Energy efficient heat scource?

[Riv]

Hey all, Im using tank set ups for my 4BPs and burm atm, and heat lamps as the heat scource. I plan to make a rack system in the future, but I need to save up aome moneu for the materials to build it and get the reptistat and flexwatt. Im building my burm an enclosure as well and thats going to be heated by a Radiant Heat Panel.

So mu question is, is there a more energy effiecient way to heat my enclosures? These heat lamps are skyrocketing my energy bill. I can afford it just fine, and im perfectly capable of caring for my animals,but if theres a way thats more wallet friendly im going to take it, yaknow?

[dillan2020]

Under tank heaters or flexwatt use way less power then heat lamps do.

[mainbutter]

Heating is expensive, and there is no getting around it. Heat lamps however tend to be the least efficient method, though their maximum output far exceeds the capabilities of RHPs and flexwatt (hence their use for certain species that require HOT hot spots)

Central heating of a building housing MANY reptiles is the most efficient way to provide an acceptable environment, if using monthly heating costs per animal as the figure to measure efficiency. The workarounds we use to keep reptiles in our homes are generally inefficient.

My only suggestion is don't let your collection get too large, that's been working for me.

[BWyant]

Under tank heaters or flexwatt use way less power then heat lamps do.

x2.

You could probably also get some 10-15 dollar lamp dimmers which would control the wattage output on your heat-lamps and drop the temperatures a little put so that you're not putting out so much electricity.

[Riv]

Wow, theres dimmers for heat lamps? I might give that a shot. Im definitely going to build my rack(which will use flexwatt) sooner rather than later. Hopefully it will ease the pain a little haha. Unfortunately, my collection is only going to grow, but hopefully my income woll grow with it and make ot a non issue haha.

[BWyant]

Wow, theres dimmers for heat lamps? I might give that a shot. Im definitely going to build my rack(which will use flexwatt) sooner rather than later. Hopefully it will ease the pain a little haha. Unfortunately, my collection is only going to grow, but hopefully my income woll grow with it and make ot a non issue haha.

I'm not certain that they would work with a heat lamp, but in theory they certainly would, so I see no reason they shouldn't.

You plug the male into your electric outlet and attach to that is a female that you plug your heat lamp into. Attached to both those pieces is a little analog slider that allows you to control light brightness. It's actually controlled via wattage. So, I'm imagining that it could work just as well for a heat lamp. It's what I'm using on my UTH right this moment. It's obviously not the ideal thing to use, but it might save you a couple bucks.

[mainbutter]

I use dimmers on incandescent bulbs and CHEs. They give you at least some control over output.

[kitedemon]

It depends on the enclosure. A top opening like found on tanks is very inefficient. Enclosures like vision or AP for example are many times more efficient they hold heat for a while. If you add insulation it can change that even more. I have enclosures in a cool room (below 68ºF most of the time) and with insulated enclosures hot side and cool side UTH as well as a interior Fluorescent light and deep blue led lights I hold temps with minimal power usage. Even during a power failure I loose about one degree an hour. Most of the time the my herpstats are showing 0% power and sometimes kick in to 10-20% I cut my power bill down by 60% even adding 4 enclosures it was not even as high as it was with two and lamps. (I now have 11 and still save cash.)

[Fidget]

It depends on the enclosure. A top opening like found on tanks is very inefficient. Enclosures like vision or AP for example are many times more efficient they hold heat for a while. If you add insulation it can change that even more. I have enclosures in a cool room (below 68ºF most of the time) and with insulated enclosures hot side and cool side UTH as well as a interior Fluorescent light and deep blue led lights I hold temps with minimal power usage. Even during a power failure I loose about one degree an hour. Most of the time the my herpstats are showing 0% power and sometimes kick in to 10-20% I cut my power bill down by 60% even adding 4 enclosures it was not even as high as it was with two and lamps. (I now have 11 and still save cash.)

What do you use to insulate your enclosures?
Thanks!

[OhhWatALoser]

Depends on the type of dimmer if it will actually save you any electricity, some are just variable resistors, so they add more resistance, making the light dim, but you still pull the same amount electricity. Thermostat is the way to go. plus you get the temps you want.

You really can't get more efficient than a true rhp, majority of the heat is produced on the surface of the objects it points at, it doesn't just heat up. Flexwatt is great for racks tho and also still pretty efficient.