Heat tape in my T8 - why so inefficient?

Ugh...I was already starting to think I might be better off using an RHP along with the flexwatt - but the last thing I want to do after having plunked down for a T8, (and a herpstat, and a etc.) is shell out more for the panel plus another good thermostat, since I only have the Herpstat 1. What would be your reasons, if any, for not trying to control a 40 watt RHP with a rheostat? I figure 1) the snake isn't going to be lying on or against it, shouldn't come in contact with it much; 2) I can still keep the RHP from heating up too high with the rheostat, and; 3) with the heat tape already working I can keep the RHP even lower, just a little "nudge" to the hot spot and ambient. What problems am I not considering, in my inexperience?

You can use a RHP with lamp dimmer if you want. Just make the sure the lamp dimmer is rated for the wattage of the RHP. Think of it as a cage safe CHE. Just remember, you do want to provide a cool side for the snake as well.

Now like I said, it really depends on your room temp. That is going to determine your ambient cage temp. Generally you don't need both unless you live somewhere really cold where the room is sitting around 60F. Having a 90F hot spot with flexwatt and then setting the RHP to 80F cool side is kind of overkill.

And if you are running a lamp dimmer with that RHP, remember it will not cool down if it gets too hot.

It's up to you but I think you are trying to use flexwatt not how its really designed. You don't take the temp from the substrate. You want the cage floor to be 90F. it wont heat the air, it wont heat the substrate really. All it does is provide a warm spot on the cage floor for the snake to curl up on and stay warm, warm up or digest food.

A RHP is designed to heat up objects under it which will heat the air. Now the cool side(where the t-stat probe is set) needs to be cooler than the room temp or the RHP isn't going to come on much which wont provide a hot spot. With that said, you don't need a hot spot for a snake. I raised my big BCI girl from 18" to 6.5-7' on a RHP. It just kept the ambient warm and a so-so hot spot on her warm hide when it came on.

Also remember, a RHP needs 6" air gap or you risk it possible overheating. I talked to Ali at AP and RBI about this. T8 inside height is 10.75". RHP is 1", substrate 2", RBI large hide is like 4". Combine that and you have about a 4" air gap. RBI told me not to place the hide under the RHP and to place it off to the side. Now there are lots of people who use RHPs with 12" cages but for me, I don't chance it on anything under 14". And running it on a lamp dimmer where it will be on 24/7 could become a problem.

Bottom line is you don't need both unless you are in a really cold house. Just order a Pro Products RHP, mount it and hook it up to your Herpstat 1. See how you like it. if you don't, hook the flexwatt back up and live and learn lol. Like I said, I've used both and I personally prefer flexwatt but again everyone has ways that work for them which might not work for others.

I was actually going to put the RHP over the space where the heat tape is, to make the hot spot solidly warm both on floor and in the air, and I figured it would also help get the ambient in the rest of the cage at a healthy place instead of wavering from good to slightly too low, depending on what humidity and ambient room temp are doing to tweak it. I get what you're saying Sauzo about overkill on having the cool side too warm, but the snake so far is pretty consistently staying in the warmest zone of the cage - that suggests to me that he needs to stay there to feel comfortable, or possibly sometimes can't get warm enough? Good reminder about the cage height and hide, it would have to be very low-clearance hide if he was going to have one right in the hot spot. I'm starting to experiment with making them myself though so I can work around that.

Thanks everyone for your input so far.