Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay, I turned off my infrared light and let the UTH sit alone for a good 6 hours. My sand temperature read barely 80 degrees directly over the UTH with the surrounding areas being around 74. I am using an Exo-Terra 8x8 inch for a 20gal Long. What kind should I replace it with? I will use the rheostat, but the sand isn't even warm to the touch.. you have to dig to get warm sand, so its obviously defective... so please tell me what new one to get tomorrow.

Thanks
Jeff

Im not an expert but im pretty sre that the more sand you have on the UTH the cooler its going to be. Try thinning the sand near the UTH until the temp is right.

That is what I am thinking too. You might too much sand, try take some out (just a think layer) and try that. Don't think the UTH is defective.

If thinning out the sand on the heater end doesnt work and you get a new one, I have the zoo-med reptitherm heater for my 15 gallon long and it works great, with a rheostat of course

You might want to do a bit of research in the archives on failures with the Exoterra brand UTH. I returned mine after reading about two or three failures that could have been dangerous. Try the T-Rex Cobra UTH. RR

Buy yourself a ZooMed Repti Therm UTH model RH-4. They run warmer than the heat tape style UTH's because they use a heating element to heat that is encased in rubber/vinyl. Since you said you're going to be using a rheostat, it will work fine to get your warm side to the right temp.

I have had two of those short out and actually catch the plastic/rubber coating on fire and burn the bottom of the wood shelf they were on. One actually cracked the bottom out of a 20 gallon tank and bout killed my nicest corn snake. They were set up right also with double the air space that those little blocks they supply give
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Even if your on the right track you will get run over if you just sit there

UTH are actually designed to work on their new line of plastic critter keepers and not melt it. I have a couple on tanks with paper towels and one on the exo-terra plastic keeper and don't even have to reostat. I doubt it would go thru much sand. I have a Flukers brand pad that is 6x5 now that baby gets hot! I used to have it under a 15 gallon with 2 inches of calcisand and without a reostat it would get the sand hot enouph to almost burn your hand if you put it there for long.
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Even if your on the right track you will get run over if you just sit there