heating snake room with electric and or space heaters

I've heard of people heating snake rooms with electric space heaters with a thermostat and or space heaters with a thermostat. Does anyone have any advice or experience heating a snake room this way?

Hey There,

I keep my snakes in a room in my basement and it can get pretty chilly down there in both the summer and the winter (around 70). I use a combination of PVC enclosures and racks so my husbandry temperatures within the tubs themselves are okay, but I added a secondary heat source just to boost the overall rooms ambient temperature. I use a Miniature Space Heater (Oil Furnace) that has a built in thermostat in it ($69.00 at home depot). It has multiple settings on it for wattage, proportional, non-proportional and I find that my Hydro bill did not jump after I have had this running on a 7/24 basis.

This secondary heat source is not by any means necessary (in my situation), but doesn't hurt in my opinion.

I would not trust the build in thermostat in a heater they generally go out first leaving the heat source un-regulated.

The best is to get a oil filled heater (you can find one for below $40 at target, lowes, home depot, walmart) and get a Ranco thermostat http://www.reptilebasics.com/ranco-etc-111000-pre-wired (chose the room heater option)

It will keep the temps exactly where you want them within a degree and will be safe.

I've never heard of this... I know this is how they make walk in incubators and the reason for that is the egg boxes do not need a warm and a cool side - all they need is a constant ambient temp. Most people with big snake rooms use heat tape either belly or back heat. Its generally inexpensive and it will work better.

Unless you mean of course to up the ambient temp if your room is too cool in general. I haven't heard of this either but it makes sense :).

Cheers.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

I would not trust the build in thermostat in a heater they generally go out first leaving the heat source un-regulated.

The best is to get a oil filled heater (you can find one for below $40 at target, lowes, home depot, walmart) and get a Ranco thermostat http://www.reptilebasics.com/ranco-etc-111000-pre-wired (chose the room heater option)

It will keep the temps exactly where you want them within a degree and will be safe.

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Hi Deborah,

Am I understanding this correctly - I purchase the Honeywell Oil Filled Heater with the "temperature set" feature so I could regulate how high it took my room temp - but are you saying I shouldn't trust this.

Am I supposed to hook this oil filled heater up to a Helix Thermostat too??

Please explain - thanks

Yes, you plug the oil-filled heater into a outside thermostat. The heaters are awesome, but the thermostat built into the heater can go out and lead to your snake room temps soaring to 130F. I know, it's happened to me when I trusted the heater's thermostat rather than a outside seperate thermostat.

I did not realize they made those specifically for room heaters. I tried to plug my heater into a regular thermostat and it kept tripping the breaker, so I'll definitely be buying a special-built one from that link, THANKS!

Wow, good to know. I spent the extra bucks to get one with a thermostat but I guess that was stupid.

I will order the Ranco right away. Is it as simple as plugging the heater into the ranco and then the ranco into the wall - I am not good with electronics - lol

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Originally Posted by L.West

Wow, good to know. I spent the extra bucks to get one with a thermostat but I guess that was stupid.

I will order the Ranco right away. Is it as simple as plugging the heater into the ranco and then the ranco into the wall - I am not good with electronics - lol

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I dont use rancos so i cant comment on them directly. But with my herpstat 2. It has 2 outputs. 1 i use to control my rack and 1 i use to control my room. I have the built in termostat set to max on the unit. And the herpstat set to on off mode. With the prob just sittin there in the room.

I have an oil filled as well.
Soo

Heater--> thermostat--> wall outlet

Edit:
Said it once and ill say it again... My herpstat was the best investment hands down for my collection

So, just to clarify, you set the temp on the oil heater to its highest but have it plugged into a thermostat that is set to the temp you want your room. You mentioned that you just lay the probe on the floor - is it near the heater??

I ordered the Ranco but am nervous now worrying about my snake room because I have been relying on this little heater to keep my room temp up on these chillier days - I pray it doesn't malfunction before my Ranco gets here.

I would also be sure the room is well insulated, especially around the door and any window. Otherwise, you are wasting a lot of heat.

Insulate the electrical outlets as well - you can get felt insulators for them for a couple of bucks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by L.West

Hi Deborah,

Am I understanding this correctly - I purchase the Honeywell Oil Filled Heater with the "temperature set" feature so I could regulate how high it took my room temp - but are you saying I shouldn't trust this.

Am I supposed to hook this oil filled heater up to a Helix Thermostat too??

Please explain - thanks

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I don't trust them I had two (different brands) going bad in the past 5 years which is why I am not taking the risk anymore if it was to overheat while gone it could be a disaster. Walking in a 120 degree snake room was scary enough.

Having them on an external thermostat is the best way to go however for this application you need a non proportional t-stat such ranco or johnson and preferably grounded.

Quick question Deborah, say I am away and we have a short power outage but the power comes back on moments later....does that Ranco power back up on the previously set temps? Or does it go back to some default temp like 85 degrees?

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Originally Posted by Severa

Quick question Deborah, say I am away and we have a short power outage but the power comes back on moments later....does that Ranco power back up on the previously set temps? Or does it go back to some default temp like 85 degrees?

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Whatever temp you had set it on is what it will come back on after a power outage.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by L.West

So, just to clarify, you set the temp on the oil heater to its highest but have it plugged into a thermostat that is set to the temp you want your room. You mentioned that you just lay the probe on the floor - is it near the heater??

I ordered the Ranco but am nervous now worrying about my snake room because I have been relying on this little heater to keep my room temp up on these chillier days - I pray it doesn't malfunction before my Ranco gets here.

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Yeh i have my probe just on the same shelf my herpstat sits on. My herpstat has the option to change it to on off mode.. From its standard mode where it actually adjusts the power out put.. Ive been meaning to play with the built in thermostat on my oil heater.. U may not have to set it to max. U might be able to use the built in as a fail safe back up thermostat. But those dials are hard. I constantly was adjustinf and re adjusting before i got my herpstat.

As another poster commented. The room should be well insulated.. I blocked off the air vents.. Installed a door sweep and got a window weather gaurd plastic to seal off drafts in the window.

http://tapatalk.com/mu/461cf57e-17d3-81a9.jpg

Dont trust the controls on an oil filled heater. Back it up with a helix or rbi sells a nice johnsons controls stat that works great. I have one that operates my walk in incubator and i have 2 for the snake lab. If you want to be in the breeding and housing game with multiple animals and want to do it right then NEVER cheap out on the important things like thermostats or heating. Proper ambient room temps are key to all things reptiles. The warmer your room, your rack heat doesnt have to cycle and work harder. Also if you keep your room around 80 to 82 when its time to night drop your breeders you dont have to worry.

*IMPORTANT NOTE*

I use an oil filled heater and Ranco thermostat. The reason that I recommend Ranco or Johnson thermostats is this:
The Ranco and Johnson thermostats are designed for commercial heating and A/C applications so they have a 1500 Watt load handling capability. Most space heaters have 3 settings, and each setting draws different wattages. These are the approximate specs on my heater's settings. Low (300 Watts), Medium (600 Watts), High (750 Watts). Depending on the manufacturer and model number, these operating wattages will vary, so it is important that you find out these operating specifications for the heater that you want, and then select an appropriate external thermostat. I generally leave my heater set on Medium all year long, but I know that my thermostat can handle the additional wattage of the High setting, should I need it. Here is a photo of my heater and thermostat...

http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/...s/HPIM0643.jpg

Yes my ambient temps are dropping down I.to the 70's,my herpstat is running at 50% to keep a hot spot near 87 -90 degrees. I bought an electric heater and have been running it for a few hours to het the ambient temps up. But are winters in maine are unbelievable cold so Im afraid my room will get to cold. And my ambient temps are dropping with my house heat on allready.

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Originally Posted by gman8585

Yes my ambient temps are dropping down I.to the 70's,my herpstat is running at 50% to keep a hot spot near 87 -90 degrees. I bought an electric heater and have been running it for a few hours to het the ambient temps up. But are winters in maine are unbelievable cold so Im afraid my room will get to cold. And my ambient temps are dropping with my house heat on allready.

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I am in NS so I am with you. Oil heaters just as described are the simplest method. Especially if your house or whatever is reasonably well insulated. I don't use one anymore as my place is very poor that way... I second Vypyrz Ranco and Johnson T-stats are actually designed for very similar tasks and perform well like they were made for it...

There are alternatives to heating the room but they are complex and expensive to set up. I'd not recommend them unless your power bill goes through the roof then you might be interested at a later point.

In the summer months - my ambient temps stay at or around 80/81 degrees.

In the winter months with the furnace on and the oil filled heater in my snakeroom - I keep it steady at 77 degrees ambient temps - never had any problems with these temps.

My racks all maintain the proper temps of 89/90 hot side and 80/81 cool side with no problems all year long.

I sure hope I am doing this right but after almost 4 years - no illnesses (knock on wood).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by L.West

In the summer months - my ambient temps stay at or around 80/81 degrees.

In the winter months with the furnace on and the oil filled heater in my snakeroom - I keep it steady at 77 degrees ambient temps - never had any problems with these temps.

My racks all maintain the proper temps of 89/90 hot side and 80/81 cool side with no problems all year long.

I sure hope I am doing this right but after almost 4 years - no illnesses (knock on wood).

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Right and wrong ways don't really play into the situation it is more what works what does not work. Your way is working. The units have poor t-stats some have had them fail some have not. Some snake rooms (mine) when I used one I didn't need it anyway I ran it maxed out 24/7 to get 78ºF that is my situation.

A ranco or Johnson adds an extra bit of security. The question is not if you need it but what happens if your oil heater goes on and fails to turn off? How long before it is found and how hot does it get? No one can answer that for you. If you get a long time before it is noticed and really hot I'd suggest a better t-stat as you are placing the health and well being of your collection on a 30¢ part. If you say not long and not very hot it isn't so much a problem.

Hi Everyone,

Well, after following this post - I decided to order the Ranco Thermostat to control my oil filled heater in my snake room.

I can't seem to get the therm to work with my heater. It seems like whenever the desired temp is reached - the therm shuts off the heater like it is supposed to but then it can't kick the heater back on - my heater shuts down completely.

I am attaching a picture to see if any of you use this model and can help me out. I may have to go buy a new heater.

See photo.

Thanks.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/n.../oilheater.jpg

West

You cant use a digital heater with the Rancos or any other on/off thermostat

You have to buy an analog one

Where do I get an anolog thermostat and how much do they cost?? Would it be cheaper for me to buy a new heater and if so, which one do you all recommend.

Thanks

No, I meant the heater has to be analog

You need a different heater

Delonghi makes a model called the "Dragon" which I use that is by far the best I've found.

Hope tht helps

Oh ok. I get it now. I will check into that oil filled heater you mentioned

Thanks for your help.