermostat too work as much. Just my . With proportional thermostats this doesnt effect it as much.


Bill

So here is my dilemma. Since moving to the new rack system, I have had some temp issues. The tstat needs to be set at 100.8 to get 93 in the tubs. All day long its fine. At night its dropping to 89.5. The room temp is NOT changing at all. The tstat is a Herpstat. The way the rack is set up, the 4" flexwatt is glued (or adhesively attached somehow) to a piece of metal which is velcroed in place under the tubs. On the underside of the flexwatt is reflectix to keep the heat radiating upwards. I pulled off one of the heating units in the middle of the rack, peeled back the reflectix and stuck the tstat probe directly to the flexwatt with foil tape. Folded the reflectix back down and secured it. Aside from the temp issues, I notice the same thing in that the thermostat changes its temp often and goes into heating mode more often. I spoke to the owner of the company and he advised me to tape the tstat probe to the tub floor. Bad idea from my point of view. If it gets dislodged, all flexwatt will run at max temperature. Any thoughts? I have seen this same thing before with other tstats. He said:

The problem is the probe is to close to the heat source. The heat source heats up and cools down rapidly and at different temperatures than the tubs in the rack. You want to put the probe in one of the tubs. Usually in the middle tub on the rack. You’ll get a few degrees difference from the top tub and bottom because of course heat rises making the top tubs warmer and the bottoms cooler.

[Wild Bill]

Is there room to tape it on top of your metal strip next to your tub? I would think that would be the best location for that rack and would give you approximately the same temp as your tub will receive.

[kavmon]

ditto, try that. if the flex is attached to the metal strip and the reflectix part is down right? putting the probe on the metal which is facing the bottom of the tub would set the temp of that metal, then adjust accordingly. thermostats can't tell the difference between day/night. everything heats up in the day and cools off at night. even in climate controlled rooms, the house/building cools at night.



vaughn

[jglass38]

There is! Just off to the side of where the tub slides. Ill have to see how it does. Ill let you know!

By the way, dont ever try using the temp guns (at least the pe2) on a metal strip. It doesnt show the right temp. Who knew!?

[jglass38]

ditto, try that. if the flex is attached to the metal strip and the reflectix part is down right? putting the probe on the metal which is facing the bottom of the tub would set the temp of that metal, then adjust accordingly. thermostats can't tell the difference between day/night. everything heats up in the day and cools off at night. even in climate controlled rooms, the house/building cools at night.



vaughn

Check the heating page on www.arscaging.com . That is how it is metal strip contacts tub, then flexwatt adhesed (is that a word?) to metal and then reflectix on the bottom. I never even thought of doing that! Ill let yall know..

[kavmon]

cover a spot on the metal with masking tape(no shiny tape) and then use the temp gun. the surface of metal reflects and throws the reading off.



vaughn

[jglass38]

Sweet..I'm retarded when it comes to that (and most other things). I'll give an update later. Thanks bud...