Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 695

1 members and 694 guests
Most users ever online was 47,180, 07-16-2025 at 05:30 PM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,903
Threads: 249,097
Posts: 2,572,069
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, wkeith67
Results 1 to 4 of 4
  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-15-2018
    Posts
    32
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts

    Heat tape and controller help for my snakes

    I don't know if this is the right thread for this but I have a situation with heating and need advice. I have built a rack for my snakes which I will fill eventually however it is 11 shelves. 2 for shoe box size, 3 for 15qt, 3 for 28qt, and 3 for 56qt. Right now I have a zoomed controller which I do want to not use because I heard bad things after I bought it. The rack I can't snake the heat tape. I have to use 11 different heat tape power supplies. Could I just use a power strip for all? Also how many controllers do I need? The heat tape won't be past 270 watts. I made the rack 3ft by 2ft if that helps.

  2. #2
    in evinco persecutus dr del's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-20-2006
    Location
    Edinburgh, Scotland
    Posts
    24,527
    Thanks
    9,263
    Thanked 6,788 Times in 4,306 Posts
    Images: 93

    Re: Heat tape and controller help for my snakes

    with 11 shelves I think you are going to encounter differing temps across them - if your thermostat can cope with the wattage of all the heatmats you might get away with one power strip connected to it but you might need to include in line lamp dimmers for some of the top shelves to keep the temps in range from bottom to top.
    Derek

    7 adult Royals (2.5), 1.0 COS Pastel, 1.0 Enchi, 1.1 Lesser platty Royal python, 1.1 Black pastel Royal python, 0.1 Blue eyed leucistic ( Super lesser), 0.1 Piebald Royal python, 1.0 Sinaloan milk snake 1.0 crested gecko and 1 bad case of ETS. no wife, no surprise.

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    07-15-2018
    Posts
    32
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
    The thermostat I have right now can handle 1000 watts however I will be upgrading to a proper one.

  4. #4
    BPnet Senior Member
    Join Date
    06-07-2018
    Posts
    1,075
    Thanks
    1,474
    Thanked 2,015 Times in 890 Posts
    Images: 7
    Is the heat tape all going to be the same size? Because then it would be able to regulate them the easiest. Different heat tape sizes can still be different temps even when using the same power strip for them.

    The biggest problem is going to be that even if the heat tape is all the same size, the difference in thickness on the tubs may affect the belly temps on them as well...
    For example, on the shoebox, the plastic won't be as thick as the 56qt. So if you regulate it to 90 on the big tub, that may be making the temps on the smaller size tub come in much higher. So as Dr Del said, dimmers may be needed to keep those temps coming in right.
    And then there's the problem that comes with ambient temps and such as well. You'll need to monitor them all pretty closely to make sure the different shelves are maintaining the proper temps.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1