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elament
Yearling
United Kingdom
942 Posts |
 Posted - 18/02/2010 : 11:55:34
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As you all know I bang on about having the probes of the thermometer and stat rubber banded together and touching the mat but I have learned something today that had me banging my head against the wall.
Previously I have had both said probes "hanging down" from the top of the viv with the tips of the probes touching the bare surface of the mat thinking this would be sufficient. On both vivs the probes were attached to hides so they couldnt move but last night with colin being so active he somehow (bless him) managed to dislodge the probes and had moved them so they were on top of the substrate. I decided enough is enough and moved the probes so the were underneath the hides laying flat on the mat and oh boy was I suprised when I saw the temprature difference by having both probes laying flat on the mat. The mat was actually pumping out 33c but when i put the probes the way they were originally with just the tips touching the mat they were reading 28.5c. The difference was staggering! I now have both vivs set up with the probes going under the warm hides laying flat against the mat and weighed down with the weight of the hides so they cant be moved. I just thought I would put this on here so that any of you that have a similar set up can avoid making what essentially is a very stupid mistake one which I am very much ashamed of. |
1.1.0 Amel Corns Colin and Xena
1.0.0 Dog Talan
1.1.0 Cats Wotsit and Willow
1.0.0 Ferret Chaos
Location: Lowestoft Suffolk |
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Gaz_1989
Yearling
United Kingdom
931 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2010 : 12:52:03
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No worrys mate, thanks for letting us all know.
I guess that if just the tip is touching the mat then the 'shaft' of the probe is in the air, higher than the mat, hence reading cooler than the tip. So the overall reading would be reduced.
Gaz |
0.0.1 CB15 Amel Corn - Billy
1.0.0 CB16 Brazilian Rainbow Boa - Hunter |
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elament
Yearling
United Kingdom
942 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2010 : 13:00:53
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Yep so it seems Gaz stupid me I should have sussed that one out but hey ho you live and learn the main thing is both snakes are fine so its not a big problem just a stupid mistake to make really
Editted to add: Just makes me wonder why on earth they dont make mats with built in stat probes would make life a whole lot easier. |
1.1.0 Amel Corns Colin and Xena
1.0.0 Dog Talan
1.1.0 Cats Wotsit and Willow
1.0.0 Ferret Chaos
Location: Lowestoft Suffolk |
Edited by - elament on 18/02/2010 13:04:08 |
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SexyBear77
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3796 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2010 : 13:12:02
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quote:
Originally posted by elament
Yep so it seems Gaz stupid me I should have sussed that one out but hey ho you live and learn the main thing is both snakes are fine so its not a big problem just a stupid mistake to make really
Editted to add: Just makes me wonder why on earth they dont make mats with built in stat probes would make life a whole lot easier.
Probably because the close proximity to the wood and being covered with substrate would effect the reading.
Good catch though, very lucky.
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9.11 Cornsnakes
1.1 Hogg island boas
1.0 Dwarf Burmese python
Location: Watford
Website- http://rassnakes.yolasite.com/ |
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Gaz_1989
Yearling
United Kingdom
931 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2010 : 13:12:10
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Yeh i agree.
Im sure that there must be a Mat/Stat package with built in probe/s.
It wouldnt be that difficult to manufacture...
You might see me on dragons den with this, lol.
Gaz |
0.0.1 CB15 Amel Corn - Billy
1.0.0 CB16 Brazilian Rainbow Boa - Hunter |
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elament
Yearling
United Kingdom
942 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2010 : 13:50:03
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| LOL good luck with that one Gaz I will of course be expecting commission or at least a couple of free samples lol. Just goes to show though doesnt it. I eat and breath Cornsnakes. If I am not on here I am trawling the net or on the phone to eurorep or my rep dealer making sure I got everything covered and even still I still made a stupid mistake but luckily (mainly thanks to Colin) I sussed it out and know for the future and thanks to this forum I can pass on my mistake so others dont make it. For future reference it will be both probes banded together and LAYING FLAT on the mat under the hide. I must admit I thought it was a bit suss both my stats are reading 31c when the thermo was reading 28.5 but i just put that down to inacurate stat dials. Apologies habistat!!! |
1.1.0 Amel Corns Colin and Xena
1.0.0 Dog Talan
1.1.0 Cats Wotsit and Willow
1.0.0 Ferret Chaos
Location: Lowestoft Suffolk |
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mikerichards
don't say the 'M' word!
United Kingdom
2901 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2010 : 16:14:48
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Good catch, its not a stupid mistake, its just an easy one, a stupid mistake is doing it twice!
Sometimes, its situations like this that help us learn the best ways, of all the tips and info here, someone somewhere has made that mistake, and learnt and in turn helped others learn! |
Location : Worthing, West Sussex
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elament
Yearling
United Kingdom
942 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2010 : 16:26:04
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| Thanks guys I appreciate that. Lets hope like you say my mistake means someone else out there wont make the same one. |
1.1.0 Amel Corns Colin and Xena
1.0.0 Dog Talan
1.1.0 Cats Wotsit and Willow
1.0.0 Ferret Chaos
Location: Lowestoft Suffolk |
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mikerichards
don't say the 'M' word!
United Kingdom
2901 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2010 : 16:29:37
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Depends, they have to read this first! Lol
In fairness, you are not the first to make the mistake, and you won't be the last. As I always believe, its not the mistake you make, its the lesson you learn. We all make mistakes, that's life! |
Location : Worthing, West Sussex
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elament
Yearling
United Kingdom
942 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2010 : 16:49:36
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| Lets hope they do if just one person learns from my blatent error then it justifies putting it on here in the first place but at the end of the day as I am sure we all know there is none more ignorant than those that will not listen (or read come to that) LOL |
1.1.0 Amel Corns Colin and Xena
1.0.0 Dog Talan
1.1.0 Cats Wotsit and Willow
1.0.0 Ferret Chaos
Location: Lowestoft Suffolk |
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newsnakekeeper
Hatchling
United Kingdom
222 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2010 : 20:56:39
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| I must admit i always put my stat prob just touching the heat mat guess i need to lie that and thermomator flat as well to get a true reading of temp |
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matty18714
The Count of Corniness
United Kingdom
4428 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2010 : 21:11:10
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While digital thermometers do the job, they are better for measuring ambient temperatures (you will never get the probe flat with the surface). A temp gun will measure surface temperatures alot better, and alot faster. This is what I use:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=220790 |
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Nazzle
Hatchling
United Kingdom
138 Posts |
Posted - 18/02/2010 : 21:18:29
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| I LUUURRRVVVEEE my temp gun, it's great for checking gradients and finding too-high hot spots. I've found that it's not as accurate as a digi thermometer though (and it's about 1 and a half degrees under what it should be, calibrated against my fancy thermometer for me from NHS when I was poorly) , I use both in conjunction with each other. In fact my temp gun lives in my handbag so I can use it wherever I am. |
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Probe positioning
