Probe placement

Where's the best place for it in a rack? Top? Middle? Bottom? In a tub or out? If out, where? High or low? Close to the front or nearer to the back where the heat tape is?

I put it right on the heat strip if it is covered in metal (or very close to it if PVC) on a middle tub. Tape it well, then tape the cord leading up to it very very well, then tape it again. One of the most frequent reasons for loss of snakes is the probe becomes dislodged then the temps soar.

I place it right on the heat tape towards the back so it doesn't collide with the tubs. I guess it depends somewhat on the placement of the tape. I do this for 11x12 flexwatt that comes from the rear.

I put it towards the middle shelf. Lower shelves seem to stay cooler and higher tubs hotter. I try to circulate the air as much as possible but there is still a gradient. I would use a ceiling/box fan in the room if you don't have one.

When I put it on the tape it never seemed to get the temp in the tubs hot enough. Should I set the temps a few degrees above where I'd like it to be?

Yep. That's what I do. I will continually monitor the temps until I feel it's safe.

Absolutely, I have one rack where the thermostat says 105, but the hot spot is 89. If you have a rack, you really need a temperature gun to check the temperatures at all of the surfaces of your tubs. They are inexpensive and to me essential equipment.

Focal X wrote:

Yep. That's what I do. I will continually monitor the temps until I feel it's safe.

Well crap. I probably need to raise my temps up then!

Don wrote:

Absolutely, I have one rack where the thermostat says 105, but the hot spot is 89. If you have a rack, you really need a temperature gun to check the temperatures at all of the surfaces of your tubs. They are inexpensive and to me essential equipment.

I guess I'll have to get one of those guns. I never bought in to it because I thought they just measured surface temps and not ambient temps.

Rich Baker of Chesapeake Bay Ball Pythons makes a piece that holds the probe in place on the heat tape so you dont have to tape it, its pretty handy. We put it on the heat tape of the 2nd to last tub I believe. Our first rack the guy told us to put it in the tub and it ended up being a real Pain in the Butt. so Rich introduced us to his little invention and now we get them with dividers for the tubs when we get them from him.

Chris. The only other thing I recommend with placing the probe on the heat tape, is to control temp fluctuations in the room. This will affect the final temp reading in the tub since the probe is on the heat tape. I keep my room at 80 and it helps with ambient fluctuations in the racks and enclosures.

Steph. Do you have any pics of this piece you mentioned? I'm curious and always looking for alternatives. I checked his website and didn't see it. Thanks.

I will get a Pic tonight. It is really freaking awesome. He hasnt updated his site in FOREVER... and his dividers are really freaking awesome too. He makes all of this stuff at his warehouse thing at his personal house... he is genius. You should get in touch with him and go check out his stuff. It's a nice trip up the eastern shore and such but he and his wife are super awesome and always helpful.