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Can't keep consistent temps in tubs...

darksidemike

darksidemike

Small Time Breeder
Hey everyone, I recently built a rack that holds 6-41qt tubs. I have 17" flexwatt on each shelf all wired together to one plug that goes to a zilla 1000W thermostat. I have the probe in a vacant tub with aspen and everything setup like the other tubs, the probe is taped to the bottom of the tub where the heat tape is, I have zoo med digital thermometers taped to the same spot on each tub with a snake in it(3) and each one has a different temperature. top one says 82 one underneath says 88 and third one down says 84.. what the heck is going on here. any ideas?
 
first I would remove all the thermometers lay them all together all the probes that is lay them on a section of your heat tape and make sure all read the same. do that and come back with what you have then we can troubleshoot further Also a pic of how your set up is will help
 
It's perfectly normal for flexwatt to vary by 5 degrees or so. Even in the same strip, when you take measurements with a heat gun, you will see different temperatures within inches of each other.

Remember, Flexwatt is simply electricity running through thin metal ribbon. There is nothing absolutely consistent with this as far as temperatures go.

Oh, one more thing. A 5 degree swing is no big deal for colubrids, especially if they have room to get away from the hot side of the tub. When we hold them, our skin is around 88-90 degrees (my arm just tested at 91, my hand at 94). They do not get burned from our skin.

82 - 90 is within safe temps, though I would like to see the 82 up around 85. But again, 3 degrees is no biggie.
 
Yes, flexwatt temps tend to be a few degrees different when you put all the strips together on one plug(hope that makes sense) like you explained. We get a little more even temps when we wire them in pairs or single, then plug each one into a power strip, then the power strip into the thermostat.

Are you using clips or sodering? If clips, make sure you're getting a solid connection...

Your electricity may also be fluctuating slightly and can cause temps to fluctuate...

It could also be that the flexwatt has a few bad spots in it as well. I got some 3inch flexwatt that was totally bad one time, it took a while to figure out that it wasn't me but the flexwatt that was bad.

There are a ton of variables... Yours sounds normal... and just fine
 
Last edited:
knox said:
It's perfectly normal for flexwatt to vary by 5 degrees or so. Even in the same strip, when you take measurements with a heat gun, you will see different temperatures within inches of each other.

Remember, Flexwatt is simply electricity running through thin metal ribbon. There is nothing absolutely consistent with this as far as temperatures go.

Oh, one more thing. A 5 degree swing is no big deal for colubrids, especially if they have room to get away from the hot side of the tub. When we hold them, our skin is around 88-90 degrees (my arm just tested at 91, my hand at 94). They do not get burned from our skin.

82 - 90 is within safe temps, though I would like to see the 82 up around 85. But again, 3 degrees is no biggie.
Click to expand...


Would you say it's nothing to worry about as long as temps stay under 90?
 
wow for some reason I didn't read the last line in your post and it answers my question right after.. my bad, thanks a lot!
 
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