Radiant heat panel positioning

I am in the process of building a bioactive 4x2x2 PVC enclosure for my ball python and want to use a RHP. I talked with Pro Products and was recommended a panel that is 12inx22in. My question is in order to fit the light bars I want to use I would have to mount the panel length wise such that it would stretch half of the enclosure. If i position it this way would I still be able to achieve a proper temperature gradient or will the RHP push to much heat even to the other half of the enclosure?

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Originally Posted by Noremac7160

I am in the process of building a bioactive 4x2x2 PVC enclosure for my ball python and want to use a RHP. I talked with Pro Products and was recommended a panel that is 12inx22in. My question is in order to fit the light bars I want to use I would have to mount the panel length wise such that it would stretch half of the enclosure. If i position it this way would I still be able to achieve a proper temperature gradient or will the RHP push to much heat even to the other half of the enclosure?

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I think you'll be o.k. RHPs do a great job of creating a hot spot directly beneath them. They don't raise the ambient temperature very much. You should run your plan by the folks at Pro Products though. They're the experts.

Actually, RHPs are specifically made to raise ambient temps so if your RHP is half the length of your terrarium, then I'd recommend to set your thermostat for around 80 degrees at which point your who terrarium will be around that temp.

All my AP terrariums have run RHPs for years and the lack of gradience has not made a difference. All BPs eat amazingly and all are healthy.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Misha

Actually, RHPs are specifically made to raise ambient temps...

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Really? According to Reptile Basics RHP FAQs, "RHP's are similar to Ceramic Heat Emitters (CHE) - they both project IR heat into the cage...This Infrared Heat tends to heat objects more than the air, much like the natural sunlight outdoors." This agrees with my personal experience. I have an 80w VE RHP in a 3x2x2 and the opposite side of the enclosure is room temperature. If RHPs raised ambient temps, I would expect that temperature to be higher.

Also, 80F seems too low to keep the entire enclosure. The forum's caresheet recommends a basking temp of around 90. I've heard that large scale breeders that don't provide basking spots keep their ambient temps closer to 85F.

There aren't actually any heating systems designed to raise ambient (air) temps for herps that I know of -- that would be convective heat (like a forced air furnace in a human house). CHEs, RHPS and incandescent lamps are radiant heat sources.

The main reason any of these heat the air is by heating objects which transfer that heat to the air -- that is, by turning an object in the viv into a heat exchanger. RHPs do this pretty well presumably since they can heat a large area to a moderate temperature (as opposed to something like a CHE which heats a smaller area/object to a higher temperature).

Keep in mind that when measuring 'ambient' temps a person is also measuring the radiant heat on the cool side of the viv that's falling on the sensor or object the IR gun is measuring. Measuring actual air temps would need to be done behind a heat shield of some sort. Also note that thermostat probe temps may be very far off (in absolute values at least; with thoughtful design and placement relative temps should track pretty reliably) from the surfaces the snake encounters; an 80F probe may maintain a snake-accessible surface temp much higher or lower than that, depending on where the probe is placed.

I prefer to measure a bunch of surfaces in the viv (including the snake's body surface), correlate that with the locations the snake hangs out, and try to figure out if the snake wants things warmer or cooler and where it wants this. Without a gradient, this communication with the snake isn't possible, since the snake can't hint it wants things a different temp by hanging out in the Goldilocks zone and shouting 'Like this! This is how I want it!" ;)

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Originally Posted by Homebody

Really? According to Reptile Basics RHP FAQs, "RHP's are similar to Ceramic Heat Emitters (CHE) - they both project IR heat into the cage...This Infrared Heat tends to heat objects more than the air, much like the natural sunlight outdoors." This agrees with my personal experience. I have an 80w VE RHP in a 3x2x2 and the opposite side of the enclosure is room temperature. If RHPs raised ambient temps, I would expect that temperature to be higher.

Also, 80F seems too low to keep the entire enclosure. The forum's caresheet recommends a basking temp of around 90. I've heard that large scale breeders that don't provide basking spots keep their ambient temps closer to 85F.

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Sounds like you may have some probe issues if the cool side of your terrarium is still room temperature or you may have a terrarium that isn't keeping the heat in.

I have 5 AP enclosures and all keep the same temp that's set by the thermostats, regardless of the room temperature so in my experience, RHPs do heat the air of the enclosures. Otherwise, my enclosures wouldn't keep the temp that they do

I found that 80 works great for me. Maybe other people run a little cooler or a little higher. With that being said, gradience is also keeper's choice.

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