Aw Crap, Something Broke

[Jazi]

So, last night (aka earlier this morning at 2:30am) when I went to bed, I checked on Quetzal and his temps were perfect and spot on. This morning when I woke up for school, his temps were down to 72 on the hot spot and 69 on the cold side. EEK! I had to run to class (no choice to skip, missed attendance = reduced grade), but luckily I have a heat lamp that I got with the tank and just never used and tried that in the mean time. There was a cold snap this morning but he's lasted all winter without a problem.

I also cranked up the thermostat and the UTH rose a whole .2F in the two hours I was there. I can't tell if my thermostat or my UTH is the one that's busted, currently have the UTH plugged in without the thermostat to test it and Quetzal is in my shirt keeping warm in the meantime. Heat lamp has his hot spot at 75 now, not nearly high enough but it's getting there.

So, question. If it's my UTH that'll be the second one that's failed on me. Third, actually, as I bought a spare when I got this one just in case and that's still cold after an hour of me testing it. I can just buy another one no problem, there's a PetSmart down the street or I could run all the way to That Pet Place and easily get one. Can I use a human heating pad so that Quetzal won't freeze his tail off while I'm out (WAY too cold to take him on the bus with me... it's about 50F outside)? If it's my thermostat, what's a good substitute until I can order another with overnight shipping?

[Tzeentch]

There should be no need to use a human heating pad.

If you use the heat lamp on while you run to the store, he'll be fine.

What are you using to measure the temperature of the UTH?

[Jazi]

Heat lamp only raised the temps a few degrees in the course of two (now three) hours. So his hot spot is STILL nearly 20 degrees too cold at 75F. Was wondering if a human heating pad would safely boost the temps until I run to the store and back, but first I have to wait for the bus and then it's an hourly trip, so he'll be stuck in a cold cage for at least the next two hours.

Temperature of the UTH was being gauged by the thermostat which as I've said reports the heating pad was only getting to about 74ish and through the substrate according to my digital thermometer translates to a hot spot of about 72 (without the lamp). Snake is in my shirt warming up, so I plugged the UTH directly into the wall to see if it was a thermostat failure and (without setting it up) plugged the spare into a DIFFERENT outlet to see if that one was working. After about an hour both UTHs are still way too cold at 70F (so says temp gun).

[Annarose15]

Heat lamp only raised the temps a few degrees in the course of two (now three) hours. So his hot spot is STILL nearly 20 degrees too cold at 75F. Was wondering if a human heating pad would safely boost the temps until I run to the store and back, but first I have to wait for the bus and then it's an hourly trip, so he'll be stuck in a cold cage for at least the next two hours.

Temperature of the UTH was being gauged by the thermostat which as I've said reports the heating pad was only getting to about 74ish and through the substrate according to my digital thermometer translates to a hot spot of about 72 (without the lamp). Snake is in my shirt warming up, so I plugged the UTH directly into the wall to see if it was a thermostat failure and (without setting it up) plugged the spare into a DIFFERENT outlet to see if that one was working. After about an hour both UTHs are still way too cold at 70F (so says temp gun).

Don't use a human heating pad - you aren't supposed to run those when you are asleep, so why risk an electrical fire or burn when you aren't even there? When it's only a few hours, your ambient temp is much more important than a hot spot. Worry about getting ambient over 75 for while you're gone, not the hot spot.

[Scubaf250]

What kind of thermostat are you using? What kind of uth? Also what kind of temp gun?

If the hot spot is really only 75 with the light he should be ok for the hour it will take you to get to the store and back. Not optimal but it will be fine for an hour or 2.


Send in your two cents!
Http://Yourtwocentsworth.com

[LLLReptile]

They routinely get shipped without access to a constant high and low temps; for an emergency, 75 degrees is fine.

It's strange that you have so many heat pads going out on you, though. You may want to try plugging them in to a different outlet, or plugging them in to a power strip to control power surges. Possibly also call the manufacturer to find out what it could be that is causing so many failures. Our stores go years, and years, and years without needing to replace pads - I even still have some pads of my own that are still working after 6 years.

A tip for the future, try picking up a few of those 40 hour heat packs commonly used for shipping. I keep 2 per snake on hand at home just in case, either there's a heat failure, or I have to evacuate (wild fires are common in my area), etc. They are life savers, quite literally, in emergencies!

-Jen

[Jazi]

Petsmart#1 is sold out of the size I need. Perfect. Waiting for the bus home from Petsmart#2. Ran home to check Quetzal in between, his lamp got him up to 80 ambient and hot spot and he's curled up tight in his warm hide. I won't use the human pad then if it'll cause a fire. I want to warm my snake not roast him. Also darn it I'm getting a car these bus schedules are the worst for someone in a rush.

For brands, zoomed's 50-60gal uth (I've got a 55gal), hydrofarm's thermostat, radioshack brand thermometers and temp gun. I think it's the pads that are broken as they should feel at least warm after 2 hours unregulated but nada. Once a nice paycheck comes in I'm just going to order flexwatt and herpstat 1. 4 pads in 4 months is a bit ridiculous.

[Jazi]

They routinely get shipped without access to a constant high and low temps; for an emergency, 75 degrees is fine.

It's strange that you have so many heat pads going out on you, though. You may want to try plugging them in to a different outlet, or plugging them in to a power strip to control power surges. Possibly also call the manufacturer to find out what it could be that is causing so many failures. Our stores go years, and years, and years without needing to replace pads - I even still have some pads of my own that are still working after 6 years.

A tip for the future, try picking up a few of those 40 hour heat packs commonly used for shipping. I keep 2 per snake on hand at home just in case, either there's a heat failure, or I have to evacuate (wild fires are common in my area), etc. They are life savers, quite literally, in emergencies!

-Jen

Sorry Jen, I was on my phone and didn't see that you'd posted.

What's interesting is that the thermostat and desk lamp that's also plugged into that particular outlet are both fine. One heating pad was removed prior to it coming into my possession and I think that borked a wire in there because there were extremely hot sections (which burned Quetzal's belly). This one was plugged into the exact same thermostat, failed OFF apparently. The spare wasn't even opened and it's not doing anything but remaining cold AND I plugged it into a different outlet just to be sure. My electricity is on, other things work in those two outlets (I've got my laptop charger in the one I used to test the spare, the thermostat and desk lamp still turn on). We did have a thunderstorm in the area a few days ago, but this one just failed today. I'm definitely giving ZooMed a call... the first one is whatever, but two failing and one straight out of the package? Nah, something's not right there.

I'll definitely order some of those later today when I'm done setting up /this/ UTH. AND I'm keeping my PetSmart receipt since it cost me $50 to get yet /another/ one @_@;

[LLLReptile]

Sorry Jen, I was on my phone and didn't see that you'd posted.

What's interesting is that the thermostat and desk lamp that's also plugged into that particular outlet are both fine. One heating pad was removed prior to it coming into my possession and I think that borked a wire in there because there were extremely hot sections (which burned Quetzal's belly). This one was plugged into the exact same thermostat, failed OFF apparently. The spare wasn't even opened and it's not doing anything but remaining cold AND I plugged it into a different outlet just to be sure. My electricity is on, other things work in those two outlets (I've got my laptop charger in the one I used to test the spare, the thermostat and desk lamp still turn on). We did have a thunderstorm in the area a few days ago, but this one just failed today. I'm definitely giving ZooMed a call... the first one is whatever, but two failing and one straight out of the package? Nah, something's not right there.

I'll definitely order some of those later today when I'm done setting up /this/ UTH. AND I'm keeping my PetSmart receipt since it cost me $50 to get yet /another/ one @_@;

Give ZooMed a call for sure, they should be able to help you troubleshoot the pads and see what's going on. You could just have the worst heat pad luck in the world, who knows!

Just checking the obvious, but you're plugging in just the heat pad to the wall, even the new ones, not using the thermostat initially yet, right? Just checking to make sure the thermostat isn't the culprit.

-Jen

[Jazi]

I think that might be it, I tend to have the worst luck with everything =_= I'll give them a call on Friday when I'm not scrambling around to prepare for a presentation and a lecture I have to give to a class tomorrow (and then go to a 7 hour class afterward, yaaay college).

Yup, I tested the old one attached to the tank with an extension cord (that I KNOW works because I use it with my laptop) and an outlet in a completely different room without the thermostat, tested the spare (that I JUST opened) in another room without the thermostat, and left them sit for an hour. Nothing.

I have the new one now hooked up and running, plugged it into my bedroom outlets to test it and then into the thermostat. It's warming up now. :| I have no idea why the others failed, but when I get to work in a few days I'm buying one of those three-outlet surge protectors and throwing my set up on one of those instead. I'll also place the order for the heat packs just in case this happens again. Thunderstorm season started a few days ago so I might as well just in case.