| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Kelfezond
The bearded one
United Kingdom
4803 Posts |
 Posted - 22/01/2011 : 10:57:57
|
Losing my temper swiftly with this heat mat, one minute it's 25c then it's 40c, poor snake doesn't know what to do with itself. The thermostat (Habi-stat mat-stat) dial can't go anywhere near the 20c mark or it overheats to hell, I have to have it around 26c but then eventually it will heat over 35c again and I'll have to drop it to around 20c on the thermostat, wait for it to get down to about 28c in the rub then put the heating back up and repeat the process.
Is it broken or am I doing something wrong? I can't find a stable temperature. |
\v/ Click me for Kelfezond Reptiles Facebook Page! \v/
  |
|
|
Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 11:30:15
|
| Are both your probes in direct contact with the mat? If they are then there has to be a fault either with the mat or the stat. |
|
 |
|
|
sullysteve
Hatchling
United Kingdom
90 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 12:07:42
|
| Also, if the mat is outside its enclosure with the stat probe on it, it can change inside the enclosure due to room temp |
0.1 BCI Nicaraguan CB10
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa - Heidi
1.0 Coastal Carpet python (CB08)
0.1 Irian jaya x coastal Carpet python CB10
2.3 Ball Pythons (Pinstripe + Pastel + Bumblebee + 2 Normal)
Location : Warrington, Cheshire |
|
|
|
ballgirl
Hatchling
United Kingdom
55 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 12:51:10
|
From my very limited experience, heat mats with a stat will heat to whatever temp you set the stat to and then turn off. This will then mean the temp of the mat will drop by about 4 degrees until the stat turns it on again....
You should be using your thermometer to decide what level the stat's at, not the stat numbers - just forget the stat has numbers on it because they're useless! When the temp gets to desired level on the thermometer, turn the stat meter down until it goes off. Repeat this process until the stat turns off automatically at the temp you want....
I was told to have my temp probe and stat probe on the mat, and set the temp to 33.5C, which is slightly hotter than the floor needs to be. I'm not sure if this is right, so I'm going to move my temp probe inside and measure the floor and get it to 32C (I think that's right?). But it will fluctuate due to the stat turning the mat off. |
|
|
|
speedy231278
Hatchling
United Kingdom
78 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 13:01:07
|
| I've often wondered if a PP stat might be better rather than an on/off stat? Not sure if heat mats would be happy though.... |
2.1.0 royals
1.2.0 corns
0.0.3 motorcycles
0.1.0 she who must be obeyed... ;-) |
|
|
|
Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 13:52:11
|
| I think mat stats are crap but should only vary by 5 degrees really so something is wrong. Too much temp fluctuation for my liking. PP or dimming. Is it for a rub? Attatch thermostat probe directly to mat. Place rub directly on mat. Place thermostat probe inside rub on substrate beside hot hide. As already said ignore stat numbers set it according to reading on digi thermostat. This way the snake is recieving the correct temp. Hope that helps. |
1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
|
|
|
|
konrad1982
Yearling
United Kingdom
235 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 14:29:32
|
| I had exactly the same problem. Since I've changed my stat everything is absolutely fine so all I can suggest - buy dimming stat and you will see the difference. |
|
|
|
louise32
Yearling
275 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 15:10:55
|
I use the microclimate mini 100 mat stat and have to say it's pretty good. I ignore the numbers on the stat and go by the digi thermometer. My stat turns the mats off when they hit 30c and then turns them back on when they drop to 27.5c.
Sometimes it's not just the thermostat that is unreliable. I have 2 different brand digi thermometers and I tried them both on the same heat mat and they both showed different temps!! I have had sleepless nights trying to get my setups right for my new corns and in the end just decided that as long as there is a cool end around 20c and a warm end that doesn't go above 30c they will be fine.
|
|
|
|
GMac
Grumpy scots admin
United Kingdom
1152 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 16:50:40
|
| one of the things I found with the matstat is it either gets to hot or too cool when the probe is directly on the mat. What I have done is cover the mat with lino then attached the probe to the lino and since then have had no problems with the stat heating to the correct temps |
 
Royals, Corns, Boa, Kings, Hoggy, Ratsnakes
|
|
|
|
infatuateddrummer
Yearling
United Kingdom
150 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 20:46:55
|
| Can u use a dimming stat on a heat matt can u?? Excuse my ignorance |
|
|
|
Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 20:56:50
|
quote:
Originally posted by infatuateddrummer
Can u use a dimming stat on a heat matt can u?? Excuse my ignorance
Providing you have a mat within the stats wattage range, I think its between 40-600 watts off the top of my head but can't be bothered pulling out the viv to check mine. |
|
|
|
|
infatuateddrummer
Yearling
United Kingdom
150 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 20:59:47
|
| Ah cool nice one my dimming stat goes to 600watt will check matt!! Nice one! Also what temp should it be in hot end?? Thanks very much |
|
|
|
Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 22:41:33
|
quote:
Originally posted by infatuateddrummer
Can u use a dimming stat on a heat matt can u?? Excuse my ignorance
never ignorant to ask what you don't know 
Yes you definitely can and your dimming stat will cope with the wattage of multiple mats. Even the big 3ft mats are only around 45W |
1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
|
|
|
|
Lotabob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
5008 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 23:00:19
|
| I have a mat that covers half of a 2 foot viv and its only 20 watts (ditched it for a smaller 12 watt one), you would need a few of those connected to meet the minumum requirements of the stat, I'm almost sure it will be 40 watts or it wont work properly, good excuse to get a set up for 2 snakes (like you need one lol). |
|
|
|
|
ballgirl
Hatchling
United Kingdom
55 Posts |
Posted - 22/01/2011 : 23:04:08
|
Right, I think we've just experienced this very problem. We're in the process of moving our fella into a rub instead of a faunarium and have the thermometer probe in the rub on top of the paper, with the stat probe directly on the mat. I left hubby about 5pm trying to get the temps right, but when I got home about an hour ago he was pulling his hair out, saying the stat either didn't get up to heat, or didn't turn off at all and the temp got too high.
I took a look at he had the stat probe so that it was touching the metal edge of the mat, the black part wasn't completely on the element. We've now moved it so that it's completely on the element and I think we have it sorted now.... Stat is cranked right up, almost to max and I'm going to continue to monitor for another hour or so, but the stat is now turning on and off and we have a temp of between 32-33C from the thermometer probe inside the rub.
I don't know if your probe is also not completely on the element (the whole of the black bit) but it's worth checking? |
|
|
|
reptiledanny
Old Royal - I Post too much!
United Kingdom
2106 Posts |
Posted - 23/01/2011 : 15:07:29
|
if the stat is over heating then theres a problem with the stat
i have 3 mat stats, 2 habistat ones and 1 microclimate one, and none of them ever overheat or never give me any problems with the heating |
1.2 royal pythons 0.1 hog island boa 1.0 corn snake
sig made by stapey |
|
|
|
ballgirl
Hatchling
United Kingdom
55 Posts |
Posted - 24/01/2011 : 23:17:33
|
I don't quite understand it, but it seems we had a problem again today. After about 36 hours of the stat turning on and off fine and the rub getting to a max of 33.9C then coming back down to 31.5 sometimes, hubby got home from work today to find the temp in the rub at 34.9 and climbing, with the stat still on. He said it just wasn't turning off. He moved the temp probe onto the mat and it was reading 37.9!
I have absolutely no idea why it had stopped going off?
If you read my first thread you'll know that we originally had the temp probe on the mat and set the stat to 33.5C and that was fine for week. But after advice on here I moved it inside so I knew the temp in there. I don't understand - can it just be that it took that long for the rub to heat up to the temp the mat was always getting to? Although that doesn't make sense because the mat was turning off every few mins yesterday where hubby said it wasn't earlier tonight)
I think what he's done now is set the stat to 35C with the temp probe on the mat, then moved the temp probe back inside. He says it's currently 32.7C in the rub so fingers crossed it stays steady now.... |
|
|
|
louise32
Yearling
275 Posts |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 07:43:59
|
It took me well over a week of fine tunning to get my stats to keep the mats to the temp I wanted. It did drive me mad but in the end I got there.
Fingers crossed you have it sorted now. |
|
|
|
scubadude
Yearling
United Kingdom
326 Posts |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 08:15:32
|
Yeh I spent a while twidling the dials on my stats to get the temp I needed, both snakes are in rubs with the stat probe and thermometer probe banded together inside the rub, and just use the thermometer to set the temp, by tweaking slightly, once I'd got it sorted which took about 40mins, they have both sat happily at the correct temp and one is PP stat and the other is a matstat (admittedley the mat stat does drift by about 3 degrees, but still within acceptable temp range)
 |
1.0 Classic corn snake
2.3 Normal Royal
1.1 spider royal
1.0 Mojave Royal
1.0 Butter Royal
0.1 Pastel ph ghost Royal
1.0 Enchi Royal python
1.0 Pastel royal poss ???
1.1 Yellowbelly Royal
1.1 Cinnamon Royal
1.1 Fire Royal
1.1 100% het Clowns
1.1 Crawl cay boas
1.0 Hypo hog island boa
0.1 Hog island Boa
coming soon
0.1 Bumblebee
opinions are like ars*holes, everyone's got one, but you don't need to share them with the world. |
|
|
|
boze
Yearling
United Kingdom
408 Posts |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 21:54:26
|
I always use a microclimate pulse stat with my heat mat, the microclimate ones either dont have a minimum load or if they do its negligible so theyre ideal. I get extremely stable temps using these in my Hognoses RUB. It is important, however that the stat probe and your digital thermometer probe are in the exact same place in the hottest part of the RUB/Viv. Then, as some have said, set the thermostat to what you want then leave it for about half an hour. From there only take readings from your digital thermometer and adjust until the thermometer reads what you want it too. But remember, the mats dont heat up instantly so give it a good 10-15mins at least between adjustments to see how the temps are. This is why its a cracking idea to set it up a few days before the snake goes in :-)
D |
0.1.0. Royal (Salmissra)
0.0.1. Western Hognose (Spiderman)
quote:
Originally posted by ruxpin64
I'm so happy I may lay on my back and pee in the air like a baby!
|
|
|
|
Royalbob
Royal Python Moderator
United Kingdom
1115 Posts |
Posted - 25/01/2011 : 22:11:23
|
| I gaffa tape the thermostat probe to the mat across the heating strips. Then place the rub directly on top of the thermostat probe and mat. This way the thermostat probe is not going anywhere. Place the thermometer probe in the rub at substrate level beside the hot hide. Turn up stat to almost full keeping an eye on the temp reading from the digital thermometer. Once the correct temp is reached turn the dial on the stat down until it switches off. A bit of fine tuning and it should be sorted. The problem with putting the stat probe in the Rub is that the snake itself can lie on it causing the stat probe to be reading completely the wrong temp. Hope this helps. |
1.0 Enchi butter
1.0 Enchi X Pastel
1.0 Fire het clown
1.0 Bumblebee
1.0 pinstripe
0.1 Enchi Fire
0.1 Pastel calico
0.1 Yellow belly Pinstripe
0.1 Lemon pastel poss het clown
0.1 Het clown
0.1 Yellow belly
0.1 Green Mojave
0.1 HC Albino
0.2 Normals
|
|
|
|
Topic |
|
Heat Mats! Argh!
