Heating issues with T8 cage and UTH/RHP

[treaux]

I know that there have been threads on this, but I need more input for my situation. I'm currently using an AP T8 to house two juvenile BPs with a divider. I bought it used and it already had two RBI 40 watts RHPs centered on each compartment and I added an 11" strip of flexwatt underneath the center to create a hotspot.

My room gets cold! Probably down to the 50s sometimes and even running an oil heater full blast the snake area will just stay in the low to mid 60s at best. My problem is when it gets this cold, the RHPs start working more. I use a herpstat and often see it pushing the RHPs with 30-70% power at these times. This causes the hotspots to heat up beyond where I would like. Most cold mornings when I go to check on the snakes, I find the hotspot at 94-96 degrees and the ambient/cold side where I set it (75 degrees at night). Along with this I typically find both BPs moved over to the cool side, which means it's probably too much heat (unless they just ate, then they live with the higher hotspot temp). When my room is 70 degrees and above, this is never an issue.

At worst the hotspot hit 97 degrees. The problem is, when it hits that temp, the HerpStat probe is only readying 89, which is what I have it set it. The herpstat probe is in the pre-cut channel under the T8 and is not able to read the surface temp of the floor and adjust the tape appropriately.

So here are the options I am considering:

1) Move the herpstat probe to the inside of the tank on the hotspot (it's a large hotspot so I can put it outside of the hide where it's less likely to get messed on).

2) Eliminate the UTH altogether. Move the RHPs both to the center so there is a heat gradient.

3) Keep the heat tape and move the RHPs to the cool sides (outward sides) of the T8 and use the RHPs to set the cool side temp only while the tape creates the hotspot.

4) Something cool that I haven't thought of. Heating the room over 70 isn't an option unfortunately.

Thanks in advance!

Here's a not so recent pic, but you get the idea. RHPs are centered over each compartment and the little white tab in the back holds the t-stat probe. Probe is currently only on one side, but temps stay even.

[Mr. Misha]

I might not be understanding you correctly but do you have the UTH inside the T8? If you do, it shouldn't be in there.

The UTH should be on the outside of the T8 on the bottom. That's how the HerpStat probe can sense the heat tape temperature and adjust it accordingly.

Personally, I only run RHPs in my terrariums and that's more than enough. However, where I keep them doesn't get that cold.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[EL-Ziggy]

I like your option 3. Let the UTH or heat tape create your hotspot and use the RHPs to boost your ambient cool side temps. I have UTH's on the undersides of all my T8s. The thermostat probes are in the designated slots underneat the enclosure. I have to set my t-stat to about 100F to get an inside surface hot spot of 86 on top of the substrate. For my snakes that need higher ambient temps I supplement with IR heat bulbs or CHE's (on a dimmer). I'd think you'd get great temps with the UTH/RHP combo. Granted, my ambient room temps of 70-75 aren't nearly as cold as yours. Best wishes, hope you get it all dialed in.

[treaux]

My UTH is under the enclosure as it should be. The problem being that the RHP heats the floor of the enclosure so while the probe under the heat tape reads 89 degrees, the floor is actually getting up to 95 or so.

I also like option 3 and may try it first. I'm also not opposed to eliminating the UTH altogether as the RHPs seem like they can keep the temp up just fine.

I have a rack arriving shortly and will probably move my snakes in there for a bit while I mess with the enclosure.

[bcr229]

Really dumb question but do you have one thermostat or two? I see you mention the herpstat and probe placement for the UTH, but not where you've placed the probe to regulate the RHP's.

[treaux]

It's a herpstat 2. One probe is on the back wall under the RHP and the other is in the pre-cut channel for the heat tape. RHP is set to 80 degrees during the day and 75 at night. Tape is set to 89 degrees currently.

[bproffer]

I was having the same problem. With the heat tape + RHP's I found it difficult to get them to work in harmony together. I also have a divider and I put my RHP's right next to each other in the middle of the cage, only separated by the divider. Underneath I had a piece of 12" heat tape centered on the middle of the cage which gave me ~6" of heat tape on each side. I was fighting getting the temps right using both the RHP and the heat tape. I got tired of trying to get them to mesh so I removed the heat tape and am now using only the RHP's. I have my probes hanging on the back wall of the cage centered on the RHP, but not underneath it. I have my thermostat set at 85 or 86 and that keeps the hot spot between 90-92° and the cool side about 10 degrees cooler. I am still considering trying to run both the RHP's and the heat tape, but I'll need another thermostat. I am also toying with securing the thermostat probes so they hang directly under the RHP's and seeing how that works.

Btw, my RHP's are the pro products 40watt 12"x12". The surface temp of the RHP's is often around 113-117° to keep the hot spot around 90°. The room they are in in the winter is about 65-68°. The reason I am thinking of trying to run the heat tape as well as the RHP is that I'd be able to lower the temp of the RHP. I am afraid that my snakes may come in contact with it and get burned.