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Kylashnikov
Hatchling
United Kingdom
57 Posts |
 Posted - 22/02/2010 : 20:45:17
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I'm having troubles with my thermostat, heat source or thermometer, or maybe I'm just being overly paranoid.
Well at the moment when I set the Thermostat to the temperature I want it doesn't match it on the thermometer at all, it sometimes goes over, and earlier the light dimmed out and allowed the temperature in the hot end to drop below 30ºC. I had to adjust the thermostat to get it back on.
My probe's currently in the centre where I was advised to put it, and attached to a dimming thermostat and a 60watt heat bulb.
I'm not sure how this works but am I meant to set it to the desired temperature on the thermostat or does this sort of thing require some trial and error?
I woke up this morning to find the temperature at 38ºC in the hot end and then earlier it dropped below 30 when the light dimmed out and didn't seem to be turning back on.
Good thing I didn't bring the snake home Sunday or the poor fella would be distraught right now. If anyone has any words of wisdom they'd be greatly appreciated. |
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sexychef
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
692 Posts |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2010 : 21:02:50
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| I would have the probe for both the thermometer (digital?) and the thermostat on the substrate under the bulb. Ignore the numbers on the thermostat, just adjust it until the thermometer is correct. |
 
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pfleming
Yearling
247 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2010 : 21:03:41
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I find that my temps rise through the day (as my bulb has been on longer and longer..) and then fall at night when only the heatmat is on. not too dangerous levels, but there is definetly some change in mine.
do you have a similar set-up when the bulb is off at night? |
0.0.1 Royal Python!
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Kylashnikov
Hatchling
United Kingdom
57 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2010 : 21:10:31
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Naah bulb's on 24 hours a day at the moment, is this bad? The light's on at the moment but not budging past 90ºF, I assume this is only right?
It's a 60 watt bulb, an Exo-Terra thermometer (not digital, the stick one wall ones, not the best I know) and I'm not sure on the precise thermostat sorry. |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2010 : 21:18:49
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I have my IR bulbs on 24/7, but the dial thermometers are useless.
Go on ebay, search for 'digital aquarium thermometer' you can pick them up for about £3.
Before that you're as good as guessing. |
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Kylashnikov
Hatchling
United Kingdom
57 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2010 : 21:37:43
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I have just searched for one of those, what concerned me though was that the hot end had dropped to around 30ºC and I saw no evidence of the bulb turning back on to heat it back up, I'm worried incase this happens for a prolonged period and my poor snakey freezes :(
EDIT: Just set it too high and it sky rocketed up to around 40ºC, but it's been turned down to the point where the bulb turned off and now it's slowly dimming on and the temperature's around 32ºC. I hope this works out :( I'd hate to have a Royal and not be able to care for it properly. |
Edited by - Kylashnikov on 22/02/2010 22:40:13 |
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Welly
Yearling
United Kingdom
423 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2010 : 22:30:32
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What stat are you running for the the bulb.
Some stat's allow it to drop a lil bit before kicking back in to heat again. If your probe is in the middle it will be taking a while for a reading. So will be warming the whole Viv up first then cooling the whole viv etc.
As BE said, try sticking the probe on the substrate under the bulb |
0.1.0 Royal Python
0.0.1 Mexican Black King
1.0.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa |
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chris100575
Sub Adult
United Kingdom
743 Posts |
Posted - 23/02/2010 : 08:33:46
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To agree with BE, I think the source of your problem is the position of the sensor and the dial thermometer. If you put the probes on the substrate under the bulb and then fiddle with the thermostat until the thermometer reading is correct you'll be fine. Definitely get a digital thermometer though.
I'm using an I/R bulb setup as above and the warm end stays nicely at 32c.  |
0.1.0 Royal Python - Princess
0.1.0 BCI - Feather |
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Kylashnikov
Hatchling
United Kingdom
57 Posts |
Posted - 24/02/2010 : 21:18:21
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My digital thermometer came today, and immediately I noticed the Dial was about 5 degrees higher than the digital therm.'s reading.
My Thermostat does actually seem to match the temperature it produces in the vivarium closer than I originally first thought (I'm not going to go on the thermostat settings alone obviously)
So I've measured the current ground temperature at 32.4ºC, I'm going to measure the temperature where the thermostate probe is and set the thermostat to that and hopefully it should all even out nicely, failing this I'll just have to move the Thermostat probe in the hot end.
Thanks for the help guys, I can't wait to bring my Royal home. :) |
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pfleming
Yearling
247 Posts |
Posted - 24/02/2010 : 21:59:05
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| no worries, if you got any more issues/concerns we will be happy to help! |
0.0.1 Royal Python!
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 24/02/2010 : 22:03:07
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| The temperature at ground level at the hot end is what you want to be measuring and it seems spot on. |
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Kylashnikov
Hatchling
United Kingdom
57 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2010 : 18:01:01
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At night it seems to rise in temperature a little, im not sure why but the past few nights it's been doing it religiously. Shall I drop the thermostat a notch before i go to bed when I get the snake?
I'm getting him tomorrow or Saturday, I honestly cannot wait. :D |
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Welly
Yearling
United Kingdom
423 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2010 : 20:30:05
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| Be good to have it vary slightly as thats what it would do naturally. Just make sure it doesn't get to hot or to cold |
0.1.0 Royal Python
0.0.1 Mexican Black King
1.0.0 Brazilian Rainbow Boa |
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jesse1986
Snake Mite
37 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2010 : 20:32:48
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quote:
Originally posted by Kylashnikov
At night it seems to rise in temperature a little, im not sure why but the past few nights it's been doing it religiously. Shall I drop the thermostat a notch before i go to bed when I get the snake?
I'm getting him tomorrow or Saturday, I honestly cannot wait. :D
Its because the probes in the middle measuring the ambient temperature. The ambient temperature in your house will allways drop at night causing the ambient temp in the tank to drop which in turn increases heat output.
Dropping the temp on the thermostat will probably just cause the tank to get too cold!!!
I have the same problem, I had to move the vivs to a warmer room and its a bit better now. Only other way is to heat the room or move the probe under the bulb to keep a consistent HOT end. Problem with that is there will be less of a heat gradient ie. hot end cold end!!! |
Edited by - jesse1986 on 25/02/2010 20:36:02 |
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Blackecho
Royal Python Admin
United Kingdom
11327 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2010 : 20:52:26
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| My temperatures are fine, constant and with good gradients with the probe in the hot end. |
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Nazzle
Yearling
United Kingdom
114 Posts |
Posted - 25/02/2010 : 22:34:31
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| When I moved my probes under the bulbs I got a BETTER gradient and far more stable temperatures |
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jesse1986
Snake Mite
37 Posts |
Posted - 26/02/2010 : 11:42:15
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quote:
Originally posted by Nazzle
When I moved my probes under the bulbs I got a BETTER gradient and far more stable temperatures
Cool :D Its all trial and error unfortunately. |
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pfleming
Yearling
247 Posts |
Posted - 26/02/2010 : 16:08:56
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| congratz :P |
0.0.1 Royal Python!
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Topic |
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Heating issues
