New Set-up...Outgassing Radiant Panels from Helix....How long do I do this for??

I set up my two V221 Vision Cages today... I was told about outgassing the Radiant Heat Panels prior to putting the animals in the tank. The instructions say to run the panels at 100% for a few hours. I did that but the smell is still pretty horrific.

Anybody have any experience with the Helix RHPs?? Or Outgassing??

I dont get my thermostat until Friday and in the interim I want to try and run the panels as much as possible in order to rid them of that plastic smell.

When is it safe to put the animals in there??

Any help would be appreciated!!

Thanks!!

LD

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When the smell is gone it is no longer out gassing. RHPs are great tools but in such a low enclosure there are easier ways to create a hot spot.

12" high.... Same as T1 & T8 from AP.... I have seen a bunch of set-ups on here using the RHPs.

How would you have set it up??

RHPs are fine for 12'' enclosures. it's just easier to achieve a proper heat gradient using belly heat given the height. either approach is just a matter of preference. for future reference, you might want to look into RBI heat panels as they are designed to eliminate the off-gassing issue. if you run yours unregulated for a few hours, they should be fine. I would also hook up your thermostat and let it run for 12-24 hours at the desires temperature. either way, don't introduce your animals until the heat source is regulated by a thermostat.

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Originally Posted by wwmjkd

RHPs are fine for 12'' enclosures. it's just easier to achieve a proper heat gradient using belly heat given the height. either approach is just a matter of preference. for future reference, you might want to look into RBI heat panels as they are designed to eliminate the off-gassing issue. if you run yours unregulated for a few hours, they should be fine. I would also hook up your thermostat and let it run for 12-24 hours at the desires temperature. either way, don't introduce your animals until the heat source is regulated by a thermostat.

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Thank you!! I had the panels running outside all day today. Hoping that when I get home, the smell is gone. Herpstat4 will be here tomorrow.

Question: My two (2) BP's are only 86 and 103 Grams....are the enclosures too big??? If so, at what point should I move them in??

I start my young BP's in 24" x 24" x 12" cages without any issues. As long as you provide good hides you should be fine.

Just clutter it up for the little guys so they feel secure. Paper balls, fake plants, hides, have some fun with it

Just got home... Panels have been on unregulated since 9am this morning! They still smell like plastic.

Thoughts??

Are you running them inside the cages? I would run them in a more open environment.

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

Are you running them inside the cages? I would run them in a more open environment.

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I ran them outside by themselves last night for 3 hours.

Then I installed them. I ran them inside the tanks today (outdoors) without glass.

Take the doors off and if you have a fan angle it inside.

I find especially with visions UTH do a super job of keeping the gradient. RHPs really perform best with a vertical gradient rather than horizontal. It is a choice, I also have yet to fine a really safe probe placement that works well. I would NEVER suggest a probe be placed where an animal can get between the probe and heat source especially with a radiant source. Everything is a little more complex with RHP and short enclosures (I believe Jeff Washburn recommends the face of the panel be 15-22 inches away from the floor???). It adds effort for little to no gain you will figure it out it just is harder and more expensive than it needs to be.

Thanks!! Appreciate the feedback. Given that I was stacking 2 tanks, thought the RHPs would work best. Not going to really know until I try and regulate with thermostat. Also thought that given the undulated nature of the bottom of the vision tanks, that the flexwatt would have been difficult.... This is my 1st go around with a more advanced set-up so I appreciate any and all advice.

Since you are already doing it and as you are inside the min recommended distances I would really check the temps you have. Turn off any fan replace the doors for 30 min to one hour and check the panel face and the temp on the floor directly under the RHP as well as the ambient air temp 4 inches down from the ceiling and on the far side away from the RHP. as well as floor surface there. I might also after these are done add a hide under the RHP and wait an hour and check the hide top floor under it and ceiling of the hide. I would do all this with the lights off and then again with them on for a few hours. It is amazing how much difference FL lights can make.

This will give you a sense of how much effect the panel is having on the cool side (what is the difference between floor under it and away from it) How hot the floor (under the RHP) will become (if you really need to rethink that min distance you are at least 7-11 inches inside of) Also the temp difference you can expect between the top of the hide outside and the temp inside it.

The more information you can gather about what the maxed out temp is the easier it will be to see what it is doing and how it effects the rest of the system. When the temps are lower everything will be more subtle so it is harder to figure out. It will also give you a sense of what the penalty of a full T-stat failure is. Personally I have no set up that if you just plug the heaters into the wall (full Tstat failure I also run a failsafe system or a backup system so it is very very unlikely) the snakes inside would be subjected to NO more than 100ºF higher than comfortable but lower than really dangerous.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

Since you are already doing it and as you are inside the min recommended distances I would really check the temps you have. Turn off any fan replace the doors for 30 min to one hour and check the panel face and the temp on the floor directly under the RHP as well as the ambient air temp 4 inches down from the ceiling and on the far side away from the RHP. as well as floor surface there. I might also after these are done add a hide under the RHP and wait an hour and check the hide top floor under it and ceiling of the hide. I would do all this with the lights off and then again with them on for a few hours. It is amazing how much difference FL lights can make.

This will give you a sense of how much effect the panel is having on the cool side (what is the difference between floor under it and away from it) How hot the floor (under the RHP) will become (if you really need to rethink that min distance you are at least 7-11 inches inside of) Also the temp difference you can expect between the top of the hide outside and the temp inside it.

The more information you can gather about what the maxed out temp is the easier it will be to see what it is doing and how it effects the rest of the system. When the temps are lower everything will be more subtle so it is harder to figure out. It will also give you a sense of what the penalty of a full T-stat failure is. Personally I have no set up that if you just plug the heaters into the wall (full Tstat failure I also run a failsafe system or a backup system so it is very very unlikely) the snakes inside would be subjected to NO more than 100ºF higher than comfortable but lower than really dangerous.

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Thanks..... What's the best and most accurate way to check temps?? Gun??

Gun is the easiest for the surfaces but it cannot check air temps for that a probed thermometer is the only way. Although if you check the far side wall is likely close.