RCReptiles.com

[ryancbj22]

I have a rack that I built and wired with flex-watt it's a 5 slot and i'm utilizing 4 of the slots with the flexwatt. I'm using a Helix t-stat and I have the probe taped directly to the flex-watt on the top slot.

The problem i'm having is the top slot is at 88 degrees which is what the t-stat is set at. The next slot is at 90 and the one below is at 92.

My question is why am I getting different temps on different slots? If I set the t-stat on 90 the top slot is at 90 and the next one is 92 and the next one is 94 lol... I have all the flex-watt wired together.

Is there any suggestions on why the different temps? I thought the bottom shelf would be higher than the top? I thought about moving the probe to the second shelf from the top rather than having it on the top shelf....

[SheilaR]

it could be just cause of elevation, what happens when you put the probe on the other shelf test it out and see, maybe if you put it on the hottest shelf check the temps

[MikeandSlick]

I don't know anything about flex-watt, so I'm just throwing a thought out there; is it possible that the flex-watt looses effectiveness along it's 11 foot length? Perhaps the top slot is coolest because it is using the last few feet of flexwatt.

[ryancbj22]

Thats not how it's wired. Each shelf has a 11 INCH piece of flexwatt and instead of having 4 or 5 different plugs they are all wired together to make one plug to go into the t-stat.

[snakesRkewl]

[Buck_99]

Probe at 2nd from the top. That's how the JJ racks do it. You will get temperature variations, that's inevitable, even if you wired each one separately with it's own thermostat. Generally you should get higher temps as you go up, since heat rises, but I find it doesn't always work that way. The thermal dynamics of the room play a part. Consider some light insulation along parts of the outside if you're worried or if variations are too great. Keep to the plan, don't wire separately. Sounds like your rack is behaving like any other rack. They aren't immune to outside forces. Good luck.

[ryancbj22]

Thanks Buck I thought it was weird too how the temps increased further down the rack. It's not a problem so much as it is my curiousity since there all wired together you'd think they would be generally pretty close to each other.

My other racks do this as well I just always wondered why????

The lowest temp in the rack is 88 and the highest is 92 so i'm good either way it's no big deal...

Thanks for the help everyone............

[ryancbj22]

Okay so this thing is making me mad now

This morning I woke up and checked the temps in the rack. I have the t-stat on 88 and the top slot was 88 the next was 92 the one below that was 96-97.

Before it wasn't a problem because of the temps in each slot ranged from 88 to 92. Now there to high and if I lower the temps on the t-stat the top slot suffers and the temps are to low.

Any suggestions on this?

I had this particular t-stat (helix) on my big tank that had one piece of flex-watt in it and if I set the t-stat at 90 it would vary in temps which is weird. Sometimes it would be 88 other times it would be 95?

Could this be a faulty t-stat? I don't have any other t-stats that I can spare because there all in use at this time. My other Helix's don't do this they are all pretty consistant. There are temparature variances in them but not as drastic as with this one?????

Any suggestions.....

[Buck_99]

Where exactly is the t-stat probe...on the flexwatt tape? Inside or outside the tub? How is it secured? Tape? Is the tape on the probe or on the wire connecting the probe?

As much detail as you can offer may yield a clue.

[ryancbj22]

I'm at work or I'd take a pic, but the probe is on the top shelf and the tape is over the intire probe. The probe itself is about 3 inches long and it's taped directly to the flex-watt behind the tub. I have the whole probe covered with aluminum foil tape.....

Here's a pic of the rack I use belly heat. One piece of 11inch flex-watt per shelf. As I said the probe is on the top shelf..

[img][/img]