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Use a UTH? You'll want to read this.

TrpnBils

TrpnBils

22 is not enough snakes
So I learned something today that kind of surprised me. I had access to a good temp gun at work and was curious to see how hot a UTH got and I went to take a look. I was testing an 8w ZooMed UTH meant for 10-20 gallon tanks, new last year. It was only plugged in for an hour or so when I did this, so I can imagine that it would get hotter as time went on.

Anyway, I am definately looking at my use of UTHs a little differently now. In short, there was about a 50 degree temperature difference between the cool spots and the hot spots, and I actually burned myself on the hottest part. Be careful how you use UTHs for corns.

All temps are in degrees Fahrenheit.
 

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I would expect temps like that. But it is odd that there is a difference from top to bottom and not from center to outside. I wonder what they would be for even a much longer amount of time.
 
It may depend on the temp gun used as well. If it's a 1:1 temp gun you'll need to hold it right on top of the mat to get an accurate reading.
 
I thought about that Flagg, and I made sure I was at the appropriate distance for the gun
 
Flagg said:
It may depend on the temp gun used as well. If it's a 1:1 temp gun you'll need to hold it right on top of the mat to get an accurate reading.
Click to expand...

But their is a 41 degrees difference.
 
Also, keep in mind: If you put the UTH under the viv (as they're intended), the glass/plastic/whatever will disperse the heat and even the temp out a bit.
 
wax32 said:
That's why it's a good idea to use a good thermostat. :D
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That's what I was thinking about. Even if you use a thermostat it's not like it's going to make every point on the UTH be the set temperature if there's that big of a difference.
 
Jrgh17 said:
Also, keep in mind: If you put the UTH under the viv (as they're intended), the glass/plastic/whatever will disperse the heat and even the temp out a bit.
Click to expand...
That's true. I meant this thread as more of a warning against placing the UTH right on the glass like a lot of beginners seem to do (based on a lot of things I read here anyway). Even being under the viv wouldn't make much difference if the UTH is right up against the glass and a burn is still pretty likely to occur.

It's just another reason to read the directions and install the thing right in the first place :)
 
TrpnBils said:
That's true. I meant this thread as more of a warning against placing the UTH right on the glass like a lot of beginners seem to do (based on a lot of things I read here anyway). Even being under the viv wouldn't make much difference if the UTH is right up against the glass and a burn is still pretty likely to occur.

It's just another reason to read the directions and install the thing right in the first place :)
Click to expand...

By all means, it's a good thread. I support proper UTH use. :cheers:

THERMOSTATS FOR ALL!
 
I have a question the temps you recorded are from 90-141. If you have the probe on the 90 spot the therm will take temp down to 70, a little cool for warm side. If you put the probe on the 141 spot, takes it 121, still cooked snake. So if the mats are this off what good will a thermostat do? susang
 
I've been wondering that. I don't use a thermostat right now as it is, so I'm curious to see what those who do use one have to say.
 
susang said:
I have a question the temps you recorded are from 90-141. If you have the probe on the 90 spot the therm will take temp down to 70, a little cool for warm side. If you put the probe on the 141 spot, takes it 121, still cooked snake. So if the mats are this off what good will a thermostat do? susang
Click to expand...

Yeah, good point.
Also, these temps were taken on an unregulated UTH that wasn't installed.
So I hope that might make a difference. Which just now get me thinking about my set up. I switch to flexwatt and was using one thermostate to control both units but I couldn't for the life of me get them at the same temperatures. It was about 6 degrees variants. :shrugs:
 
So, even though I have my UTH established on a rheostat, there is still the likelihood that my UTH -- per the thermostat's reading -- may be reading at 85 where the probe is touching it, but could be 120 elsewhere on the UTH? My UTH is definitely under the glass of all of my tanks & I am looking into acquiring a temp gun...but...

Learning this just does not make for a brighter spot in my already neurotic day. *sigh* :p
 
I'm going to do this to my UTH tonight. I have one just like that left over from when I used to use them. I wonder if it's just yours or is a larger problem? I'll do it later tonight when I get home and report my results.
 
I don't think there's that much to worry about. As was already pointed out, the glass will distribute the heat and even it out a bit.

Also, one set of data from one heat mat, when it is not installed properly before measuring, doesn't necessarily make it true for all of them.

Was it a new heat mat? used? Was it peeled off the bottom of a tank or some other surface? There are a lot of variables.

With an on/off type thermostat which most use, it will never be on long enough to get to the higher temps anyway, no matter where the probe is placed on the mat.

It is, however, yet more data proving that using an unregulated heat mat on full blast constantly is VERY dangerous.
 
so wait..someone mentioned a lot of beginners put the UTH right on the glass...I have both my UTH on both my snakes tanks attached to the glass on the bottom of the tank...so this is a bad thing?? All I did was what the directions said to do..I have the tank up on some support bubbles (that's what I call em..hehe)..because it said never leave it flat on the surface..plus my tank stand has openings in it so heat can still spread...am I right on doing this or should I have something inbetween the glass and the UTH?? :shrugs: :shrugs:
 
Directly on the glass is ok as long as you use a rheostat or thermostat. Thats how all of my tanks were set up, although the later ones I would leave the adhesive backing on and foil tape the UTH to the glass.
 
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