Air Vents and the importance in a enclosure.

Im still having trouble with my stack and heat transfer. I spoke with several here last year that have AP stacks like I do. Over the last 6 mos I've used 90% of the Radiant heat from my bottom T12 to heat the floor of my top T12 however it doesnt help my top enclosures ambient temp. Im wondering if I can cover 2 of the 4 AP vents to reduce heat loss? When I turn the top enclosures radiant heat higher to try and raise the ambient cool side the hot spot goes strait to 95.5. (To Hot I Feel). Ive tried insulation sheets between them (only helped by 2 degrees down to 95.5 Hot Spot) and my last resort is to use 1/2" plywood between them so that I can operate them individually without much heat transfer at all.
Are there downfalls to closing off 2 of the vents? My enclosures are cleaned as soon as soiled and water changed each week. Does anyone feel this may cause a heath/bacterial problem? Thx for the input.


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We put furring strips between the units in our stack to create an air gap between them. The RHP on the bottom units still heat the ones above a little bit but not enough to cause the variance you're describing - and we put a Dumerils boa that likes to run cooler in the bottom enclosure in the stack so everyone is happy.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

We put furring strips between the units in our stack to create an air gap between them. The RHP on the bottom units still heat the ones above a little bit but not enough to cause the variance you're describing - and we put a Dumerils boa that likes to run cooler in the bottom enclosure in the stack so everyone is happy.

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Thank you. Im in the garage now looking at what im going to cut to size. My female Albino (top enclosure) stays in the cool hide 24/7 and it gets down as low as 75.5 in the winter or when The house AC is set to 66 dergees and thats driving me crazy. I guess she knows what she wants but i cant stop dwelling on it. If I can get the cool ambient up to 78-80 id feel fine about it... Do you think im worrying about nothing?


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Well that didnt work. I took the insulation out and put 4) 1.5" strips in and the temp jumped to 97.6. What a PITB when your suppose to be able to stack these... Just stacked without any insulation or wood the top enclosure was over 101. 5 from the bottom enclosures RHP. [emoji85][emoji85][emoji85][emoji86][emoji86][emoji86]. This is driving me nuts.


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Took the Wood Strips out and put 3 pieces of 4'x2' 1" insulation board.. Looks like im down to 91.5 and covered the large vent slices and left the medium and smalls open.. Cool side 80. Hopefully its close to stable.
Stacking is a PITA if you use RHP's. Hahaha


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It's a little late since it sounds like you've got things dialed in now but thought I'd share my information for stacking enclosures with RHP...

I insulate with a sheet of styrofoam underneath the bottom enclosure to start. I then attach the RHP to a piece of 1/2" pvc that helps insulate the top heat loss from the enclosure above it.

Here is a photo of one of the RHP mounted... I used overkill to attach this RHP to prevent any possibility of getting any part underneath it. (have a couple males that will work like crazy trying to wedge if they think they can do it). https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4213/3...cff3b7c9_c.jpg

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Originally Posted by Randall L Turner Jr

It's a little late since it sounds like you've got things dialed in now but thought I'd share my information for stacking enclosures with RHP...

I insulate with a sheet of styrofoam underneath the bottom enclosure to start. I then attach the RHP to a piece of 1/2" pvc that helps insulate the top heat loss from the enclosure above it.

Here is a photo of one of the RHP mounted... I used overkill to attach this RHP to prevent any possibility of getting any part underneath it. (have a couple males that will work like crazy trying to wedge if they think they can do it). https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4213/3...cff3b7c9_c.jpg

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Nope im not out of the woods yet. At 2am the house dropped in temps to 60 and the Hot side was stable but the cool side dropped to 74.7. (Top enclosure). The bottom is always fine. I cant raise the Top RHP thermostat over 80 otherwise the Hot Side sky rockets too.
Your idea sounds good but im thinking it wouldn't do anything more than what im doing. Ive already got 2 pieces of insulation board i had left from my basement walls. This is crazy. Im at a loss. Maybe if i raise the ambient temp on the top enclosure the hit side going up to 93/94 wont be so bad because she doesn't use the hot hide at all. You might se her in there 1/2 days out of 60. Any thoughts on that high of a temp on the Hot side to raise the cool?
( Just thought i may have to move my Top RHP to the cool side and use it to stabilize ambient at 80. The Hot side floor is heated by the Lower enclosures RHP. Hmmmm ?)


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I'm interested in your progress. I am still debating on the perfect install spot for the RHP to keep the ambient and cool side from dropping too low (know RHPs don't control ambient but I am hoping they will do a little like a CHE). How gets cold in the winter and around 75 in the summer so I need the RHP to help combat the cold. Definitely going to use styrofoam for the bottom but never even thought of the top.

It sounds like all of your RHP's are on the same side if I am reading correctly. I would alternate sides, and stagger them cage to cage. That way, the residual heat loss from each tank below, helps heat the cool side of the one above it. It could help stabilize your temps a bit more, and even make it to where you can keep your tstats set on the same temp for your hot spot without having to change it based on a minor swing in room temp. Just some food for thought.

Sounds like you may have to get a space heater to warm your basement up somewhat.

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