Measuring rack temps

[Corrupter]

Ok, so I just finished the final touches on my rack (heat tape, t-stat, etc.) and when I turned it on, I set the t-stat and made a dummy tub in the center of the rack to get the temps to stabilize before adding the snakes. It has an accu-rite facing out on the cool side and the probe is all the way on the warm end suspended ~1cm from the tub wall to get the correct air temp on that side. I am getting a reading of 89 warm/81 cool from the accu-rite but my temp gun is reading ~95 on the warm end and ~80 on cool end. I am guessing the plastic tub is 95, not the air inside so i used the probe of the herpstat to check the warm end. It is reading about the same as the accu-rite when placed in the same location. Should I be reading the air temp at the hot end, or tape the probe directly to the tub for the reading? I am guessing the latter, but I will wait for feedback. How do you guys have yours set up?

[bigballs]

i think those temp guns measure surface temps so if its reading 95 then that is probably what the hot side surface temp is. the heat tape is going to create surface temps and only raise hot side ambient temps by a few degrees which is fine if your cool end ambient temp is measuring 80. it sounds like youre on the right track. what i do to measure the surface temps of each tub is tape down a thermometer probe directly on to the bottom of the tub. the reading i get on the thermometer is the temperature that the snake feels when chilling on the hot side. i also measure ambient temps of the warm and cool end with probes of thermometers suspended within the tub.

i usually have 2 thermometers measuring the warm and cool end in each tub at all times. im kinda crazy like that...

goodluck!


oh ya, post pics! it will help.