rack temperature

[dsirkle]

I am a new herper facing my first winter as a rack owner. I have purchased a Nature's Spirit 15qt & 32qt rack and I am using a Ranco thermostat to control it. I was unhappy by the fact that I would have to set the thermostat at 20 degrees higher than the temperatures actually achieved. Reading postings on different forums I see that this is a common situation. I also see that it is assumed by the rack makers that the average temperature of the room will be 74 degrees or so. In my house we never set the thermostat any higher than 68 degrees, and quite often even lower. Casey Hulse the owner of Nature's Spirit Reptiles and the person that built my rack had told me at the time that I purchased it that the outside back wall of the rack could be insulated to help get the temps up if need be. I decided that Reflectivex insulation would be the best way to do it but I didnt like the cost of it. I noticed that panels made to cover the windshield of car and reflect the sun to keep a parked car cool in the summer were made of the same material and are commonly sold at Dollar stores and at Big Lots for about $2. I covered 2 sides of a piece of cardboard cut to size and neatly taped the edge with aluminum tape.With this on the back wall the temp in the tubs went up 3 degrees.I had taped the probe directly to the flexwatt. I took the temp of the flexwatt and found that it wasnt as hot as the Ranco was set at. I remembered seeing a post by Larry Suttles that he makes sure not to cover the probe with the tape. I re did this with the probe still directly on the flexwatt but not covered by tape and found that this allowed me to run the Ranco at another 4 degrees lower to achieve the same temp. So all together by making these adjustments I can set the thermostat 7 degrees lower than I was before. I thought that I would share this in case any other newbies were having a problem with this as I did.

[CntrlF8]

so you're still 13 degrees higher than the temp you're reading inside the tubs? what temp do you have the flex set at?

I've never had to set mine more than 2 degrees higher than the desired temp. Right now my thermostat is set to 94, probe directly on the flexwatt, and the surface temp in the tubs is at 93..

[dsirkle]

Well thats because my room temperature right now is 66 degrees. If heated my whole house another 10 degrees warmer or put an electric heater in the room to bring up the temp of the room then the flexwatt wouldnt be working as hard.Right now it's set at 97.

[dsirkle]

Also at this time the only inhabitants of the rack are Leopard geckos in case my temperature may look suspect to anyone.

[shag]

I would like to build a rack soon but live in similar climate, I keep the house at around 68. I was thinking about building the rack like i would a house, use 2 inch insulation all around the out side and put a insulated door on the front with and acrylic window maybe some weather stripping around the door.

[GirDance]

If you want to keep enough snakes that you need a rack then you shouldn't be keeping your room temperature in the 60s. If you like your house that cool it's fine, but the average household temp is in fact around the 75 range. The further the ambient temp gets from this normal range which the devices are tested at, the less reliable they become. Especially when using something non-proportional like a Ranco. Simply put, the easiest way to solve your problem is not with a bunch of modifications, but to toss in a space heater or up your temps. Ambient temp matters much more than many people believe when it comes to establishing a stable herp enclosure.

I believe if a poll of herpers were done, the average temp, atleast in the snake rooms, would be around 80. I keep my living room (where kitty is) at a constant 80-84, bedroom cooler because we keep the windows open, and our computer room even cooler than that. The first thing I asked we moved was what the average temp was year round, I got a "nice in the summer, but way too hot in the winter - like almost 30" from the previous tenant - which is about 80 or so. Why? Because we don't have precision control over our temp (we have an individual fireplace if we want more heat), and I know that this is the ideal condition for my snake and fish etc, if my heater were to blow they would still be fine without - although I do have a backup.

[Seneschal]

Besides turning the thermostat up a bit for the house, you could also close off the air conditioning vents in the room the rack is in, which will prevent drafts and raise the ambient air temperatures anywhere from 2-6 degrees. Having it set so that what air does get out goes away from the rack would help. But I'd reccomend at least raising house temps to 70. Besides, your electric bill must be phenomenal, running at 66 all the time...

[dsirkle]

If you want to keep enough snakes that you need a rack then you shouldn't be keeping your room temperature in the 60s. If you like your house that cool it's fine, but the average household temp is in fact around the 75 range. The further the ambient temp gets from this normal range which the devices are tested at, the less reliable they become. Especially when using something non-proportional like a Ranco. Simply put, the easiest way to solve your problem is not with a bunch of modifications, but to toss in a space heater or up your temps. Ambient temp matters much more than many people believe when it comes to establishing a stable herp enclosure.

I believe if a poll of herpers were done, the average temp, atleast in the snake rooms, would be around 80. I keep my living room (where kitty is) at a constant 80-84, bedroom cooler because we keep the windows open, and our computer room even cooler than that. The first thing I asked we moved was what the average temp was year round, I got a "nice in the summer, but way too hot in the winter - like almost 30" from the previous tenant - which is about 80 or so. Why? Because we don't have precision control over our temp (we have an individual fireplace if we want more heat), and I know that this is the ideal condition for my snake and fish etc, if my heater were to blow they would still be fine without - although I do have a backup.

I agree with all the points that you are making.However when you mention the previous tenant and that fact that you keep your living room at 84 and then leave your bedroom window open I have to strongly suspect that your landlord pays for the utilities. For me to turn up the thermostat and heat a full basement ,a first story and a 2nd story the increased cost to me in my utility bills might surpass the cost of your entire rent. Where I live people have to watch the cost of energy usage.I would not endanger my reptiles and if it comes down to it I will use a space heater in the reptile room.

[dsirkle]

Besides turning the thermostat up a bit for the house, you could also close off the air conditioning vents in the room the rack is in, which will prevent drafts and raise the ambient air temperatures anywhere from 2-6 degrees. Having it set so that what air does get out goes away from the rack would help. But I'd reccomend at least raising house temps to 70. Besides, your electric bill must be phenomenal, running at 66 all the time...

I guess that you think that I am keeping my house at a cool 66 degrees with air conditioning. In fact it is already below freezing every morning here in the North and I am talking about running the furnace to keep it that warm. I should have clarified in my post that I am adressing the usage of a rack with backheat in a cold climate.Im sure that people living with year round warm climates are not identifying with what I put out here.Sorry about that.

[jotay]

Just buy yourself an oil filled space heater and hook a Ranco up to it placing the probe on the outside edge of your rack and set it w/ a 1 degree temp differantial shut the door to the room the rack is in and that should help alot.
I keep my house temps in the low 70's ( 70-73 ) because my son and I both have bad sinus problems and to hot causes us nose bleeds. I place the heater about 2' from the front of the rack. I also place something on the top of the rack ( for now a blanket ) to help hold the heat in there also. The temp on my ranco stays at about 79-80. I have my Helix set at 93 and have my probe taped to the bottom tub's flextape w/ clear packing tape.
My tubs stay at 80.9 to 82.9 cool side to 91.9 to 93 hot side.
I do notice that the bottom tub will be a little cooler and the two middle tubs warmer and the top tub right in the middle temp wise.
And this is with my rack on an exterior wall, no less.
I do plan on this winter putting some insulation on the back wall of the rack and maybe lifting my rack about 6-12" of the floor.
The bottom tub stays cooler because of draft and that cooler air flows to the bottom of the room.
Hope this helps