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I have some cages that I am using a 75watt Blacklight in a ceramic light socket (the type you put on the ceiling of your house)to heat and it works good but the sockets get hot as ****. I checked the rating and it says 660watts. I have never used these before and don't know if it safe. I will be getting RHP in a couple of months. But until then I was going to use these. Does any one have any other ideas on heating these. I don't think I can use flexwatt because the floor of one cage is the ceiling of the other or could I put a false floor over the flexwatt?

Yes, sockets get hot, but they can handle it. Realize though that they are rated for 660 watts on an incandescent light bulb. If you are using a heat lamp, they are designed to provide less light and more heat... a 75 watt heat lamp can produce as much heat as a standard light bulb of much higher wattage (but far less light energy). So a 75 watt heat lamp in a socket might be like a 150 watt or higher standard light bulb as far as heating the socket goes. That is why the socket feels so hot.

If you don't believe me, try a 30 watt ceramic heater in the socket. Ceramics produce no light energy, so all the wattage goes into heat. Feel the socket and see how hot it gets. Then, put in a 30 watt incandescent light and feel the socket. You'll see what I mean. The socket will be cooler with the 30 watt light.
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Mark

Thanks Mark, Is safe even with the socket screwed right to a 5/8 plywood cage? Would a metal shroud help with getting the heat to go downward?

Look in the electrical dept.at your local hardware store.

The possibility of overheating the wood is only part of the problem.
If you have an electrical connection ANYWHERE without utilizing a "firebox" then there will always be a chance for fire.This is just one of the codes (rules) for any licensed electrician.

Just screw the box into the wood and then mount the ceramic fixture to said box,problem solved.(This way all open copper is inside the box).
Dont forget to get some connectors (or plastic bushings) to use to run your wire into the hole(knockouts)of the 4x4 box.

Goodluck
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2.0 50% het Caramel Ball pythons
1.0 Very dark Ball python
0.9 Ball Pythons
1.1 Thayeri Kings
0.0.1 Viper Boa
1.1 Axanthic looking felines...

n/m
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Mark

Coldthumb, this has nothing to do with the fixture, but I thought I'd try to help you out. In your signature, it says 0.0.1 Viper Boas. Why? They are one of the easiest snakes to sex. Just look at the vent and if it has spurs, its a male and if it doesn't, its a female.

Hope that helps!
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"Is safe even with the socket screwed right to a 5/8 plywood cage?"

My answer was to THIS question .
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2.0 50% het Caramel Ball pythons
1.0 Very dark Ball python
0.9 Ball Pythons
1.1 Thayeri Kings
0.0.1 Viper Boa
1.1 Axanthic looking felines...

its late ..i read your post entirely wrong.

So they dont have spurs if its a girl huh,interesting.
Although i never plan to breed it(i dont want to try feeding babies that smal,lol),its still nice to know.

thank you
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2.0 50% het Caramel Ball pythons
1.0 Very dark Ball python
0.9 Ball Pythons
1.1 Thayeri Kings
0.0.1 Viper Boa
1.1 Axanthic looking felines...

.
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2.0 50% het Caramel Ball pythons
1.0 Very dark Ball python
0.9 Ball Pythons
1.1 Thayeri Kings
0.0.1 Viper Boa
1.1 Axanthic looking felines...