I replaced a 75w ceramic heat lamp with a 75w RHP and it does a great job - heating more of the enclosure without the hot-spot getting too hot.
I tested it outside of the enclosure and they do seem to manage to get hot on the "front" surface only. However, on the ceiling of my wooden vivarium, a huge amount of the heat goes to heating the top of the viv. I've put a duvet and pillows on top to try to trap heat, but that brings surface temperatures on the top surface to the point where I wonder if the laminate wood is going to de-laminate?
When I next do a big clean, I plan to put a sheet of the foil-covered insulation board between the RHP and the ceiling. I'm guessing it will be heat-resistant enough and not poisonous for my snake...
I guess my point is - RHPs do work better but the amount of heat loss in my situation/enclosure would seem to suggest it needs insulation to be efficient?
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