Best way to heat a PVC enclosure for BP

[ObviouslyDexter]

Hello!

I would like to upgrade my adult male BP to a PVC enclosure. Right now, my ambient temperature sits around 80 using a heat lamp on top of his aquarium with the hotspot UTH at 90. The room temperature is 72-75.

The pvc cage I will getting will be approximately 34wx20deepx16h.

I have been looking at different options for heating ambient temperatures and have come across a few different pieces of conflicting information.

Some people swear by RHP being sufficient for heating a BP cage - without the use of an UTH
Some people say RHP are providing the same type of heat as a UTH and do not raise ambient temps-essentially doubling as a more expensive UTH
Some people say fluorescent bulbs are a cheap and easy way to increase temps (But how is heat maintained at night?)

After making myself dizzy running myself in circles I was hoping to reach out to you guys and get some feedback. What IS the best way to heat a PVC enclosure in a room with ambient temps ranging from 70-75. My current UTH is only a little 12x12. Do radiant heat panels maintain an adequate hotspot of 88-92 if I placed it over the warm half? Would I need to use my little UTH AND radiant heat panel? - Could I do this without purchasing another thermostat? Can I just make a little mesh vent in the roof and place a heat lamp on top of the PVC cage? Could I use a large heat mat on the hot side and my small heat mat on the cool side - would ambient temp be an issue?

Edit: I use a VE-200 thermostat (unable to control two separate heat sources) - and I also live in Canada

Your help is greatly appreciated,

Dexter

[ObviouslyDexter]

Could I just cut a hole in the top of the PVC cage, put some mesh on both sides of the hole. and place a heat lamp on top?

[JoshSloane]

RHPs are proving to be the most efficient and trustworthy source for heating larger enclosures. Reptile pros are now finding that the IR heat produced by a RHP best simulates how reptiles warm themselves in nature, as well as providing a therapeutic potential additionally. Also, RHPs are much safer than flexwatt and other belly heat options.

Heat tape absolutely has its place when using racks, but for enclosures a RHP is definitely the way to go.

Yes, you can achieve all temperature specs with only a RHP and no belly heat. The key is to order the correct wattage of RHP for your specific situation. Bob at Pro Products will help with this.

[ObviouslyDexter]

So, the RHP alone is enough to heat the ambient temps from 70 --> 80 ish. and maintain a hotspot on the hot side? Provided of course, I position the unit above the hot side?

[distaff]

Thanks for the info.
I checked the Pro Products site, but they don't give wattage or prices. I understand they want you to call first, but is there a general price range for the smaller sizes?

Reptile Basics RHP's start at $69, and 40 watts IIRC. Doesn't look like the smallest size will work with my 10 gal tanks, which measure 10" wide on the outside. I have a UTH for each tank, but winter is coming, and we keep a cold house.

Also, I don't understand how an RHP is supposed to be efficient mounted on the ceiling, when heat rises. Also, what is the "lense"?

(ObviouslyDexter, I hope I'm not derailing your thread!)

[JoshSloane]

ProProducts does not list prices and wattages for their product because they want to make sure that the RHP is correctly tailored to the buyer's individual needs, without people ordering the incorrect unit.

RHPs produce infrared radiation similar to the sun. In this way the radiation heats up any object that it encounters (walls of enclosure, substrate, snake etc) rather than heating up the air like most conventional heating devices. The heat is then slowly released into the enclosure from the objects that received the Infrared radiation initially. In this way the RHP can produce a hot spot while also increasing ambient temps.