The Hot Spot

In a 41 qt tub, for a 1500G plus snake, with ambients around 80, can I use only 4" Flexwatt for the UTH hot spot, or must I go with 11"?

Note-the rack is close on 3 sides, and has 11" FW for back heat already in place

4" wont do anything, they need at least 1/4 of the floor of the cage as belly heat.
with a 4" your risking them not getting enough heat to digest leading to big problems.

Believe me an 11" is what you need

If you want you could do 2 strips of 4 inch flexwatt about 3 inches apart. I've seen that work well for people.


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I've used 6" and it works well. With ambient temps at 80 degrees you probably could get away with 4".

I know ARS Cages (my racks) sells their standard 7030 racks with 4" flexwatt. However, I upgrade to 6" for all but the bottom shelf, which I upgrade to 12". I think Freedom Breeder racks most popular heating option is 5", which I think is 4" flexwatt inside of an inch larger encasing.

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Originally Posted by mues155

4" wont do anything, they need at least 1/4 of the floor of the cage as belly heat.
with a 4" your risking them not getting enough heat to digest leading to big problems.

Believe me an 11" is what you need

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That's my logic too (see my other post). But people seem to be using 4" for bigger tubs without problems. I talked to a breeder here the other day and I brought up the 11" for bigger tub he actually advised against it. I was asking about 32 quart sized tubs thought, but still 4 inches doesn't cover 1/3 of that. I also see Ralph Davis videos where his freedom breeders and ARS racks with adult tubs only use 3 inches. It obviously works, but it doesn't make sense to me that people recommend 1/3 and at the same time use 4" for everything hatchling to adult tubs... I don't understand it.

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Originally Posted by Don

I've used 6" and it works well. With ambient temps at 80 degrees you probably could get away with 4".

I know ARS Cages (my racks) sells their standard 7030 racks with 4" flexwatt. However, I upgrade to 6" for all but the bottom shelf, which I upgrade to 12". I think Freedom Breeder racks most popular heating option is 5", which I think is 4" flexwatt inside of an inch larger encasing.

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The casing causes the heat to go over a wider area? Or is it just a measurement of the casing but the heat is still just over the flexwatt?

EDIT: I just looked over the ARS catalog and the heat panels are smallest 4", then 6" then 12" I don't see any 5"? Is it an old style? Seems like they use 12" for tubs longer than 39.9" in length only.

I don't think the casing causes the heat to go to a wider area. I've also had Animal Plastic cages, Reptile Basics and Herp Enclosure cages that also come with 4" Flexwatt and my BPs never had issues in them.

If you are keeping your ambient temperatures at 80 degrees, then heating at least 1/3rd of a 41 qt tub with 11" Flexwatt, there may not be enough of a thermal gradient, IMHO. But, I will admit I'm no expert in Flexwatt. Just letting you know what has worked for me.

EDIT: the Freedom Breeder uses 5". I use 6" panels on my ARS racks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don

I've used 6" and it works well. With ambient temps at 80 degrees you probably could get away with 4".

I know ARS Cages (my racks) sells their standard 7030 racks with 4" flexwatt. However, I upgrade to 6" for all but the bottom shelf, which I upgrade to 12". I think Freedom Breeder racks most popular heating option is 5", which I think is 4" flexwatt inside of an inch larger encasing.

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Every breeder video on you tube never shows 11". In fact most show 4", some 6"

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Originally Posted by Don

Animal Plastic cages, Reptile Basics and Herp Enclosure cages that also come with 4" Flexwatt and my BPs never had issues in them.

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I have 4 inch and I just used a ir gun to see how large the hot spot was. At 1 inch increments from the back. It is a reasonably accurate gun better than many not 100%.

87º
88º
90º
91º
91º
90º
88º
87º
84º
81º
80º for the rest basically 79º at the very front.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

I have 4 inch and I just used a ir gun to see how large the hot spot was. At 1 inch increments from the back. It is a reasonably accurate gun better than many not 100%.

87º
88º
90º
91º
91º
90º
88º
87º
84º
81º
80º for the rest basically 79º at the very front.

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Interesting, do you have that slightly cooler couple inches at the back because the heat tape isn't directly at the back of the tub? I see some people who have their heat tape right at the back of the shelves, the corner of the tub exactly matching the heat tape. There are others who have heat tape layed so that it runs across the bottom of the tub a little bit further up the tub length.

How many inches in from the back of a 28 or 32 qt tub would you lay your 4" heat tape? Not from the shelve as that depends how far your push the tub in, but from the back of the bottom of the tub after you push it in. From your numbers I am guessing 2 - 3 inches, depending on whether the first figure is the back or your first 1" increment FROM the back.

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Originally Posted by Don

EDIT: the Freedom Breeder uses 5". I use 6" panels on my ARS racks.

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Oh right, I didn't catch that. 5" were for the freedom breeders. I only looked through the ARS ones because that is my "dream" rack I wish I had! LOL.

On a 41 qt rack, my heat panel starts about four inches from the back of the tub. On my RBI and HE racks (which are 32 qt) the heat tape is also about four inches from the back of the tub. So, yes, the heat tape is not aligned with the very back of the tub, but brought inward.

Don, I just measured it. It is about 3 and a half inches. The temps were from inside the tub. (I have a hatch for cleaning the rack body it didn't help much but it is still there.) The tub stands off the back wall about an inch slightly less. I also am using rubbermaid tubs so they have 'runner' on the bottom and it makes an air pocket that is static (closed in air doesn't circulate under the tub) if that allows the temp to spread some I am unsure. That would be my guess. The other thing I have is 17inch low wattage flexwatt for heating the front of tubs. The rack is located in a cool room and it is well insulated and mods to change the way air circulates to help keep heat. That also may have some effect but ambient temps and surface may or may not have monster effects on each other.

Solid body rack too. The vents are about 1 inch up on the back wall from the shelf.

All my racks have 4 inch heat tape running through them, while I keep the hatchlings hotspot considerably lower because it is difficult to have a gradient in a tub as small a 6 quarts all my adults who are in 32 quarts and 41 quarts are kept around 88 degrees.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

All my racks have 4 inch heat tape running through them, while I keep the hatchlings hotspot considerably lower because it is difficult to have a gradient in a tub as small a 6 quarts all my adults who are in 32 quarts and 41 quarts are kept around 88 degrees.

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Deborah, that is a good point about hatchlings. My 6qt hatchling racks all have back heat instead of belly because the tubs are so small and the need for a heat gradient.

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Originally Posted by hungba

That's my logic too (see my other post). But people seem to be using 4" for bigger tubs without problems. I talked to a breeder here the other day and I brought up the 11" for bigger tub he actually advised against it. I was asking about 32 quart sized tubs thought, but still 4 inches doesn't cover 1/3 of that. I also see Ralph Davis videos where his freedom breeders and ARS racks with adult tubs only use 3 inches. It obviously works, but it doesn't make sense to me that people recommend 1/3 and at the same time use 4" for everything hatchling to adult tubs... I don't understand it.

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doesnt make sense to me either.
I've used 11" with great results and my bps I find are not as picky eaters as they used to be. I'm in ND and our temps are not always high, so maybe its a climate thing but I wouldnt use anything but 11".
I suppose to each his own. Depends on your situation and what works for you.