thermostat help

[Chuck6017]

Hey I just got my Johnsons thermostat with night drop in the mail today. I have 2 snakes in plastic tubs heated by UTH's. I put the temp probe in between the bottom of the tank and the UTH. I have aspen bedding in both tanks. My question is What temp should i keep the therm at? I been reading that u want it to be set to the max that the snake would be able to handle if it burried itself in the bedding and was right on top of the UTH. RIght now i have it set to stay at 97 degrees. So if worse comes to worse and there was no bedding between the snake and the bottom of the tank he would be feeling around 96-97 degrees. Is this good or does anyone recommend a different temp? Thanks.

[mrshawt]

Woah woah woah! 94 at the MAX!

[Chuck6017]

ok thanks so 94 at the max of the UTH right on the probe? Im lowering it now.

[mrshawt]

Yes, otherwise you'll be having snakey back ribs for dinner.

[Spaniard]

Woah woah woah! 94 at the MAX!

Not always. You're controlling the temp of the heat tape, which is not to say that is going to be the temp of the actual surface of the plastic. My thermostat is set to 95, in the winter anywhere from 97-100. I check my tub floor surface temps with an infrared temp gun to make sure it doesn't exceed 95.

[mrshawt]

Yes, I was thinking that the two temps would be the same. My mistake. As long as you check it/make sure it doesn't get over 95 like Spaniard said, you're golden.

[Chuck6017]

thanks. Im glad i spent the money on a good thermostat cause when i shut off the crappy rheostat that i had on low for 2 days before my therm came in the mail and put the probe on the UTH it was at 102. And I had the thing on low.. Man those things are useless. And so are those round thermometers. I just got an infrared temp gun and man its not worth it to go cheap in the begining. Im glad I decided not to stay cheap on my expensive investment. Thanks for the help.

[Chuck6017]

Well my plastics are pretty thin. But i will take a temp with the temp gun right on the surface of the plastic and see what i get.

[Chuck6017]

So the max at the plastic surface should be 95??

[mrshawt]

I usually shoot for 92-94. You just don't want it going over 95.