Plethora of click clack heatin problems

[alrightknight]

So im getting my first snake next thursday, ive had a click clack set up for a week and im having alot of problems heating it. its about 40 litres, im using a 14 watt heat matt, with a cheap $30 thermostat as well as living in a pretty cold area. Im struggling to get my floor/air temp above 19 degrees during the day and my hotspot (even with thermostat set right up to 38) is still only reaching about 27-29, though its inbuilt thermometer is telling me its about 36.

Ive tried heaps from putting blankets over it to covering ventilation holes. I wanted to know if putting a heat lamp by it or over it would work in helping to increase the air temp at least during the day without destroying
the click clack or whatever.

also if there is a thread that regards this already can you link it to me I couldn't find anything.

thanks Ash.

 

[Ramsayi]

Sounds about right that the mat is only raising temps by around 10C.You either need to move the tub to a warmer room,use a higher wattage heat mat or raise the room temp.

 

[JAS101]

what are u using for a substrate / flooring ? just a layer of news paper ?
what have u got under your heat mat ?

 

[longqi]

Make up a simple mesh screen box
Place a small 40watt light bulb inside it [desk lamp size]
Read the temp after a couple of hours
Too hot use a 30watt bulb
Too cold use a 50watt bulb

 

[Schnecke]

I had a 14w heat mat that worked perfectly for my 22-23 litre CC.

Put ceramic floor tile the size of the CC on a flat surface
Put heat mat on ceramic tile (cord exposed so it's not clamped)
Cover heat mat with another tile the same size (read: heat mat sandwich )
Put CC on top, turn on, place thermometer/probe on top of tile and rest twig on top so it's reading the floor temp.

That's the main bit to worry about. Mine got REALLY toasty like that (35) with a nice gradient to the cool end of the CC where the tile cooled down.

 

[J-A-X]

move the thermostat sensor a bit higher or closer to the cool end,
OR
put a sturdy hide on half the heat mat,this will capture the heat and give snakey an extra warm place to digest
OR
do both the above.

put your thermometer (not thermostat) sensor in the hide to see what temp you get in the hide, if it goes 35c + drop the temp on the thermostat until you get a nice consitant 33c

i am basing my temperature advice on the assumption that you are getting a carpet, please adjust temps to suit the species


pop a picture up, it will help get you more specific suggestions

 

[Em1986]

Ok so i have about 55-57L tubs set up and i am using a 9m heat cord and microclimate ministat thermo and it works a treat
I was using a 4m heat cord which is about 15w or so and it just wasn't heating up well at all (i had tiles on it too) so maybe you need a bigger heat source or better thermo.

 

[Schnecke]

i am basing my temperature advice on the assumption that you are getting a carpet

It's a Bredli (I know this from OP's response in another thread.

 

[alrightknight]

As schneke said it is a bredli, sorry for got to say. And yes im only using a newspaper subsrate with a 15mm thick piece of foam underneath it. I think ill use a combo of everything mentionedIn summer ill probably be asking you guys how to cool it down, I hate living in a state with the extremes of both seasons :/.

 

[Snowman]

take some pictures and show us what you have set up. Much easier to identify the problem and help that way.

 

[Schnecke]

....with a 15mm thick piece of foam underneath it....

Foam will suck heat - where exactly is the foam? Is it "foam" foam, or is it styrene?

 

[alrightknight]

Sorry styrene foam. But ive got plenty of tips now. If I have any my problems ill come back for more help.

Thanks guys, Its all heated perfectly now. Just need to wait for the snake

 

[Fantazmic]

Something we found was that you need to be careful when selecting your click clack as if the base of the click clack is too thick the heat from the heat mat won't make it through to heat the inside.....you need to select a click clack with just a single sheet of plastic on the base and you should be fine...also be careful using cheap heat mats just look up threads on here about heat mat disasters and you will see why

 

[J-A-X]

As schneke said it is a bredli, sorry for got to say. And yes im only using a newspaper subsrate with a 15mm thick piece of foam underneath it. I think ill use a combo of everything mentionedIn summer ill probably be asking you guys how to cool it down, I hate living in a state with the extremes of both seasons :/.

if you get it set up properly now then you shouldnt have too many issues in the summer . I live in the same state as you, and I dont change my tanks setup with the seasons, very much set and forget