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Temperature Probe placement *Inside* of the tub..help please

A

Allhallows

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Hi,

Can anyone tell me the best way to secure a temp probe INSIDE of the tub without hurting the snake (ex. no tape). I know that you don't HAVE to keep the thermometer probe inside the tub, but my room temps fluctuate greately and it is hard to reach my warm/cool side temps without setting my thermostat up to around 105 (the temp probe on the heat tape says the heat tape is 98. Inside the tubs are 80 cool and 87 - 92 on the hot depending on how much I raise or lower the thermostat. I would rather have my rack set up like this:

1. Helix thermostat probe aluminum taped right on the heat tape
2. One temp prob INSIDE the tub on the hot side
3. One temp prob INSIDE the tub on the cool side

Setting this up like this will help me be at ease. Any suggestions? Maybe drill a tiny hole in the tub and tie the probe down?

Thanks,

Mike
 
You could try hot glue and a lot of slack on the probe cord but I'm not sure how it will affect the accuracy.

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but controlling the room fluctuations is probably the first thing that needs to be done. I don't think you are going to have much control over your ambient temps with the fluctuations if the probe is on the hot spot, inside. I use thermostats, but even the rheostat's I use work great now that I solved my room temp fluctuations and never need adjustment.
 
Focal X said:
You could try hot glue and a lot of slack on the probe cord but I'm not sure how it will affect the accuracy.

I know this isn't what you want to hear, but controlling the room fluctuations is probably the first thing that needs to be done. I don't think you are going to have much control over your ambient temps with the fluctuations if the probe is on the hot spot, inside. I use thermostats, but even the rheostat's I use work great now that I solved my room temp fluctuations and never need adjustment.
Click to expand...

Thanks. The probe (thermostat) is taped directly onto the flexwatt. The hotside/coolside probes are just thermometers. It is "impossible" to get my ambient room temp to stop fluctuating. I live in a 3 story townhome with one side of the house being floor to ceiling windows. When the sun beats down on the side of the house in the afternoon, the temp flys up. I put thermal tint on the windows, helped a bit...but really no escaping it. My central air is also the prob. The thermostat is on the second floor, but heat rises. I can never ever get a real temp reading throughout the house. It's a pain!
 
I agree with controlling the room fluctuations as much as possible.
I have one rack with back heat, and I felt the temperature of the tape was somewhat irrelevant; so I drilled a small hole in the side of one of the tubs (near the back, obviously) and pushed the t'stat probe through it. To the best of my knowledge, the snake hasn't messed with it...it's a tight fit, and the probe sticks straight out, it isn't dangling.
 
I understand completely. I had to move everything to the other side of the house for the same reason.

The main thing I am worried about when placing the probe in the tub, is if it moves off the hot spot. The temps will rise until it reaches the set temp on the thermostat and it will never see that from the probe and keep rising. I know someone that burnt up their racks doing that.

I would prep the tub by sanding it real good with coarse sand paper and then hot glue the back side of the probe to the tub. Let it cool and give it the "road test" to see if it really holds. I never tried but that's probably the first thing I would attempt.
 
If it is glued in place, that tub is effectively locked to the rack. Best to have it removable, IMO.
 
True, but if you are a good electrician a quick connect could be installed. I was also thinking two small holes and a zip tie but I'm sure urates would leak.
 
I would think using hot glue it should peel apart if you ever wanted to remove it.
Hot glue can hold well, but can also be removed pretty easily.

I think the idea sounds good though.
Good luck!
 
Since you are talking about the thermometer probes and not the thermostat (assuming I read your post right), you could just eliminate the probes in the tub all together and buy a tempgun. I know you said having the thermometers in the tub makes you feel better, but I figured I would suggest it anyway. I've never been able to get my snakes to leave probes in the tub alone. The issue seems to be the cord. If they wrap around it, they always pull the probe off. I would hate to punch holes in the bottom of the tub, since it seems like it would be bad for any spilled water to come into contact with the heat tape. The only other option seems to be Harald's suggestion of punching holes in the side of the tub, but if you have belly heat the fact that the probe isn't in contact with the substrate might be a negative.
 
Lots of people use hot glue to hold thermometer probes down on the hot spot.
Myself I never cared much if they got moved or not, I'd just run the temp gun over the tub to check temps and move the probe back over the hot spot and move on.
We keep a probed thermometer or two on each rack and use a temp gun, the best of both worlds.
 
As far as keeping the room a precise temperature I use an oil filled electric radiator and have it hooked up to a Helix 1500 watt proportional thermostat.

Helix Controls doesn't have them listed on there web site but you can email Jeff and have one built for 189.00 plus shipping.

http://www.helixcontrols.com/
 
I would recommend addressing the rooms temperature fluctuations first. I have tried the whole 'probes inside the tubs' set-up and it can get to be a real pain in the butt.

What kind of high and low ambient temperatures is your room seeing? Ensure that it doesn't drop below low 70s or go above mid 80s and the snakes will prosper provided they have the hot spot of 90 degrees available. This can be accomplished with a small heater and a fan.

I built melamine racks and use 4" tape for 41qt tubs. Sensor is taped with metal tape directly to the flexwatt on an edge where it will not get in the way of a bucket sliding in and out. The Herpstat 4 is set at 90 degrees. The average temperature on the inside bottom surface of the tubs over the tape is 89.6 degrees measured with an accurate IR gun. Thermostat in the room is set to 83 degrees during the day and cools to 81 at night for the summer. I never have to touch/adjust anything.
 
On futher note. It may help us if you can tell us where your thermometer probes are taped exactly? To the sides of the tub, or to the bottom?

If you're using belly heat and the probes are on the sides you're likely getting a reading closer to ambient inside the tub, which would likely put the floors surface temperature much too high. Naturally, you would also see much more fluctuation on your thermometers than you should if taking a floor reading directly above the heat tape. The floor surface is the temperature you want to pay attention to. This is where an IR gun comes in handy.
 
airtight_python said:
What kind of high and low ambient temperatures is your room seeing? Ensure that it doesn't drop below low 70s or go above mid 80s and the snakes will prosper provided they have the hot spot of 90 degrees available. This can be accomplished with a small heater and a fan.
QUOTE]

My ambient room temps are between 70 -77 throughout the day. Even with this ambient room temp, my cool side is still ranging from 75-82. My hot side stays around 88-91.

I also have a temp gun. Do I just pull the tub out really quick and see what the hot side reads?
Click to expand...
 
airtight_python said:
On futher note. It may help us if you can tell us where your thermometer probes are taped exactly? To the sides of the tub, or to the bottom?

If you're using belly heat and the probes are on the sides you're likely getting a reading closer to ambient inside the tub, which would likely put the floors surface temperature much too high. Naturally, you would also see much more fluctuation on your thermometers than you should if taking a floor reading directly above the heat tape. The floor surface is the temperature you want to pay attention to. This is where an IR gun comes in handy.
Click to expand...

I am using belly heat and the probes are taped to the inside bottom of the tubs (the Helix probe is taped to the flexwatt though). I have a temp gun. Do i pull the tub out really quick and just take the temp then?
 
Cool side in the tubs is 75-82 and warm side 88-91 with the thermometer probe on the bottom of the tub... I would say those temps are perfect and there's nothing to worry about. A little fluctuation is ok, the snake will go where it wants to be to control its own temperature in the tub. This may even be benificial come breeding time because they are experiencing 'natural' weather changes.

You can slide the tub out some and take the temp with the temp gun. It will maintain the hot temp for a couple of minutes without being directly over the heat tape.
 
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