Questions for folks using RHP's

I just picked up four Boamaster 4'x30"x15" enclosures. Each came with a RBI 40 watt radiant heat panel already installed in the top (the enclosures were used). I figured out how to wire them up and the RHP's all work. I'd like to move my boas into them over the weekend.

Where do you put the probe for the thermostat? Up high? On the floor under the RHP? On the wall closest to the RHP? I'm concerned the boa may shift it while moving around in there.

Also, the RHP seems to get hot, and I read in the FAQ that it gets up to 190*F if unregulated, so it would take a while before being in contact with it would cause a burn. That said, it's still pretty danged hot and boas are rather curious and they investigate everything. Do your boas get close to the heat panel, or do they avoid getting too close to it? I just don't want to see any burned noses.

I use cable straps. I super glue the probe into the cable strap and then super glue the strap to the frame of the RHP. I do not allow the probe to touch the RHP in any way. To pass the probe through I drill a hole just large enough for the probe to fit. I drill it near the top of the cage so I don't have that much probe wire inside the cage.

As for the heat question, my GTP hits, rubs, and bumps the RHP all the time without problem. As long as the RHP is at a good temp you should be fine.

The wire on the back wall is a temp gauge not a probe wire.
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I drilled a hole and dangle my probes about 3/4 of the way down. I use foil tape on the outside of the cage to keep the cord from falling through farther.

Thanks, both of those were lots of help.

I have all of mine about an inch above substrate, since that is where the snake will be at, that's where the temps should be gauged from.

attaching it to the RHP is inaccurate, and not realistic because the snake will be anywhere from at least 12" away from it, if not farther.

How hot do these things make the floor of the tank stacked on top of it ?

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Originally Posted by BFT12890

I have all of mine about an inch above substrate, since that is where the snake will be at, that's where the temps should be gauged from.

attaching it to the RHP is inaccurate, and not realistic because the snake will be anywhere from at least 12" away from it, if not farther.

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Negative

The surface temp should be measured near the floor since that is where the snake is. That's why I have a temp probe where your thermostat probe is and a temp gun for the actual surface. Where the tstat probe is does not matter as long as the tstat is set correctly.

I have a few RHPs in different cages. One is in my GTP cage which needs to be closer to the panel since he stays on perches. Letting it dangle allowed him to move it to much and did not keep it within the path of the heat which over heated the perches. This is also because of the build of these RHP and the distance it is from the cage walls.

Another is in my big blood cage. She has a way of flipping her hide around and moving her newspaper around. If the hide or crumpled newspaper covers or blocks the probe from the heat of the will over heat the surface. Having the probe mounted where I do is much safer for these types of snakes with my particular setup.

I was in the middle of typing my last reply when I was shut down for site maintenance. Let me clean up the end, it is not how I had it.

Another is in my big blood cage. She has a way of moving her hide and newspaper around. If the hide or crumpled newspaper covers or blocks the probe from the heat of the RHP will over heat the surface. Or if the probe gets pushed on top of the newspaper making it closer to the RHP it will lower the temp of the panel and make the surface temps lower than desired. Having the probe mounted where I do is much safer for these types of snakes with my particular setup. It is not wrong. Your way may be just fine for the snakes you have but is not the best for all snakes.



As for the heat the RHP below a cage warming the heat of the cage above. That will depend on how hot you have the RHP set. The warmer you have to set it the warmer it will make the floor of the above cage.

I hot glued my probe to the back of the enclosure about 3/4 of the way down, my temps are about 1 degree more than what the thermostat is set at. Obviously this all depends on the enclosure material and size mine is 3/4" oak plywood and is about 4x2x2.

My Bp enclosure sits on top of this and the rhp was making it too hot I had to put 3/4" spacers in between to keep it from overheating, this might've just been because the bottom enclosure hadn't been running long. Also I'm using an 80w rhp.

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Originally Posted by KMG

I was in the middle of typing my last reply when I was shut down for site maintenance. Let me clean up the end, it is not how I had it.

Another is in my big blood cage. She has a way of moving her hide and newspaper around. If the hide or crumpled newspaper covers or blocks the probe from the heat of the RHP will over heat the surface. Or if the probe gets pushed on top of the newspaper making it closer to the RHP it will lower the temp of the panel and make the surface temps lower than desired. Having the probe mounted where I do is much safer for these types of snakes with my particular setup. It is not wrong. Your way may be just fine for the snakes you have but is not the best for all snakes.



As for the heat the RHP below a cage warming the heat of the cage above. That will depend on how hot you have the RHP set. The warmer you have to set it the warmer it will make the floor of the above cage.

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My apologies, I wasn't of normal frame of mind when I posted that, your post does make more sense. Cheers! :carouse: