Quote Originally Posted by dakski View Post
114F is snake can die hot.

If the thermostat isn't working, unplug it and get a new one ASAP.

Don't worry about ambient at the moment. Get the hot side no more than 90F.

Then worry about other ways to raise ambient.

Are you only using a CHE?

What type of tank do you have?

Please let us know tank size, type, all heating elements, etc.
The thermostat is working just fine, that's the problem. It's keeping the ambient temp perfectly, it's just the surface temp being directly under the CHE is being affected.

I should clarify, I have the hot side hide under his CHE so the top of the hide (where I'm measuring with the temp gun) is closer to the CHE than the ground.

I am only using a CHE on a thermostat. I have a 40 gallon tank, tin foil on the top and insulated sides to keep in heat.

It sucks cause I originally had just an UTH but that did diddly squat for the ambient temp especially with the cold weather so I replaced it with the CHE and now that the ambient's good the surface temp's too high :/