HerpStat Temp Inaccuracies

[Alexandra V]

I use a HerpStat to regulate my under tank heater, and I trusted that the reading it showed was correct, but every time I would touch the floor of the tank with my hand it would feel warm to my touch, which I thought was odd because 90 degrees is about the same as skin temperature so it shouldn't feel warm.

I shrugged it off as me just having cold hands, but recently I acquired an infrared thermometer from Exclusive Snakes at a reptile expo so I could double check my temperatures, and it read perfectly on the cool side, matching the thermometers I have there, but on the hot side it was reading a good 6 degrees higher than what the HerpStat was telling me!

So I tried to adjust the thermostat accordingly but it only lets me adjust to within 2 degrees. So now it reads 85 and it's really about 90 - 91 when I use the infrared thermometer, and it's no longer really warm to the touch.

I'm just wondering if anyone else had to recalibrate their HerpStats and if anybody had one as off as mine was.

[AndrewGeibel]

Where do you have the thermostat probe?

[Alexandra V]

Where do you have the thermostat probe?

It didn't fit underneath the tank so I could have it directly on the heat pat, so it's underneath the substrate (paper towel) over the heater.

[iCandiBallPythons]

my stats are typically set at 98F to reach low 90F temps on my hot side.

[hud556]

For me the temp gun has the final say on temperatures. I just adjust the thermostats acordingly, some are set at 85 others over 100...

[kitedemon]

The herpstat have a very high rated accuracy. I suspect the IR gun is not accurate. Is it a pro exotics? PE1 or PE2? the PE1 is only accurate to 2+/- degrees and the PE2 is +/- 1.5º up or down. IR guns also have to be correctly calibrated for the reflective qualities of the target surface. My guess is that the herpstat could be wrong but I'd guess the ir gun is more likely. Do you have a good thermometer that has a high accuracy that you can check it with?

EDIT, FYI the PEs are actually quite good some IR guns are as bad as +/- 3-4 degrees accuracy. Better guns are available but are very expensive (the one I wish for is 1200$ 0.5º +/- like that is going to happen) Very few people actually have an accurate thermometer. I actually do have a very good (traceable) one so I know what is right and what is not. My herpstat pro (both) all 8 probes are easily within 0.4 of correct. Personally I trust them over everything.

[jjmitchell]

Dunno most people i have visited with have discrepancies in their thermostat... thats why we still double check with temp gun, or thermometer

[Alexandra V]

The herpstat have a very high rated accuracy. I suspect the IR gun is not accurate. Is it a pro exotics? PE1 or PE2? the PE1 is only accurate to 2+/- degrees and the PE2 is +/- 1.5º up or down. IR guns also have to be correctly calibrated for the reflective qualities of the target surface. My guess is that the herpstat could be wrong but I'd guess the ir gun is more likely. Do you have a good thermometer that has a high accuracy that you can check it with?

EDIT, FYI the PEs are actually quite good some IR guns are as bad as +/- 3-4 degrees accuracy. Better guns are available but are very expensive (the one I wish for is 1200$ 0.5º +/- like that is going to happen) Very few people actually have an accurate thermometer. I actually do have a very good (traceable) one so I know what is right and what is not. My herpstat pro (both) all 8 probes are easily within 0.4 of correct. Personally I trust them over everything.

I've got a PE2, and I've checked it against pretty much every thermometer I can get my hands on, and as promised it's within about 2 degrees, with allowances for inaccuracies in the other thermometer.

[RichsBallPythons]

Also keep in mind Laser IR temp guns do not read shiny objects properly. You need to get the tstat probe out of the tank and on the heat tape.

It feels warmer as the glass now has to heat up hotter to reach the probe inside. Move it outside and your problem should fix within hours.

[Alexandra V]

Also keep in mind Laser IR temp guns do not read shiny objects properly. You need to get the tstat probe out of the tank and on the heat tape.

It feels warmer as the glass now has to heat up hotter to reach the probe inside. Move it outside and your problem should fix within hours.

Yeah. However I don't think paper towels are particularly shiny lol

And I can't get it under the tank because I can't get the tank lifted up high enough to allow the probe to sit under it. The gap made by the little stick-on feet that came with the heater isn't big enough for the probe to fit -.-'