Back Heat or Belly Heat

Some of our racks have back heat, some have belly heat. We just make sure the tstats controlling the flexwatt are set to achieve the warm side temps we want for that species in that size tub.

all of my adult racks i use belly heat. my hatchling and sub adult racks i use back heat.

I live in Colorado...and even with a space heater my rooms stay around 77ish. So back heat for anything but the hatchling corn rack I'll be building (In a year or two at this rate) would be ineffective. I may try it with the BP hatchling rack I'll make (much sooner), but I'll be sure to have the means to switch to belly heat if it doesn't work out.

Basically, it's all about your room temps, budget (back heat is often much cheaper), and preferences. :)

Belly heat here. But a properly setup back heat can be very effective also.

Belly Heat. as i have winters below zero for weeks at a time. I also use space heater to keep room 79-81.

Achieved with 4" flexwatt

I live in central Florida (Tampa area) and like belly heat. Just seems slightly better even if you don't have really cold winters.

Back heat is certainly good, but I think that belly heat is just a bit better for most applications.

I am about to swith my melamine rack to a hatchling rack and will probably go to back heat just to try it.

I have back heat ! I live in the Chicagoland are and have my rooms around 68 to 70 and have no trouble keeping the heat up on them ! The back of my rack is also all closed in which might be way i have no probs with my temps :)

I was reading some of your post ! Guys lets think about this back or belly heat will keep them at the temp you need if the room is 60 the stat will keep the tub where you need them at the hot end ! Room temps really don't matter from what your tub temps are ! The only difference from back to belly is you have to run your back heat about 10 degrees hotter then belly heat !

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Originally Posted by Haydenphoto

I was reading some of your post ! Guys lets think about this back or belly heat will keep them at the temp you need if the room is 60 the stat will keep the tub where you need them at the hot end ! Room temps really don't matter from what your tub temps are ! The only difference from back to belly is you have to run your back heat about 10 degrees hotter then belly heat !

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I'm having a hard time deciphering what you are trying to say. But I'll give it a whirl..........

If you are claiming that you can keep your room at 60 degrees and raise ambient temps upwards of 15 to 20 degrees with either belly or back heat - you are wrong.

I have back heat set to 95 degrees in a rack in our snake building. The hot spot gets to 90 degrees at the back of the tub. At the front, it is the ambient temp of the room (79 to 80 degrees). In other words, back heat does diddly squat for ambient temps.

My belly heat racks are set to 95 degrees and get to 91 to 92 degrees at the hot spot. The warm ambient end is about 83 degrees with the cool end the same exact temperature as the ambient in the room.

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Originally Posted by Skiploder

I'm having a hard time deciphering what you are trying to say. But I'll give it a whirl..........

If you are claiming that you can keep your room at 60 degrees and raise ambient temps upwards of 15 to 20 degrees with either belly or back heat - you are wrong.

I have back heat set to 95 degrees in a rack in our snake building. The hot spot gets to 90 degrees at the back of the tub. At the front, it is the ambient temp of the room (79 to 80 degrees). In other words, back heat does diddly squat for ambient temps.

My belly heat racks are set to 95 degrees and get to 91 to 92 degrees at the hot spot. The warm ambient end is about 83 degrees with the cool end the same exact temperature as the ambient in the room.

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I set my stat to 102 the back of my tub reads 90 the front reads 84 the room stat is set to 68 ! A lot has to do with the way the racks are made and yes i have back heat so to say im wrong is a little off seeing how thats how i have all my racks !