Proper temps for tropical area (Philippines)/MVB Temp Prob

muzikfreakah · Nov 21, 2008

Yes I ordered it at Reptile UV. Ok guys, I need some help here, mite be my Digital Thermometer. So I temporarily re-arranged my viv to not hurt my birdies.

Moved all the basking Area to the cool side which has around 80F

Probe Location

Temp Readings (They have been placed there for more than 3 hours already)
Analog is reading 39-40C (about 100F)
Digital is reading 89.8F (around 31C)

So is my Digital Thermometer Busted?
I am searching for an adjustable light stand to mount my lights. and make them higher so I can increase the basking area height.

diamc · Nov 21, 2008

Hi, let's try to get this figured out. Are those small rocks and the probe under the light about 10" away in that picture?

muzikfreakah · Nov 21, 2008

Right now its 18 inches away from the Mega-Ray 160 watt Light fixture, Directly under it.

Btw, the digital probe shows max of 106F and min of 75F. I think the 106 is from when I still had the ordinary par 38 120 watt flood lamp attached.

diamc · Nov 21, 2008

OK, so since your probe thermometer only has 1 temp reading, put the thermometer part on the outside of the tank, right on top of the screen and leave the probe right on the rock right under the light. Wait about 45 for the temp to stop rising, then let me know what the reading is. In order to get a proper reading, the thermometer and probe can't be alongside each other inside the tank like that. If you had a thermometer that had 2 readouts, then you would place the probe end on the basking site & the thermometer part way over on the cool side. Am I making any sense?

diamc · Nov 21, 2008

Let's see what reading you get after doing that. If the reading still isn't good, then the problem may be with the holder that is holding the Megaray. Since the holder is enclosed the problem could be that it's not letting the heat disperse but just holding it inside the holder itself. What you really need is a deep dome with a ceramic top. Here's a picture and an explanation about it. http://www.bigappleherp.com/Zoo-Med-Repti-Extra-Deep-Dome-Lamp-Fixture

muzikfreakah · Nov 21, 2008

diamc":66ac7 said:
Let's see what reading you get after doing that. If the reading still isn't good, then the problem may be with the holder that is holding the Megaray. Since the holder is enclosed the problem could be that it's not letting the heat disperse but just holding it inside the holder itself. What you really need is a deep dome with a ceramic top. Here's a picture and an explanation about it. http://www.bigappleherp.com/Zoo-Med-Repti-Extra-Deep-Dome-Lamp-Fixture

Got it, but may I ask what is your opinion about the analog and digital thermometer having different temps?

diamc · Nov 21, 2008

The analogs are notorious for being close to 20 degrees off and sometimes even more. I have discovered that myself. That's why we suggest owners only use a temperature gun or a digital with a probe end to get accurate readings.

muzikfreakah · Nov 22, 2008

Thanks for your quick reply.
To have a better understanding of the tests I did I will enumerate everything.
1.) At first, the probe was on the hammock which was just 10-12" away from an ordinary 120Watt Par 38 Flood Lamp with the same Lamp Case and the Digital Thermo-Device itself was way over on the cool side and the reading was just 106F

2.) When the Mega-ray arrived, I switched the bulb, Lowered down the basking area to about 15" away. BUT the temps recorded 80+F

3.) So I moved back the Hammock to 10" to test, but the Digital-Thermo still recorded 80+.

4.) Now I removed the Hammock and put the rock instead because I got scared that although there is not much heat, there mite be too much UV and it could hurt my dragons. This time I put the Digital-Thermo Device right beside the sensor to enable me to take one picture with both the analog and the reader itself. Still the reading was as it is, as you can see from my post above.

5.) The funny thing is, just now, I checked again, the Digital Thermo has read the temp at 106F again at this distance! Dont get confused. I just checked it now when I got home. But I will try to follow your instruction again of moving the Device itself outside the tank and see what will happen. I will update this thread asap.

- I will also try to source out your recommended lamp enclosure.

Thanks!!

muzikfreakah · Nov 22, 2008

Will this enclosure do for the Megaray?
http://www.philippinepetfinder.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=74795&start=0

diamc · Nov 22, 2008

Unfortunately, that clamp lamp won't work for quite a few reasons, the bulb would protrude so it wouldn't sit flush on top of the screen, it wouldn't disperse the heat evenly because the diameter would be too narrow which could cause overheating since the maximum wattage bulb used in the 8 1/2" clamp lamp is only 150 watt. Bob from Reptileuv, the inventor of the Megaray, recommends the deep dome with a 10" diameter. Here's the info on the deep dome that he recommends:

Finally, an extra long dome fixture that houses larger bulbs like mercury vapors and most brands of compact fluorescents without "sticking out"

No more will you have to worry about how your going to rest your mercury vapor bulb or compact fluorescent on your screen top. This fixture is the ultimate solution to using mercury vapor bulbs and compact fluorescents.

In addition, this superb fixture has a highly polished aluminum inside which greatly increased the UVB & UVA output. A built-in inline on/off switch is incorporated for greater convenience.

diamc · Nov 22, 2008

muzikfreakah":7db70 said:
Thanks for your quick reply.
To have a better understanding of the tests I did I will enumerate everything.
1.) At first, the probe was on the hammock which was just 10-12" away from an ordinary 120Watt Par 38 Flood Lamp with the same Lamp Case and the Digital Thermo-Device itself was way over on the cool side and the reading was just 106F

2.) When the Mega-ray arrived, I switched the bulb, Lowered down the basking area to about 15" away. BUT the temps recorded 80+F

3.) So I moved back the Hammock to 10" to test, but the Digital-Thermo still recorded 80+.

4.) Now I removed the Hammock and put the rock instead because I got scared that although there is not much heat, there mite be too much UV and it could hurt my dragons. This time I put the Digital-Thermo Device right beside the sensor to enable me to take one picture with both the analog and the reader itself. Still the reading was as it is, as you can see from my post above.

5.) The funny thing is, just now, I checked again, the Digital Thermo has read the temp at 106F again at this distance! Dont get confused. I just checked it now when I got home. But I will try to follow your instruction again of moving the Device itself outside the tank and see what will happen. I will update this thread asap.

- I will also try to source out your recommended lamp enclosure.

Thanks!!

Hi, I have read and re-read your post. All mercury vapor bulbs seem to have a "burn in time." When I first got my 100 watt T-Rex, I set up the basking area so that it was 12" from the basking surface and had a basking temp of 102 so I was happy with that since I have an adult. The next day, I checked the temp again because my beardie was avoiding the basking area and the temp was then up to 112 so that explained why she was laying quite a ways away from it. I again adjusted the distance making it 15" away and now have a basking area of 105 and she happily basks under it most of the day.
So, I suggest you continue to monitor the temp and see if the basking temp goes up a little more & if you again will have to make an adjustment to the basking area. The main thing is that you need to keep the distance about 18" away from the beardies when they are basking under it. How do the like the new bulb, are they basking under it comfortably?

Another thing to keep in mind is that hammocks don't hold the heat well and the rocks will get warmer and retain the heat better but may actually get hot, so test that with your fingers as the bulb "burns in."

Drache613 · Nov 22, 2008

Hello,

Great thread, it looks like you got everything all figured out.

I wanted to comment on the ceramic dome fixture. Since you have a 160 watt Megaray, you are going to need at least a 400 watt ceramic dome fixture to allow the fixture to handle all of the wattage, safely & not blow the bulb prematurely.

I hope that they are enjoying their light. Bobmac makes great lights & that is awesome you got your light so quickly.

Tracie

muzikfreakah · Nov 23, 2008

Will keep on observing, The lamp holder I have was made for more than 160 watts so I guess that should be safe but just incase, I will still look for the correct lamp holder and change it.

Question though, does the probe have to touch a surface to get the right temps or does it just record the heat in the air of that particular area?

Drache613 · Nov 23, 2008

Hello,

Definitely check on the wattage that it can handle. The rule of thumb is that is absolutely has to be at least double what the wattage is which would be 320 minimum since you have the 160watt light. It just ensures that you will have less problems & it is safer too.
As far as placing the probe, you can place it directly underneath the basking site, & it will measure the surrounding air right below the basking site. It is hard to measure the actual "rock" or substance sitting there unless you have a temp gun, then you can point & click & measure an "object" right under the basking site. So measuring the area right underneath will be perfectly fine. As long as it is a range from 95-110 they will be fine.

Tracie

RedInkAus · Nov 23, 2008

Kumusta pare,

You will need to do something about that 76% humidity reading which is what i suspected for the Phills for this time of the year, prolonged exposure to that high humidity could lead to resperitory problems and no vet in the Phills would cater for reptiles.

Proper temps for tropical area (Philippines)/MVB Temp Prob

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