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 Temperature and viv setup
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lr2188uk
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
45 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  17:46:31  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hey guys, ive had my snake for about 4 days now and he's awesome, i have one problem though, tank temps! Ive been and bought a digi thermometer today after being recommended to by a member, ive set it up and put the probe in the substrate in the warm end next to Dels hide, the temp has been 24.4 for a while now and i know it needs to be at 30.

Am i registering it in the right place? or does the probe need to be touching the glass thats over the heat mat? Ive turned the stat upto about 32 to try and get the temp up but so far no movement.

So my question is where do i need to put the probe to go about getting the right temp?

Cheers,

matty18714
The Count of Corniness

United Kingdom
4428 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  17:49:06  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Clear the substrate from above the mat so its mostly just glass and measure the temp of that.

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gingerpony
Queen Bee

United Kingdom
10455 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  17:53:18  Show Profile  Click to see gingerpony's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
like matty says it sounds like your substrate is too thick over the heatmat and insulating the heat away from the snake

ignore what the dial on the stat is reading, just set it to what the thermometer says, and yes, the therm probe and stat probe should be on top of the substrate above the heatmat. i rubber-band the 2 probes together so they're both reading the same place and are less likely to get moved around by the snake. do allow plenty of time for any temp changes to show though, ie. don't be checking the temps every 10 mins and turning it up and up and up!

cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos

Location:Leeds/York/Selby area
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lr2188uk
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
45 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  17:58:59  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Oh... Ive put the mat stat probe on the heatmat on the outside and taped it there so the reading is accurate, then ive got the probe for the thermometer just above the substrate. The substrate is very thin, maybe quarter of an inch.

So just to clarify, clear a small area of substrate, laccy band the two probes together and put them in the small gap? Wait for temp to rise.

Is this correct?

Thanks
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gingerpony
Queen Bee

United Kingdom
10455 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  18:12:56  Show Profile  Click to see gingerpony's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
thats ok hun, you can put the stat probe directly on the mat outside the tub/faun but i personally find that the mat doesn't heat up properly when there's nothing on it...........

what substrate are you using? a quarter inch of chippings or aspen would still be too thick, you just need a scattering really.......

cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos

Location:Leeds/York/Selby area
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Blackecho
The Corn Snake Admin

United Kingdom
4379 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  18:14:31  Show Profile  Click to see Blackecho's MSN Messenger address  Send Blackecho a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
The probe will be fine on the mat, or inside really.

As above though, ignore what it says on the thermostat, go by the thermometer.

What substrate are you using and how deep is it?



www.theroyalpython.co.uk/forum

Location: Rotherham

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lr2188uk
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
45 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  18:25:17  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Using about quarter of an inch of aspen on the warm side, im gonna tape them together and put them through the substrate touching the glass behind the hide... Will this be ok?
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Blackecho
The Corn Snake Admin

United Kingdom
4379 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  18:36:48  Show Profile  Click to see Blackecho's MSN Messenger address  Send Blackecho a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
Is there an air gap between the heatmat and the bottom of the tank?



www.theroyalpython.co.uk/forum

Location: Rotherham

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lr2188uk
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
45 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  18:43:11  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
No. Ive got the heatmat on a tea towel, then the tank on that, the heat probe for the stat and thermometer taped together and both pretty much touching the bottom of the tank through the substrate behind the hide, the temperature at the monent is 22.5 and steadily rising, I'll be able to tell soon what the temperature actually is.
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lr2188uk
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
45 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  19:55:43  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Temperature has been 24.7 for about 35 mins now and has literally just dropped to 24.6 so it isnt going to get any hotter... the stat is up full, am i right in saying that if the temperature of the glass at the bottom is 24.7 then it wont be 24.7 above the substrate? Ive taken some substrate out now so its just a 3-4mm layer so the heat should be getting through...

So how can i raise the temp to 30 if the heatstat is at its max of 34?

Im so confused guys, feeding time is just 3 days away now.
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Blackecho
The Corn Snake Admin

United Kingdom
4379 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  19:58:38  Show Profile  Click to see Blackecho's MSN Messenger address  Send Blackecho a Yahoo! Message  Reply with Quote
Try a piece of card covered in foil underneath the heat mat to direct the heat upwards.

What temp does the heatmat get up to un-statted as it may be that either the heatmat or the thermostat are faulty.



www.theroyalpython.co.uk/forum

Location: Rotherham

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lr2188uk
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
45 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  20:16:20  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Done that now, peice of card wrapped in a holographic present bag thing, gold, shiny... I dont have foil lol

Temp has dropped to 24 at the moment but that may be because ive been messing around fitting the card...

How do i check the mat? i dont want to leave it unstatted incase it hurts the snake but I cant take it out to test it otherwise it will go colder than it already is.
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lr2188uk
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
45 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  20:18:35  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Another thing ive just thought of is the fact that since ive had the tank etc the stat has NEVER gone off.... which would therefore mean it hasnt reached the 30degrees C i set it to. Hmm.... im confused, temp has dropped to 23.1 at the moment.

Poor snake.
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hillzi
The Lost boy.

United Kingdom
3984 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  20:46:57  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
this is EXACTLY what I'm going through at the moment,
currently running blaze's mat unstatted. useless stat got it to 21*.

emailed habistat, no response tried everything. Kinda kick in the crutch for me with tightwad parents, no job, no 'pocket money' I get the chance to earn money in a blue moon and have a £48 bill thrown at me.. isn't fun!

Edited by - hillzi on 02/01/2010 20:49:02
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lr2188uk
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
45 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  20:59:40  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
So you think it may be the stat? I only bought my kit a few days ago so i think I will take them back. Something isnt right, i have the probes as long down the tank as they will go, i have the heatmat insulated with a peice of shiny paper and the stat turned up full and at the moment its 23.8 and isnt going anywhere....

Soooooo frustrating
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hillzi
The Lost boy.

United Kingdom
3984 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  21:07:12  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'd take them both back, I'm having replace both mat and stat, mat's at 22.1* unstatted.
If it doesn't get high within 20 minutes, i'd say its kippered.
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lr2188uk
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
45 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  21:10:51  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Ive just unplugged the thermostat and let the mat run by itself.... 23.4 at the moment and climbing VERY slowly
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hillzi
The Lost boy.

United Kingdom
3984 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  21:15:55  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
This is what I experienced, you'll find it'll climb and fall.
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lr2188uk
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
45 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  21:39:37  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Seems to have levelled at 24.1.... i took the shiny paper out because i had a higher temp without it but that hasnt made any difference... Im going to take the Mat back tomorrow and get a replacement....

Does anyone else have any ideas? The mat is now not statted and still cant make it anywhere past 24.1, the thermostat hasnt gone off since ive owned it and seems to always be around 25-26 when i turn it down to check the temp..

Any other ideas other than the heatmat being nackered?

Cheers
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hillzi
The Lost boy.

United Kingdom
3984 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  21:50:03  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
and stat being kippered, no sorry
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lr2188uk
Snake Mite

United Kingdom
45 Posts

Posted - 02/01/2010 :  21:54:17  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Why do you think the stat? I was just wandering because if the mat itself cant get to the right temperature or above it just running on the mains what part would the thermomenter play and why would that change the temperature?

Just wandering really!

Thanks
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