HERPSTAT/ HEAT TAPE NOT REACHING SET TEMP>

[tlbowling]

I have a regular Herpstat, the basic model w/o Night drop.

I have a wire rack system with tile lining the shelves, and 4" heat tape.

The room I keep my reptiles in has a ambient room temperature of 68 degrees. The termostat is set for 99.9 degrees b/c the tubs dont sit directly on the heat tape, and they stay about 10 degrees cooler than the actual setting (so if my heat tape temp reads 97, the temp inside the tubs is reading 87).

The problem Im having, is that Im setting my herpstat to 99.9, so I can have my tub temp reach 90 for the warm end, however, the herpstat is not heating past a HI of 99.7, and a LOW of 95.0! (why would it go down this low?), the red light is almost always on, and sometimes I see the yellow light meaning its operating at a lower power. The whole purpose of having a theromstat is to set the temp. and have it KEEP it there! So why is it fluctuating like this, and not reaching the proper set temp?


I included pix of the set up for reference.

 

[Jordan]

how long has it been set up? cuz i had this problem with my thermostat when i first got it, and it took a day or two to just leave and ignore and literally not go near it until it got to the right temp lol. But other than that ive had no problems so cant help you much mre than that. sorry

 

[tlbowling]

It's been set up for a week. Sometimes the tub temps reach 89-90, but most of the time they are reading 86-87 degrees. Room temp today is 70, and herpstat is on full power set to 99.9, and only reading 96.8? Current tub temps are reading 87.

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

Looks like you have to much air circulation with that rack. that's why wire racks don't work. To much area for heat to dissipate into the air and leave you with a high electric bill and sub par heating.

 

[tlbowling]

But I have tile underneath, so no heat would be escaping through the wire shelf bottom? Do you think if I lined the back and sides with something it would work better and be more efficient?

PS I looked at the "show me your rack" thread on here before I built one myself, and there were quite a few people that used this same rack, w/ success.

 

[gothra]

I think the heat is lost to heating up the tiles. The 4 inch heat tape is not powerful enough to heat up the whole tile to 99F. I wouldn't tape it down to the tile, but instead, have some insulating material beneath the heat tape; and divert the heat to go up. Then place the probe inside one of the tubs, and let the thermostat operate according to the real temperature where the geckos are experiencing. No need to set it to 99F to make up for the temps inside.

 

[Fencer04]

I was having trouble getting my temps correct with a different thermostat and heat tape. What I did was use the lid of a Tupperware to create a vessel for the probe. I then connected the prob to the lid and the lid to the tape. This allowed the prob to have the same resistance to the pad as the inside of the enclosure.

I put a thermometer prob in an enclosure and set up the new thermostat probe/lid combo. It made getting the tank temp up to the correct number much easier.

 

[tlbowling]

I think the heat is lost to heating up the tiles. The 4 inch heat tape is not powerful enough to heat up the whole tile to 99F. I wouldn't tape it down to the tile, but instead, have some insulating material beneath the heat tape; and divert the heat to go up. Then place the probe inside one of the tubs, and let the thermostat operate according to the real temperature where the geckos are experiencing. No need to set it to 99F to make up for the temps inside.

By insulating material, do you mean like lay foil down, or maybe tape foil tape down first, underneath the heat tape?

I dont want to place the theromstat probe inside the tub b/c I want to know the exact temp of the heat tape, so I dont heat it over the recommended "safe" level....thats why I have a seperate heat probe inside the tub. So I know heat tape temp, and tub temp.:main_yes:

 

[tlbowling]

I removed the heat tape, lined the area of tile with foil tape first, and then layed down the heat tape again, in hopes that it would direct more heat up instead of soaking into the tiles.

The tubs are still only getting up to 87.5, and thermostat is never reaching it's set temp. of 99.9 (it's hovering at 98.7).

The person that I got this idea from used cardboard to line the shelves, my problem is I was trying to keep this as fireproof and safe as possible.

Does anyone have any other safe ideas that I could line the shelves with that will direct the heat up into the bins/ tubs and allow my thermostat to actually reach it's set temp and relax? (the red light is ALWAYS on, it never gets to be green.)

 

[gothra]

By insulating material, do you mean like lay foil down, or maybe tape foil tape down first, underneath the heat tape?

I dont want to place the theromstat probe inside the tub b/c I want to know the exact temp of the heat tape, so I dont heat it over the recommended "safe" level....thats why I have a seperate heat probe inside the tub. So I know heat tape temp, and tub temp.:main_yes:

By insulating material, I meant things like cork boards, foam boards...etc. Those that heat cannot pass through easily. Foil conducts heat pretty well, so having a piece of foil beneath the UTH will still heat up the entire tile. Hope this helps.

 

[tlbowling]

I think maybe I'll try the cork board. Is that flammable? Where do I get cork board... Home Depot, AC Moore?

 

[Fencer04]

What I mean was the same material that is at the bottom of the container. I took a plastic Tupperware lid and put the prob on top of that because it was the same material and thickness as the bottom of my enclosure. That goes on top of the heat tape and the probe goes on top of the piece of Tupperware lid. This was the probe is placed in a position as close to being inside the enclosure without actually being in there.

I put a thermometer probe inside the enclosure just to test what setting on the thermostat got my enclosure to the correct temp and found that the setting it to 90 degrees was perfect because of how the thermostats probe was positioned.

I will post photos of exactly what I mean when I get home from work.

 

[tlbowling]

[IQUOTE=Fencer04;593095]What I mean was the same material that is at the bottom of the container. I took a plastic Tupperware lid and put the prob on top of that because it was the same material and thickness as the bottom of my enclosure. That goes on top of the heat tape and the probe goes on top of the piece of Tupperware lid. This was the probe is placed in a position as close to being inside the enclosure without actually being in there.

I put a thermometer probe inside the enclosure just to test what setting on the thermostat got my enclosure to the correct temp and found that the setting it to 90 degrees was perfect because of how the thermostats probe was positioned.

I will post photos of exactly what I mean when I get home from work.[/QUOTE]

The problem is that the heat tape is not reaching the temperature that I need it to get to, so probe placement is not the problem, if the heat tape temp won't reach the proper temp., placing the probe on top of a peice of plastic isn't going to help. I think its an insulation thing.

 

[Imperial Geckos]

did you buy your heat tape pre wired? Have you checked all your connection to make sure they are OK?

 

[tlbowling]

Yes, heat tape was prewired, its getting warm...doesn't that mean all the connections are connecting?

 

[Imperial Geckos]

Maybe just try switching to another "insulator"... Maybe since you are using lids, you can also put styrofoam under each shelf too

 

[tlbowling]

By insulating material, I meant things like cork boards, foam boards...etc. Those that heat cannot pass through easily. Foil conducts heat pretty well, so having a piece of foil beneath the UTH will still heat up the entire tile. Hope this helps.

Gothra- I want to thank you for your advice! I got cork shelf liner, and lined the area under the heat tape with it....worked like a charm!:main_thumbsup:

 

[gothra]

No problem! Glad its working for you.