Where to place the thermostat probe

[Rickys_Reptiles]

This is an age old debate about if the thermostat probe should go inside or under the enclosure. I personally put mine inside, because I feel that's best. If the probe is outside the enclosure then the temperature inside will constantly fluctuate as the temp outside changes. This is how I do it. I glue tubing inside the enclosure that I slide the thermostat probe into. I then use a bread clip to stop the probe from sliding back through the tube. This holds it in place without any tape! When I need to clean, I remove the clip and slide out the probe.

How do you do it???

[Mike41793]

This is an age old debate about if the thermostat probe should go inside or under the enclosure. I personally put mine inside, because I feel that's best. If the probe is outside the enclosure then the temperature inside will constantly fluctuate as the temp outside changes. This is how I do it. I glue tubing inside the enclosure that I slide the thermostat probe into. I then use a bread clip to stop the probe from sliding back through the tube. This holds it in place without any tape! When I need to clean, I remove the clip and slide out the probe.

How do you do it???

What happens when the snake tips the water bowl onto it? The bread clip could be knocked off too, thats certainly not fool proof. I just feel that its a lot safer to keep it outside of the enclosure where the snake cant mess with it at all. If its outside the enclosure then the only way it can be messed with is by me. That tubing would also be a spot where snake piss or crap could get in and have to be cleaned or replaced. I just personally feel like its a lot of extra effort you're going to with no real benefit.

[Rickys_Reptiles]

The bread clip can't come off, it takes a bit of work for me to take it off and I have opposable thumbs. As far as water tipping over, well that won't happen either, but I suppose if someone uses this method it should come with some kind of disclaimer telling the user that they need to make sure the water cannot be tipped over (Good point ). As for it needing to be cleaned due to waste, that's not an issue. The entire enclosure gets cleaned, including the tube.

For me the gain is simple. If the probe is outside then I need to test regularly and adjust my heat often. If my room temperature fluctuates 10 degrees over the course of the day, and my heat tape is set to 100 degrees (as an example), then the temperature inside will also fluctuate... The way I have it, no matter what the temperature it outside the enclosure, it's always the same inside.

[jclaiborne]

I have one cage with it on the outside and one with it on the inside, because I wanted to expirement with what was more accurate. The one on the inside is hot glued in place, the one on the outside is held on with Kapton tape. The temp in the room that I keep my reptiles in doesn't fluctuate more than a few degrees and I have found no difference on where the probe was placed. Once I dial in the temp it stays.

[tpkaos]

But when you put it on the outside are you constantly checking the temps inside to make sure?

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

[Mike41793]

For me the gain is simple. If the probe is outside then I need to test regularly and adjust my heat often. If my room temperature fluctuates 10 degrees over the course of the day, and my heat tape is set to 100 degrees (as an example), then the temperature inside will also fluctuate... The way I have it, no matter what the temperature it outside the enclosure, it's always the same inside.

No you don't lol? You figure out what temp you have to set your tstat to so you get the hotspot you want, set it, and it stays like that. The probe in my rack is within the rack under the tub, held in place. The temps in there don't fluctuate much at all. On top of that, none of the rooms in my house fluctuate 10degrees in a day, thats a lot. I saw the build you did of your reptile room, with the insulation and the heater it has in it there's NO way that room fluctuates that much with all that lol

Also, ok, your snakes can't tip their water bowls because i assume you're using the pvc cup links? The snakes could still piss or crap on the probe and mess it up.

[Mike41793]

But when you put it on the outside are you constantly checking the temps inside to make sure?

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

No, of course not, there's no reason to once you set it up correctly.

[tpkaos]

My room does fluctuate temperatures quite a bit. It is really cold if I don't have the space heater on and I can't leave it running all day as it gets way too hot. So depending on how long I am out of the house, my temps can fluctuate up to 10 degrees especially with the days we've been having here in Toronto.

Would you still advice putting the probe outside in this situation?

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

[jclaiborne]

My room does fluctuate temperatures quite a bit. It is really cold if I don't have the space heater on and I can't leave it running all day as it gets way too hot. So depending on how long I am out of the house, my temps can fluctuate up to 10 degrees especially with the days we've been having here in Toronto.

Would you still advice putting the probe outside in this situation?

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk

Yes, the whole point of the Tstat is to adjust the power going to your heat mat to attain the proper temp. I still use a heat gun for a sanity check once in a while, but once your enclosure is dialed in with a tstat you should be good to go. I use vision cages so they retain heat and humidity really well.

[KMG]

If the temp outside the cage changed the interior cage temp should be directly effected. The tstat should compensate for a temp change up or down and keep your hotspot at the set temp.

My big blood can flood her cage when she urinates which would be a pain to clean in that tube and would effect the tstat for awhile. She is also big enough that she has separated the thermometer probe every time I mount it to the hotspot. I used a method with a wire tube and hot glue and she removed it. I think the bread tie would stand little chance with her but if it actually held she may damage the tstat probe or wire.

I'm sure a ball is far less likely to rip it up but I still personally would not chance it. I don't believe that the temp fluctuates much between a uth and a cage bottom, especially if you have a good tstat. They are made to keep the temp the same.