Newb Temp Help

[Zeusy]

I'll start by saying sorry because yes, i am sure this may have been answered before but for the last 1-2weeks ive been researching setting up my click-clack for temp gradient etc and now, all i'm seeing is number now and i'm a bit confused.

So, i've setup my 7ltr sistema click clack and put a 7watt reptile one heat mat running on a thermostat set to 32 degrees. During the night, i'm getting temps of 22-23 cold end and 27 warm end (these are measured in the air, not directly on the plastic). During the day though i'm getting 31 cold end, 32 warm end.

Is the warm end temp during the night too low? It'll probably get even lower during winter time so should i look at a more powerful heatmat or even heatcord?

I'm not getting much of a gradient during the day. Should i hook up a fan to pull some heat out of the cold end running off a thermostat (I've built a fully programmable controller which can control many items off any given inputs like temps)?


Or is everything normal and just leave it?

 

[Snapped]

I'm glad you are setting the click clack up before you get your snake, well done.

Have you got air holes in the tub, and how much of the click clack are you putting on the heat mat? Is there anything between the heat mat and the tub?

 

[Zeusy]

Yeah, heaps of air holes so maybe i need to close some up. I've got 1/3 of the click clack on the heat mat. I did have an air gap using the little stick on feet which come with the heat mat but i've taken them away to try and retain some heat as much as possible. It's sitting on an external type thick ceramic tile

 

[dangles]

Yeah, heaps of air holes so maybe i need to close some up. I've got 1/3 of the click clack on the heat mat. I did have an air gap using the little stick on feet which come with the heat mat but i've taken them away to try and retain some heat as much as possible. It's sitting on an external type thick ceramic tile

if you do this the cool end temps during the day time will increase. i take my hot setting directly off the paper i use as substrate in click clacks

 

[Snapped]

Okay, heres what I did when I set mine up a few weeks ago.

I have the heat mat itself sitting on a piece of slate tile.

Then the heat mat.

Then I have another large ceramic tile over the heat mat, with a gap (don't laugh, I'm using a few leggo bricks to create an air flow LOL) and 1/3rd of the tub is sitting on that tile over the heat mat.

I have the thermostat probe sitting IN the tub at floor level, ( I just melted a slightly larger hole to fit the probe through) as well as the temperature probe (again on the bottom of the tub), both at the hot end. My thermostat is set to 31, I'm getting between 30-32 during the day, around 28-30 at night....cool end is whatever the room temp is.

You might need to move a bit more of the tub onto the tile, or less, and probably put the probe in the tub.

 

[remlap]

Sit your thermostat probe on the plastic because that is where your animal will get its heat from. If you have a hatchie to a yearling I would not even bother with trying to lower temps for nighttime and just let it run

I had all my hatchies set up in the same way as you described same heat mat and tub size and never had any problem.

 

[Snapped]

Actually I think you're probably just measuring the temp in the wrong place, can you try measuring it on the floor of the tub (give it a few minutes for the probe to warm up) as that's where they will get the heat from, and they can move away from the hot end to the cool end.

 

[Zeusy]

I can't really put the sensor on the floor due to it's design. It's a bolt in style one which i have bolted through a large hole at the end of the container. I've put it as close to the bottom as possible. The cold end temps are simply ambient temps so thats probably why im not getting much of a gradient during the day. I haven't made any adjustments for day/night with temps. The heatmat simply stays on all night and keeps around 27 degrees. Maybe the floor is running warmer where i would want it to.

 

[Snapped]

Have you got a temperature probe in there though? (not the thermostat probe, a temperature probe)

 

[Zeusy]

Temp Sensor


Top View


Warm End (black probe is humidity)

 

[Zeusy]

My temp sensor's are quite expensive (more than most thermostats) and extremely accurate which i got for nothing from work. I have a constant read out of temp off each one which i also run the heatmat off similar to an on/off thermostat so the one sensor does both display and read temp and control heatmat. Hope that makes sense :?

 

[Snapped]

Honestly, just grab a digital thermometer with a probe for $25 from Ebay or something, Im not sure the bolt thing is going to take correct temps where it is.
So where is the thermostat probe? Or am I just confused?

 

[Snapped]

Oh okay, I kind of get it, but I'm not up with what they are. Have you got a temperature gun to take a few readings over a few days? Then you will know if the thermostat/temp thing is working properly.

 

[Bart70]

Infra red temp guns are great......I use mine to be sure to be sure as the Irish would say.....in most cases it is within a degree of the temp on the thermo but it is handy to just 'point and shoot' and get the actual temps of items and surroundings. We have one for my wife's business....they are not that expensive and are one of the handiest tools for around the home that I have ever bought my wife!

(Just make sure you read and understand the instructions....it is easy to get a false reading if not used correctly)

Robert