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Cool side won't cool down

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  • 01-09-2023, 12:47 AM
    neonresidue
    Cool side won't cool down
    Hi there!

    I've got three ball pythons, each in their own 48" x 24" x 18" PVC enclosure, stacked on top of each other with a storage cabinet at the very bottom. I'm having a heck of a time creating the proper temperature gradient in the top and middle enclosures, but especially the middle one.

    Our basics are:
    • 48" x 24" x 18" PVC enclosures
    • Glass doors
    • RHP in each enclosure: on the top and bottom, the RHP is on the left side. In the middle, we've moved the RHP to the right side.
    • HerpStats for each enclosure controlling the RHP, monitoring the cool side temperature and humidity.
    • The Snake Stack (as we call the enclosure stack) sits against an exterior wall in a corner, with about three inches of air space between the enclosure and the two walls it sits against.
    • NOT bioactive
    • We live in a warmer climate and our house temperatures are controlled by central HVAC—they stay between 68/70 in the winter and 82 in the summer


    My biggest issue is that the middle enclosure's cool side will simply not go below 84 degrees Fahrenheit, even when the RHP is at 0%. We've tried drilling more ventilation holes on the cool side, switching the RHP to the opposite side, and adjusting the RHP's temperature, all to no avail.

    I can surely keep drilling more ventilation holes on the middle enclosure, since I know PVC is designed to keep in heat and humidity and is clearly doing it too well! But before I do that, I wanted to know if anyone had any other ideas, especially if you've dealt with this too.

    Thanks for any wisdom!
    Jennifer
  • 01-09-2023, 12:52 AM
    jmcrook
    Cool side won't cool down
    I’d move the RHP so that they’re all on the same side in the stack. Upward heat transfer from the bottom cage is heating the cool side of the middle cage. I have 4 stacks of 4’ cages set up with RHPs all on the same sides of each stack with Herpstats as well and they do great.

    Edit: missed that you already tried that…


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • 01-09-2023, 06:59 AM
    Jamiekerk
    Re: Cool side won't cool down
    Are the vivs stacked directly on top of each other if so try placing some folded card between each one to create a small gap so direct heat transfer does not occur.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
  • 01-09-2023, 08:01 AM
    Homebody
    Re: Cool side won't cool down
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by neonresidue View Post
    Hi there!

    I've got three ball pythons, each in their own 48" x 24" x 18" PVC enclosure, stacked on top of each other with a storage cabinet at the very bottom. I'm having a heck of a time creating the proper temperature gradient in the top and middle enclosures, but especially the middle one.

    Our basics are:
    • 48" x 24" x 18" PVC enclosures
    • Glass doors
    • RHP in each enclosure: on the top and bottom, the RHP is on the left side. In the middle, we've moved the RHP to the right side.
    • HerpStats for each enclosure controlling the RHP, monitoring the cool side temperature and humidity.
    • The Snake Stack (as we call the enclosure stack) sits against an exterior wall in a corner, with about three inches of air space between the enclosure and the two walls it sits against.
    • NOT bioactive
    • We live in a warmer climate and our house temperatures are controlled by central HVAC—they stay between 68/70 in the winter and 82 in the summer


    My biggest issue is that the middle enclosure's cool side will simply not go below 84 degrees Fahrenheit, even when the RHP is at 0%. We've tried drilling more ventilation holes on the cool side, switching the RHP to the opposite side, and adjusting the RHP's temperature, all to no avail.

    I can surely keep drilling more ventilation holes on the middle enclosure, since I know PVC is designed to keep in heat and humidity and is clearly doing it too well! But before I do that, I wanted to know if anyone had any other ideas, especially if you've dealt with this too.

    Thanks for any wisdom!
    Jennifer

    While your description is thorough, a picture may still help. We may see something that you aren't. Here's a link instructions on how to post pics: https://ball-pythons.net/forums/show...-Post-Pictures. In the summer, when I need to cool my enclosure, I put a block of ice in there.
  • 01-09-2023, 08:33 AM
    Zincubus
    Re: Cool side won't cool down
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Jamiekerk View Post
    Are the vivs stacked directly on top of each other if so try placing some folded card between each one to create a small gap so direct heat transfer does not occur.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    Yeah … I use that idea although I put a kitchen/bathroom tile under each corner , in between the vivs


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
  • 01-09-2023, 01:29 PM
    Zincubus
    Re: Cool side won't cool down
    Maybe add a few extra vents on the cool sides as well ?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
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