We're looking to upgrade some of our caging and will need to buy 8 RHPs in the near future. I've ordered from Pro-Products before and have been happy with the service and the products, but when I was shopping around a little today I found that I can get the same wattage and size from Reptile Basics for about $160 less on the order.
I sent emails to both companies asking what the differences were, and got some mixed results. The RB guy didn't answer any questions about the quality of their products or why they were different from the ones produced at ProProducts (he did offer me a good deal on the order though, but I have to wonder about what I'm getting). The PP guy emailed me back with this huge list of technical stuff about why theirs were better. In particular his opening sentence made me wonder:
"RBI panels are not UL listed and use a heating element made by Flexel International in Scotland that is not a UL or CE listed product that has a long history of causing fires."
Now it clearly says right on the Reptile Basics website that "The internal element is UL listed and is designed to operate for 40+ years under normal conditions." Am I missing something here or is this just one company badmouthing another? There were other things that were mentioned but most of them were about efficiency. Helix, Avitech, and Bean Farm were also thrown into the mix here because "All of these companies have copied each other and this is the only element they can find as none of them know how to engineer a safe and reliable element themselves".
How true is any of this? Like I said, I've been happy with what I have from Pro Products, but if I'm getting the same thing from RBI and saving $160 then I'm going to go that way. I've read around and seen a lot of good reviews of either, but I'm not real knowledgeable on the specifics that are listed above.
Some other points that were brought up:
OUTGASSING
Pro Products says: "RBI's panels also outgass various chemicals from the plastic, glues and other materials used in their construction, which may be a potential health risk to the animals
Reptile Basic's website says: "By selecting ABS plastic and a unique, exclusive new fiberglass composite material we have essentially removed outgassing from our panel.
THERMAL FUSES
Pro Products says: "[Reptile Basics] also do not understand how to design a proper radiant heater evidenced by them putting the heating element inside of a plastic insulating shell. This along with the type of material used to make their panels (smooth hard surfaces retard the ability of heat transfer from the surface), causes much higher internal temperatures (the real reason RBI needs a "safety fuse" in their panels)"
Reptile Basics website says: "The Reptile Basics RHP now incorporates a thermal fuse, something our competitors do not. Should the panels internal temperature exceed safe levels encountered in normal operation it will automatically shut down."
I have to say that I've emailed Pro Products about various things maybe half a dozen times in the past and this is the first time I've ever gotten a "real" response from them as opposed to a huge generic email with a sentence or two related to my question tacked on at the end. Some of what is being said in the reply seems like just one company badmouthing another (for example: "Our panels cost considerably more to manufacture than these other units (we don't make them in somebody's garage)". On the other hand, the guy from RBI didn't give me any information...just a better deal. Are they hiding something?
Anyone have any input on this?
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