Temp consistency with taller racks...

I'm deciding between getting an AP 12 shelf CB70 rack or 4 RBI 3 shelf CB70 racks. The Animal Plastics unit is the cheaper option, but I'm a bit concerned about consistent temps in a rack over 6ft high. If I go with the smaller RBI racks I will stack them and use a Herpstat4 to give finer control over temps. I'm just trying to determine if this is really necessary.

For those of you with tall racks run off a single thermostat, what kind of temperature fluctuation are you getting top/middle/bottom?

Nobody with a 10-12 slot rack has taken random temps to see how large the temperature variance is shelf to shelf?

We don't have any commercial racks that tall, just two home-builds (8 and 9 level 41-qt) using heat tape. Temperature difference is 2*F, not really enough to be a concern. Probe is in the middle set so the belly heat is 90*F, so the rack runs 89*F on the bottom and 91*F on the top.

If your room is heated the difference will be minimal. I would recommend RBI racks over AP anyway. If your in the area of a show RBI or Cold Blooded Novelties does you can get a 4 high cb70 rack as well.

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Originally Posted by AidensDAD2011

I'm deciding between getting an AP 12 shelf CB70 rack or 4 RBI 3 shelf CB70 racks. The Animal Plastics unit is the cheaper option, but I'm a bit concerned about consistent temps in a rack over 6ft high. If I go with the smaller RBI racks I will stack them and use a Herpstat4 to give finer control over temps. I'm just trying to determine if this is really necessary.

For those of you with tall racks run off a single thermostat, what kind of temperature fluctuation are you getting top/middle/bottom?

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Originally Posted by meeistom

If your room is heated the difference will be minimal. I would recommend RBI racks over AP anyway. If your in the area of a show RBI or Cold Blooded Novelties does you can get a 4 high cb70 rack as well.

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What particular features would make you recommend the RBI racks over AP? I've owned AP products before and was very satisfied with my purchase, but I've never had the opportunity to check out the RBI racks in person.

Unfortunately I keep other reptiles in the room that require slightly lower ambient temperatures so the room is kept right at 70 degrees. If I had a second room I could dedicate strictly to snakes and keep at a higher temperature I'd be looking hard at the ARS racks.

Price the RBI are significantly less expensive, time frame to get the rack, there customer service, and RBI comes ready to plug in to your t stat. I have 83 RBI racks right now. I've bought from AP and found the wait time of 5 weeks to get a rack was insane, then you get it and you still have to build it, then buy tubs, and heat. The new RBI racks come with THG Heat tape installed which is so much better then flex watt, and of course come with tubs as well.