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and tile or linoleum.
I wonder if this is okay to do? Should I drill holes under the flexwatt into the wood for ventilation?
Can I put the linoleum right down on top and use something to seal the edges such as aquarium silicon?
Is there a better way to seal the flexwatt in on the bottom of a wood enclosure?
Thanks so much

i wouldn't make any heating element permanant. you should always leave the option for removal or replacement.

Pitoon
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You definately need ventilation for the flexwatt i know that. One way you can do it is cut a whole in the bottom of the cage a little bigger then the flexwatt. Then cover it on the inside of the cage with a sheet of expanded pvc stuff and attatch to the bottom. THen you can just attatch the flexwatt to the bottom and it is accesible to change out and you can put substrate or whatever you want down.
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Tom
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I might cut the hole and use the flexwatt but Im worried about ambient temps too.Would 2 11 inch panels be enough for a wood cage 5x24x18?
What size RHP for the cage in a room that has temps ranging from 70-80? would I need flexwatt as well or would the RHP be enough?

Also do thermostats work with RHP's, this one to be exact http://www.bigappleherp.com/BAH-1000-Thermostat ?

RHP is enough and is likely the best heater for a larger cage like yours. What are you housing?

Flexwatt under a wood cage is a pain to deal with. RHP is so much easier and provides an even better gradiant for large snakes. I imagine lizards too (I don't keep lizards, so I shouldn't really comment).

Any herp thermostat will work. For RHPs, the best is a proportional controller. Big Apple sells one, so does Helix as well as others.

The ON/OFF controller you referred to is OK too. Best to use a lamp dimmer in conjunction with the ON/OFF thermostat. Output of thermostat goes to the dimmer. Output of dimmer to the RHP. They sell plug-in dimmers so you do not have to do any cutting or splicing of any kind.

A proportional controller essentially does dimming plus ON/OFF, but costs $100 or more.

Once you use an RHP, you will be a convert. The animals do well, the RHP is easy to install and use, and no worries about fire or animal contact with the heater.
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Mark

Im housing a boa(bci)..I noticed at the Beanfarm store the 40 watt said it heats a 30gal that doesnt sound like much.
I also saw that BigApple sells one for only 30 bucks when Beanfarms is 80 what is the difference between those two?
If the cage is a wooden enclosure 5x2x18 what wattage would be best?
Sorry I dont mean to be a pest but I do need to figure this out.

The 30 dollar panal is pretty much a heat pad. Spend the exrta, it's worth it. I use a 40 watt in all my cages. The largest is 6x2x2. I put a shelf to raise the snake and give it more floor space though. My 40 watts seem most effective within 12". Thats mostly because the dimmers i use won't let it run at full power for some reason. Even if I turn it all the way up it only runs at about 3/4 power. It's what i get for buying the cheapest dimmers i could find, but when you're buying RHPs and dimmers for 10 cages at a time it adds up!

These are good questions, don't feel like a pest.

A 40 Watt RHP is the minimum size, and the 60 Watt panel will work for sure. Depends if the room is cold or not.

I think the 60 Watt will definitely do the job and still allow the opposite end of the cage to be cooler. Make sure to mount the panel close to one end of the cage. And always use a temperature controller.

BTW, the Big Apple Desert Rays Heat Panel is a heat pad of higher wattage density, and it is not a real directional heat panel. Great for small cages, but not suitable for a cage of the size you have. Get the real RHP that shoots long wave heat down into the animal below. RHPs last a long time, likley over 10 years.
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Mark

which would be best for a 60 watt.Our house runs cool in winter so Im figuring I better go for the bigger rhp.But in summer its opposite and rather warm.I will make the cage 5x2x18.

For an RHP, either of the two control setups below are best:

1. A proportional controller - these are the controllers that cost around $100 on up. Helix, Big Apple, Herpstat sell them.

2. A Ranco or Johnson ON/OFF controller (aka thermostat) plus a dimmer attached to the thermostat output.

My next choice would be:

3. The BAH1000 thermostat you saw at Big Apple for $40-something bucks plus a dimmer.

During Winter, you can use a dimmer alone. But during Summer, do not operate the heater without a thermostat to make sure the cage stays below a dangerous temperature.

Good luck. With an RHP, you will be doing it right.
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Mark

on the Ranco thermostat?
I will probably go with the Ranco. BUT I was looking at the thermostats on the boaphile site are those good and do they need a dimmer?

Thanks

First off, the ones the Boaphile sells are great, and they are Rancos! He does the wiring. I recommend that for anyone.

Now to the dimmer, it isn't that you absolutely need one. I'll give you an example, then leave it to you as to whether you want a dimmer or not. Again, it is not mandatory at all.

Example: It is Summer, and although you still need to heat cages, you find that your 50 Watt RHP is too much heater during August. With a dimmer, you can dial it down so to speak to maybe 75% power. Now your Ranco thermostat isn't turning the heater ON and OFF constantly. Basically, with the dimmer, you are fine-tuning your temperature control setup. With an ON OFF controller like the Ranco, which uses a mechanical relay, you don't want it cycling all day long. Not a safety issue, but it wears out quicker.

>>on the Ranco thermostat?
>>I will probably go with the Ranco. BUT I was looking at the thermostats on the boaphile site are those good and do they need a dimmer?
>>
>>Thanks
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Mark

Thanks so much that makes a lot of sense, youve been a great help.

I looked at the Bean Farm. The 11x16 panel is 50 Watts. This is the size I meant. The next size up will work too, but I think the 11x16 is perfect.

You can increase effectiveness by keeping the cage height down. 18 inches should be the tallest. My advice is to go a tad lower if you can, say down to 14-16 inches tall. That is enough height to service a 2ft deep cage and low enough to make sure the RHP really warms the snake below. The reduced cage volume means less power used over time to heat the cage. Yes, even 2 inches makes a difference in a cold room. And those 2 inches are not even used by the snake.
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Mark

The flexwatt itself has a plastic coating already and it should have ventilation. I simply use duct tape to hold the edges down. It lasts for years, it graduates the height pretty good so it doesnt need recessing, and has ventilation in the middle. There is nothing wrong with putting the rubbermaids directly on the flexwatt as long as its regulated with a rheostat or thermostat.

Thats how i do it too

Please clarify - I am building a wooden cage (not a rack) now and do not want to endanger my animals. You can place the flexwatt directly on top of the wood without any holes drilled in the wood right? Would it then be safe to lay slate tiles directly over the flexwatt to avoid direct contact with the snakes? The cage I am building is 3 seperate condos built into the same unit (like a bookcase.) Would it be safe to place the thermostat probe in the middle condo and run the other flexwatt to the same thermostat?

I don't put flexwatt in any of my cages. I only use it for tubs or glass enclosures (tarantulas). All my wood enclosures have RHPs. They are by far the best way to go

I wouldn't put Flexwatt inside a cage no matter what.

Use T-Rex or Ultratherm heat pads (same thing really) if you must put it inside a cage.

Cages made from particle board (melamine) or MDF can be heated via heat pads, but alternative means are better IMO, such as RHP, infrared lamps, etc.

I wouldn't use heat pads directly on plywood. People do it, so you can if you have to.
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Mark