Where do you place your probes.

[kelzerman]

Where do you guys place thermostat probes when using RHP and how do you secure them so they don't move?

[Mikoh4792]

I just ziptie the probe to a perch since most of my snakes are arboreal/semi-arboreal.



You can see the ziptie on this one... my snake is perching ontop of the probe.

[Mikoh4792]

In this one the probe is hanging a bit down but that's fine. The ziptie should keep it from moving any more than that.

[LarryS]

I'm just curious, when the snake lays on top of the probe, doesn't it cause the RHP's output to increase?

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by LarryS

I'm just curious, when the snake lays on top of the probe, doesn't it cause the RHP's output to increase?

Sort of but not by much, and not for long. When the probe is covered by the snake, the snake's body will eventually reach 90F and the heat will be transferred to the probe, which will then cause it to stop heating again. Everything is pretty much stable, especially with gentle heat sources like RHP's and ultratherm heat mats.

I could however see it being a problem with heat tape or light bulbs/CHE's.

[kelzerman]

Here's my situation. This is my first experience with RHP I have a wooden enclosure for a retic and I want to provide a good basking spot without increasing the ambient temp too much. So would you recommend suspending the probe or keeping it on the floor. I want to run a few experimental runs and want to see what others in my situation do. Right now she is on heat tape and in a tub.

[Mikoh4792]

What size is the enclosure? What size is the RHP? What temps are you trying to create?(Cool side, warm side, basking spot). Will you also be using heattape/heatmat with the RHP?

I think the short, obvious answer to your question would be to have the probe suspended like I have it on a perch of some sort(several inches off the ground).

if you are heating a probe that is on the ground obviously that will heat the enclosure more than if you were heating a probe that was suspended.(The RHP would need to work harder to heat a longer distance, therefore raising the ambient temps more than it would if the probe was suspended)

[kelzerman]

Originally Posted by Mikoh4792

What size is the enclosure? What size is the RHP? What temps are you trying to create?(Cool side, warm side, basking spot). Will you also be using heattape/heatmat with the RHP?

I think the short, obvious answer to your question would be to have the probe suspended like I have it on a perch of some sort(several inches off the ground).

if you are heating a probe that is on the ground obviously that will heat the enclosure more than if you were heating a probe that was suspended.(The RHP would need to work harder to heat a longer distance, therefore raising the ambient temps more than it would if the probe was suspended)

I agree. It is only a 40 watt heat panel with a 4x2x2. The room temps are a steady 70 degrees. I'm look for a gradient of 85-90 hot 75 cool. She is doing well on 89 deg belly heat now. She's not showing a favor to which side she's on so I believe she is happy with those temps.

[Mikoh4792]

for a 4x2x2 in a 70degree room I would add a small heat mat to use in conjunction with the RHP.

A 40 watt is a bit small for that size to use alone. I use a 40 watt for my 3x2x2's and the enclosure would be too cold without a heat mat.(My room also gets 70F)

[Mikoh4792]

Or you can just try putting the probe on the floor of the enclosure....that might also work.

[Sublimeballs]

I hot glued the probe wire to the plastic housing and the probe sits a couple inches for the panel itself. I just adjust my herpstat accordingly to what I need my surface temps to be. I personally am not a fan of the snake being able to get between the heat source and the probe( although I'm sure mikoh is right about the snakes body temp increasing and working fine). Just my personal preference.

[kelzerman]

I'll try it on the floor see what happens. I have time to play with it before she goes in it.