2 urgent heat tape questions

Sorry to keep asking for help but I thought I would have all these issues sorted before the snake came home and I am having some issues :(

So just 2 questions please and then I think I can truly move forward comfortably.

1. Adding heat tape - can it be taped directly to the bottom of the pvc tank or does there need to be a gap between the tank and the tape?
How do you acheive a gap if needed?

2. My radiant heat panel is not keeping the tank warm enough by itself (therefore adding heat tape); should I buy another thermostat so each has it's own?
Or can I just attach both to the same thermostat and set it for very close to the high temp wanted; placing the probe on the "hot spot" substrate until I am sure they are working together well?

Please help!

Yes, you will need two thermostats. The heat tape will go directly on the bottom of the tank with no gap, and the first tstat probe will be sandwiched between the heat tape and the bottom outside of the tank. It DOES NOT go in the tank. The other probe will go in the tank, controlling the RHP

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could you elaborate more on why your RHP is not working properly?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DWRVT

Sorry to keep asking for help but I thought I would have all these issues sorted before the snake came home and I am having some issues :(

So just 2 questions please and then I think I can truly move forward comfortably.

1. Adding heat tape - can it be taped directly to the bottom of the pvc tank or does there need to be a gap between the tank and the tape?
How do you acheive a gap if needed?

2. My radiant heat panel is not keeping the tank warm enough by itself (therefore adding heat tape); should I buy another thermostat so each has it's own?
Or can I just attach both to the same thermostat and set it for very close to the high temp wanted; placing the probe on the "hot spot" substrate until I am sure they are working together well?

Please help!

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Yes, heat tape is applied directly to the outside cage floor. And you dont need a gap as long as you have a t-stat on it which you should anyways. The heat tape will only get as hot as the t-stat is set. I use flexwatt on all my cages and have for years and they have been fine.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...f50a928b_h.jpghttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...d4cb01d1_h.jpg


And what do you mean the RHP isnt keeping the cage warm enough? You mean as in ambient temps? If so, heat tape wont help much. It is designed to heat a spot on the floor, not air like RHPs. With that said, you will probably need a bigger/higher wattage RHP. And yes, you need a t-stat for any form of heat you use.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Avsha531

Yes, you will need two thermostats. The heat tape will go directly on the bottom of the tank with no gap, and the first tstat probe will be sandwiched between the heat tape and the bottom outside of the tank. It DOES NOT go in the tank. The other probe will go in the tank, controlling the RHP

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Thank you!! I appreciate your advice! Will have to go track down another thermostat.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

could you elaborate more on why your RHP is not working properly?

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My radiant heat panel at full power is not heating up the hot side of the enclosure to above 83 F.
I am measuring this with a temp gun on the substrate directly below the middle of the heat panel.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DWRVT

My radiant heat panel at full power is not heating up the hot side of the enclosure to above 83 F.
I am measuring this with a temp gun on the substrate directly below the middle of the heat panel.

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what size/wattage is it?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sauzo

Yes, heat tape is applied directly to the outside cage floor. And you dont need a gap as long as you have a t-stat on it which you should anyways. The heat tape will only get as hot as the t-stat is set. I use flexwatt on all my cages and have for years and they have been fine.
https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...f50a928b_h.jpghttps://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...d4cb01d1_h.jpg


And what do you mean the RHP isnt keeping the cage warm enough? You mean as in ambient temps? If so, heat tape wont help much. It is designed to heat a spot on the floor, not air like RHPs. With that said, you will probably need a bigger/higher wattage RHP. And yes, you need a t-stat for any form of heat you use.

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Thank you for your advice re: the heat tape.
I mean that from all the reading I have done, it appears I need a spot of above 88-92 F for my ball python and I am unable to achieve this with the rhp even on constantly.
I assumed I could try to achieve this hot spot by adding some belly heat.

I have been told that this rhp should be more than enough for my tank so am still debating what to do about the seller possibly giving me the wrong wattage. I paid twice as much as the rhp is worth to buy it from the US and have it shipped here to Canada because I was told these were the best and the seller would know exactly what I needed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tttaylorrr

what size/wattage is it?

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He calls it a PH-115, it says 55 watt.
I was told it should be more than enough for my 24 x 24 x 16 pvc enclosure, even though we have low ambient room temps, so I have no idea what I am doing wrong
Gotta figure out how to get a proper hot spot soon!

Sounds like maybe your ambient room temperature is lower than the seller anticipated. That makes a big difference in how hard the RHP or UTH have to work
at raising the temperature in a cage. Maybe you can exchange it for a higher wattage? You might talk to him??? Since you're in a hurry, ship the larger one
right away, & have yours credited back once he receives it?