Need some help with my hydrofarm thermostat.

[satomi325]

I've seen both ways used. But it's not as common to have the thermostat probe inside the tub unless it's a dummy tub with no animal. I don't think there's a wrong way as long it's done appropriately. Personally, I tape the probe to the heat tape directly onto a belly heat rack. On a back heat rack, I tape on the shelf between the tub and heat tape.



If the thermostat is on the heat tape and is reading 100 and you're getting a steady 90 inside the tubs, then why does it matter? It's working isn't it. The thermostat is used to regulate the heat tape, but you shouldn't use the thermostat as a thermometer to measure the actual tub temps. That isn't the correct way to use it anyway. Plus a thermostat temperature reading may not be accurate anyway.. Always have a temp gun or some sort of thermometer device to measure enclosure temps.

My thermostats always read something else than my Acurite thermometers and temp gun.

[RichsBallPythons]

Anyone serious into Reptiles and breeding 9 times out of 10 will NOT have the probe inside the enclosure. Why, theirs no need to have any wires in the cage with an animal that is strong enough to move it regardless what you use to hold it down with.

Why risk the potential hazard of injuring the snake if something goes wrong.

People can disagree with me all they want, I been around longer than most and ive seen it all. I go by first had experience on what works and what doesnt.

Do as you wish, but when that day comes, Ill be here saying I told you so.

[kitedemon]

Personally glue failing, failsafe failing and in some cases secondary system in the primary failing seems like quite a long odds.

I simply believe the chances are so long as to be not very possible. I am not speaking about a rack but a single tub as the OP has or a single enclosure. Running a probe inside a rack is not feasible or even needed as racks need stable room temps there is no need.

The probe moves the failsafe kills the power and takes over regulation the probe moves and in some cases the primary kills power before the failsafe can. The scenario is the probe moves the at the same time the primary fails and the secondary fails? I just don't see two or three of these happening at the same time.

I cannot move one of my probes without pulling the wire apart I need to use a heat gun and putty knife to remove the probe I just do not see a snake managing to move the probe. I see no reason to take risks either but what one sees as a risk others don't. I see cheap cord wired to flexwatt as a risk of fire as it burns at a low temp. Rich I know you do not.

Tonight it is cold outside 3ºF the room my test enclosure is in is 57ºF the probe mounted on the heat source is set to 106ºF the interior is currently 82ºF The high today inside was 81ºF and the same hot spot was 103ºF I do not think this to be reasonable or safe temps the enclosures on the other side of the room stay the same 90ºF hot side and vary by only half a degree.

Rich if you are so certain that your way is the ONLY way, try this, drop your snake room 15ºF lower from where it is and see what your hot spot is with out changing the t-stat at all. Lets be real here "Anyone serious into Reptiles and breeding 9 times out of 10" will not have a dedicated 'snake' room humidity and temp controlled. I do don't you? I also keep some of mine in the rest of my home they are my beloved pets not breeding stock not animals I make money from but pets, They are a part of my family and are part of my home not relegated to a corner of the basement. My home changes day to night and to prevent the temp changing takes a different approach that a breeder never sees. I resent the implications that I am not serious, I take my animals welfare seriously and have gone to great lengths to protect them. I have never cheaped out to save a few bucks on inferior products, cables, or supplies ever.

[RichsBallPythons]

Personally glue failing, failsafe failing and in some cases secondary system in the primary failing seems like quite a long odds.

I simply believe the chances are so long as to be not very possible. I am not speaking about a rack but a single tub as the OP has or a single enclosure. Running a probe inside a rack is not feasible or even needed as racks need stable room temps there is no need.

The probe moves the failsafe kills the power and takes over regulation the probe moves and in some cases the primary kills power before the failsafe can. The scenario is the probe moves the at the same time the primary fails and the secondary fails? I just don't see two or three of these happening at the same time.

I cannot move one of my probes without pulling the wire apart I need to use a heat gun and putty knife to remove the probe I just do not see a snake managing to move the probe. I see no reason to take risks either but what one sees as a risk others don't. I see cheap cord wired to flexwatt as a risk of fire as it burns at a low temp. Rich I know you do not.

Tonight it is cold outside 3ºF the room my test enclosure is in is 57ºF the probe mounted on the heat source is set to 106ºF the interior is currently 82ºF The high today inside was 81ºF and the same hot spot was 103ºF I do not think this to be reasonable or safe temps the enclosures on the other side of the room stay the same 90ºF hot side and vary by only half a degree.

Rich if you are so certain that your way is the ONLY way, try this, drop your snake room 15ºF lower from where it is and see what your hot spot is with out changing the t-stat at all. Lets be real here "Anyone serious into Reptiles and breeding 9 times out of 10" will not have a dedicated 'snake' room humidity and temp controlled. I do don't you? I also keep some of mine in the rest of my home they are my beloved pets not breeding stock not animals I make money from but pets, They are a part of my family and are part of my home not relegated to a corner of the basement. My home changes day to night and to prevent the temp changing takes a different approach that a breeder never sees. I resent the implications that I am not serious, I take my animals welfare seriously and have gone to great lengths to protect them. I have never cheaped out to save a few bucks on inferior products, cables, or supplies ever.

I dont do this for money nor did i claim i did. And for you to make a snarky comment that all i think of is money and breeding stock Pisses me off. I do this for fun, when it stops being fun Ill close up and be done and never look back. As i work with electronics for a living, snakes are a calming factor in my life simple as that.

The wires you keep talking about will NEVER EVER catch fire from being hooked up to a single strip of Flexwatt properly. Not sure where your expertise comes from with thinking the wires i use and almost everyone else but YOU are inferior cause they have a plastic coating on them. These cords are rated at 13 amps 16g wire and 1600-1800+watts load capacity. The chances of flexwatt over loading that cord and causing it to draw too much amperage to heat the wire is very Slim. I never said my way the the only way, But the way I been doing things for 17 years have proven to work. Never had a mis hap with heating, sick snake EVER.

The cord powering your computer or laptop is more likely to cause a fire than the cords use to wire flexwatt or UTHs. Ive never skipped out on anything in my collection when i have over 3k in heating and thermostats on hand.

And I have had my room temps drop in the 60s when power was out, And generator I had was too small for space heater to run. So i rant the incubator and racks only, guess what I didnt touch my t-stats and my hot spots were still in range.

[Slim]

I take my animals welfare seriously and have gone to great lengths to protect them. I have never cheaped out to save a few bucks on inferior products, cables, or supplies ever.

Are you suggesting that because we disagree on probe placement for a tub that it equates to me using cheap supplies and and having a disregard for my animal's welfare? Is that really what you ment to say here?

[kitedemon]

Are you suggesting that because we disagree on probe placement for a tub that it equates to me using cheap supplies and and having a disregard for my animal's welfare? Is that really what you meant to say here?

Anyone serious into Reptiles and breeding 9 times out of 10 will NOT have the probe inside the enclosure.

I am serious and use interior and exterior I am saying there is other ways of running probes. There is not only one method and with proper safe guards there is such a low risk that it is safe.


Let me start over it is too personal and that is at least partly my fault. Sorry for that again.


I KNOW you care about your animals and I am 100% certain that you do the very best for them and money is not the issue behind what you are doing. I never intended to say other wise, it did come out that way. I am tired and over worked and not writing clearly.

I am saying nothing more than this there are other methods of doing things other than the way you are suggesting. With the safe guards I have suggested it is just as safe as the placement you use (not for racks however) No probe can be poorly fastened and easily moved in any arrangement. I would also suggest that a failsafe t-stat is not something that should be thought of as optional it is a valuable part of a safe set up and will go a long way to prevent problems.

the cord snide comment was a cheap shot and I regret it. Sorry for that. I felt attacked personally and responded in kind.

I do retro engineering of products to re-purpose them. My comments about a cord are not about the load but about the possibility of an arc at the connection to the flexwatt. I agree lamp cord is fine as long as the connection is armoured well and in a position where the tub cannot repeatedly run over it. This is often not the case, the connection is often in a place where it is exposed and can be worn. The nature of flexwatt also lends to poor connections due to the fact it does flex. I have tested and watched lamp cord burn when exposed to an arc at a connection. Heater cable does not burn easily or for long unlike lamp cord. Properly done and carefully checked over it is unlikely to cause an issue. I feel that heater cord adds a small margin for safety that is not afforded by lamp cord. I also know that well done and carefully maintained there is low risk on an arc. Cord choice or probe placement properly done pose low threat, improperly done both are a risk. This is the point I was clumsily trying to make.

There are many ways of doing things, and carefully thought out, and with proper forethought, done very safely.

[Mike41793]

I dont wanna jump in on the fight here but i have my probe on the heat tape in between the tub and heat tape and have had zero problems so far

[Slim]

I am saying nothing more than this there are other methods of doing things other than the way you are suggesting.

There are many ways of doing things, and carefully thought out, and with proper forethought, done very safely.

On these points, you and I certainly see eye to eye.

[kitedemon]

I dont wanna jump in on the fight here but i have my probe on the heat tape in between the tub and heat tape and have had zero problems so far

I never suggested it didn't work. It just doesn't work in every situation. There are conditions where the swing with the room temp is quite large, too large IMO to be stress free 7-8º (hot spots that swing from 82-98º F) up and then down for the temp seems to me to be too large.

I just can't see a probe failing, a mechanical relay failing, and a second T-stat failing all at the same time. I just can't see all of that happening at the same moment. (aside from a power failure)