Getting some strange temp readings throughout my rack.

[John1982]

Here is my current setup:
6 tub (28q) PVC rack with 4" THG heat tape. Thermostat is a Vivarium VE-100, I also have a Thermoworks (TW) 2 probe digital thermometer and for double checking temps and humidity I have another digital thermometer in the rack. I use aspen bedding, and have two hide boxes per tub.

So the VE-100 is set to 93deg (probe for the VE-100 was reading 92 at the time I checked temps which is fine it can drop by 2 degrees before kicking back on).
I have taped the probe for the VE-100 and one of the probes for the TW right to the THG heat tape next to each other near the beginning of the heat tapes run through my rack. The probe for the TW was reading 95 at the time the VE-100 was reading 92 so that's a bit upsetting. Inside the rack the other TW probe and the backup temp probe were reading 86 and 87 degrees respectively.
Today I took my IR temp gun and pulled each tub out to spot check the hot spot and cool spot temps. Starting from the top tub, which I labeled #1 down to tub #6 here are the hot and cool side reading I got.
#1: 90/83
#2: 95/83
#3: 95/86
#4: 97/85
#5: 96/84
#6: 96/84

So my fear is that things are too hot, though several of the snakes seem just fine hanging out in their hot side hide boxes.

Is this something wrong with the heat tape or the VE-100?
Should I consider changing to 3" heat tape?
Should I consider getting rid of the VE-100?
Is it perhaps a bad place to tape the temp probes at the start of the tape and best to move them to the middle?

Any suggestions please comment.

This is strange. Since heat rises my top tubs are usually a bit warmer than the bottom tubs. I'd pull out all the tubs and check the temps along the tape to see if they are holding true. Since your temps are so much hotter at the bottom I'm guessing the tape is faulty and needs to be replaced.