[Temperature] Fluker's heat pad under sterilite tub

[AaronSB]

I'm trying out a fluker's heat mat underneath a sterilite tub just to see what happens. I got the humidity exactly right, but the warm side temp is 86 and the cool side temp is 80. No thermostat yet, just experimenting. The heat mat is under a little less than half of the tub.

Can a thermostat increase the heat output from the mat?? Any advice on getting my temps up?

[AaronSB]

Re: Fluker's heat pad under sterilite tub

I actually placed a thermometer on the substrate directly over the heat mat. It reads 93 degrees, constant. The ambient temps constantly read 80 on the cool side and 86 on the warm side. The humidity moves between 58-65%. I have a second larger tub, on a larger flukers heat mat, and the readings are exactly the same. This seems good to me. Thoughts?

[tsblair]

Re: Fluker's heat pad under sterilite tub

I recommend running a thermostat with any type of heat mat. As for your question regarding the heat mat and thermostats being able to raise the output, they do not.

[ispitroseas]

Re: Fluker's heat pad under sterilite tub

I recommend running a thermostat with any type of heat mat. As for your question regarding the heat mat and thermostats being able to raise the output, they do not.

Would one test the heat mat first to see how high it goes with a temp gun? Just curious as I never did with setting up tstats they just stayed at the temp I wanted

[bebowebb]

Re: Fluker's heat pad under sterilite tub

A t-stat cannot increase the power or heat output of a heat source, but it will help you regulate and keep the temperatures where you want them to be.

It is always better to be safe and have a t-stat in place than to risk a heat source running wide open and getting too hot. Even when you think a specific heat source does not have the capability of going much beyond a temperature range that could be dangerous, you never know what could happen and you definitely do not want to lose an animal due to what seems like a small oversight.