RHP isssues, please help!

Hello, I built a 6 foot by 2 foot by 2 foot tank for my reticulated python and bought a ph-12 RHP from bob at pro products. I currently have it set up and running using my herp stat intro. The only problem is that it just doesn't seem to get hot enough. i started it off at like 60 then went up to 80 and so on, trying to get it to about 90 degrees for the hot spot. the problem is that it can't seem to get it any hotter than 80 Degrees no matter what i set the thermostate to. The herp stat is currently set at 115 but the probe only reads 80 and my heat gun says its 82. What do i do? Did bob recomend the wrong panel for the job? thanks for any help!

Can you provide for people the placement of the probe from the herpstat? Is it on the surface, on the hot side / cold side, or is it suspended in air below the RHP or is it attached right under the surface of the RHP? What is the wattage of the RHP? Where are you measuring your temperatures at and are you using a thermometer or temp gun? RHPs, like CHEs radiate heat like a space heater but RHPs do not produce as hot radiant heat from their surface so it requires often a hotter surface temperature of the RHP to produce the desired temperature on the substrate or hide surface. For example, an RHP surface temperature of 115 degrees would not heat the substrate to 90 degrees from 2 feet above. So again, where is the probe at and where are you reading temperatures at?

Pro products uses heat loss / heat gain calculations to find the right size. As long as you provided accurate information, the size should be correct.

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Originally Posted by SDA

Can you provide for people the placement of the probe from the herpstat? Is it on the surface, on the hot side / cold side, or is it suspended in air below the RHP or is it attached right under the surface of the RHP? What is the wattage of the RHP? Where are you measuring your temperatures at and are you using a thermometer or temp gun? RHPs, like CHEs radiate heat like a space heater but RHPs do not produce as hot radiant heat from their surface so it requires often a hotter surface temperature of the RHP to produce the desired temperature on the substrate or hide surface. For example, an RHP surface temperature of 115 degrees would not heat the substrate to 90 degrees from 2 feet above. So again, where is the probe at and where are you reading temperatures at?

Pro products uses heat loss / heat gain calculations to find the right size. As long as you provided accurate information, the size should be correct.

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The probe is laying two feet below the panel. i am getting my temp readings using the probe and using a heat temp gun. I cannot remember the wattage of the panel currently but i can check when i get home from school.

I have heard people have great success placing the probe on the cold side. I hope someone who has done this can chime in.

I guess that doesn't seem to make much sense to me. I mean i'm not worried about the cold side. I have my thermostat set to 115 but the hot sides only 80. I'm thinking the panel doesnt have the snuff to get it any hotter and im running it at its max power level.

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Originally Posted by dylan815

I guess that doesn't seem to make much sense to me. I mean i'm not worried about the cold side. I have my thermostat set to 115 but the hot sides only 80. I'm thinking the panel doesnt have the snuff to get it any hotter and im running it at its max power level.

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Probe placement can help in how the thermostat regulates the temp, but in your case I agree it's not the issue since in theory your RHP should be running full blast all the time with your settings. What % power is your Herpstat reading? Assuming your RHP is getting as hot as possible, you may want to call Bob and troubleshoot with him.


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Originally Posted by BPGator

Probe placement can help in how the thermostat regulates the temp, but in your case I agree it's not the issue since in theory your RHP should be running full blast all the time with your settings. What % power is your Herpstat reading? Assuming your RHP is getting as hot as possible, you may want to call Bob and troubleshoot with him.


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What percent power is my herpstat reading? i guess i don't understand what your asking/how to check that. I will be home in about an hour for lunch and can check the "power %"? sorry, this is my first RHP and ive always just used the herp stats with UTH. Thanks for your help.

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Originally Posted by dylan815

What percent power is my herpstat reading? i guess i don't understand what your asking/how to check that. I will be home in about an hour for lunch and can check the "power %"? sorry, this is my first RHP and ive always just used the herp stats with UTH. Thanks for your help.

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I don't have a Herpstat Intro, but based on the instructions it seems you can display the power use with the "-" button to cycle through the displays.


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Hmmm. I just went through every menu on the darn thing. No where to adjust the power level on t :-/


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Originally Posted by dylan815

Hmmm. I just went through every menu on the darn thing. No where to adjust the power level on t :-/


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Just hit the "-" to change the display. You don't want to go through the menu


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Okay, I can try that when i get home in about 90 mins. Thanks for all your help. i will re-update when i give that a try. thanks again BPGator!

Have you tried putting something under the RHP that will soak up heat like a flat rock or hide?

The thing with RHPs is they dont 'create' the hot spot like flexwatt does. They heat up whats under them which in turn radiates the heat into the air.

You need a temp gun to actually gun the spot directly under the RHP on the floor. Then, once you achieve the temp you want there, thats what you set the probe to. The probe being in the air say 6" above the ground isnt going to be the same as directly under the RHP on the floor. So basically check the temp under the RHP on the floor with a gun and then adjust the t-stat up or down. If you got it set to run 100% all the time and not getting the temp, then the RHP is too small.

Uh oh. I guess it's at 100% power. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e2b93d5d0b.jpg

What do I do????


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Originally Posted by dylan815

Uh oh. I guess it's at 100% power. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e2b93d5d0b.jpg

What do I do????


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Seems like RHP is undersized. Talk to Bob. If you answered all his questions accurately he should rectify. What wattage is the RHP?


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Well first, make sure the hot spot under the RHP isnt too hot using a temp gun. If it is too cool, then the RHP is too small. Also remember, you are trying to heat the floor from 24" up. Thats a lot of work. Might be better off using a combo of flexwatt and RHP or might have to make a shelf under the RHP so its closer to it.

But first thing you have to do is verify the temp on the floor directly under the RHP. Right now your temp reading is coming from the spot where the probe is.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...94c502308d.jpg
There's my reading. Maybe I just need to build a little platform 6 or 8 inches up???



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https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...94c502308d.jpg
There's my reading. Maybe I just need to build a little platform 6 or 8 inches up???
What do you all think? The heating panel is 88 watts


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If thats the floor you are gunning, then yes, you need to either build a shelf or add flexwatt. I mean honestly, i would just add flexwatt and call it good. I keep the ambient in all my cages at around 78-80F and just give a 88-90F hot spot with flexwatt in the winter and pretty much all my snakes spend 80% of the time on the cool sides lol. I very rarely catch them on top of the flexwatt except when they were babies.

88 watts seems low to me. I would have opted for a 120 watt one. You want one that covers 1/3 of the cage.

84F ambient on the hot side seems fine for the warm side ambient if you want that but I would be concerned about the RHP having to run full power 24/7 to achieve it. Plus I'm not sure how cold it is where you are now but we aren't even into winter yet. Come winter it could get a lot colder but I have no idea how warm you keep your place etc.

I agree 88W seems low. He recommended that size to me for a T8, which is 4x2x1


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Wait are you pointing it to a white background? Also, 88 watts is in no way powerful enough to adequately heat a 2 foot high by 2 foot deep by 6 foot long wooden cage. Something went wrong in the calculations you gave to Pro Products and you need to contact them again.

White is horrible for absorbing heat Try putting a darker substrate even dark brown paper in there and try testing again. See if the reading off it is higher.

I'm not sure if this may be contributing to the issue at hand or not, but you've made sure the probe wires are not in direct contact with AC lines? Apparently if you have your probe wire touch any cables plugged into a power outlet that could give false readings. This may not make a difference but figured it be worth checking.

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Originally Posted by BPGator

I agree 88W seems low. He recommended that size to me for a T8, which is 4x2x1

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Strange. Bob reccomended me a 65watt for my T12 4x2x2. I wonder if the models he assigned were decided by room ambient temps given? Frankly I'm surprised Bob gave op such a low wattage model.

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Originally Posted by MissterDog

I'm not sure if this may be contributing to the issue at hand or not, but you've made sure the probe wires are not in direct contact with AC lines? Apparently if you have your probe wire touch any cables plugged into a power outlet that could give false readings. This may not make a difference but figured it be worth checking.



Strange. Bob reccomended me a 65watt for my T12 4x2x2. I wonder if the models he assigned were decided by room ambient temps given? Frankly I'm surprised Bob gave op such a low wattage model.

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My room temp is mid to high 60s, so that's probably why my wattage is that high.


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Originally Posted by BPGator

My room temp is mid to high 60s, so that's probably why my wattage is that high.


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ah that makes sense. Mine is usually mid to high 70's .

OP what room temps did you give to Bob/ what are your room temps?

I talked to bob, he told me to put in substrate because the white melamine is bad for heat. Also said to try putting a piece of slate under the panel. Also, he said to try and just plug the rhp straight into wall with out thermostats to see if it can get 88+ degrees. I will not have the animal in the Obviously. Hopefully I'll find a way to make it work.


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Yup basically just seeing if the t-stat is limiting the power but regardless, i think an 88 watt panel is too weak for a 2 foot high cage unless you keep the room fairly warm.

And the slate idea is what i mentioned earlier about putting something under the RHP for it to actually heat as RHPs dont create the hot spot themselves like flexwatt, they need an object to warm up. You can also just use a large hide as well. If you are using RBI black ones, they soak up heat like no ones business. I used those when i ran RHPs and they would get nice and toasty warm.

After some experimenting all issues have been solved. I put some bedding in and filled the tank with rocks and hides. Works good now. thanks for everyones help.

Hooray!

For a 6' x 2' x 2' quality enclosure that should work for a Hot Spot unless your house is cold. I run P12's in my AP T12's and I also had one in a 8' enclosure for just the Hot Spot.
I though that i read you built this enclosure? That can have everything to do with heat loss/retention ect... Depending on how well its insulated/thickness of the material you can run any wattage and loose it all never reaching 90*.


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