Hey there, Danielle
I too am using a 30 gallon glass. Actually it's a 29 tall, but you get the idea. I have a 100w infrared with a simple stainless clamp lite housing. it sits on top of the screen which is mostly duct taped except for a circle slightly larger than the clamp light. With the light being on the OUTSIDE of the tank, my temps at the ends never get above 82. Directly under the bulb, it hits 90 to 93. My cool end is just outside of the beam with a hide and driftwood for the basking that we all know never happens, with no UTH. This keeps the cool end to about 80 with a drop to 78 at night. The warm end is the same temp, but there is a UTH and a hide, with surface temp pegged at 90 and holding with help from a dimmer.
So I've got a lit basking spot that hits 90, and a warm hide that is 90 with ambient air temp being roughly 78-81 throughout enclosure.
Yes the surface of the bulb is hot as the hinges of hell, but on top of a screen and not inside the tank, and I lose 90% of my heat straight out the top of the lamp. If I don't duct tape during winter, I lose all heat, all humidity. All I get is one 90 degree spot from the beam and the sides are at a shaky 70 (it's winter).
So, Diapsid, now you've got me paranoid..........outside of a too hot UTH and ambient air temp of like 100, how do you overheat your snake? Wouldn't he move if he started feeling too hot?(not on tummy, I know they have trouble with that) I feel good about my setup, he's eaten, digested, even when I think he spends too much time cool, he'll go to the other side, warm up, and vice versa.
I just don't see how I can overheat him. Glass is so hard to heat and keep humidity, that I need the 100w just to keep air temps eight to ten degrees warmer than my house. :?
I guess roasting him would require the bulb being fixed to the ceiling on the inside.................