Ambient Vs. Surface temps heating question

[presspirate]

I'm working on a couple of enclosures, and I am debating how to best heat them. The cages are wood, so I am considering flexwatt under a plastic shelf liner. But my question is will that only raise the surface temp of the floor or wall, or will it boost the ambient temp as well?

I have 2 4'x2'x1' plastic cages that I heat with a uth and ceramic heater tied into a rheostat. The uth heats the wall, and the ceramic boosts the ambient temp. So the air temp on the warm side is around 88 but the surface temp on the wall is slightly higher.

I'm hesitant to use any kind of light inside the cages I am building, cause I don't want my snakes getting burned.
Thanks in advance!

Edit.( Maybe this should be in the housing/caging thread.)

[percey39]

Floor surface temps will definetely lift your ambient temp as heat rises. I find that the lights and ceramic heat emitters are far better at lifting ambient temps and creating hot spots than underfloor heating in lower cages. As the higher the tank the harder it is to heat the floor with lights and ceramics, they are ideal for arboreal species as you just place a perch under the light and then you have your hot spot. I use cages on all my lights as i too would hate for any of my snakes to burn themselves.

[presspirate]

Thanks Percy, I have a couple of ceramic fixtures for lights, maybe I'll check the local home store to see if they carry bulb cages. One of the enclosures I am working on is about 4' x 2 1/2' x about 3' high. So, might be beneficial to have lights in that one I am thinking. I am also painting the insides black. Should hold the heat better.

How are you going to heat that monster that you are working on?

[percey39]

No dramas. The big tank im using 2 x 150watt ceramic heaters and 2 x 100 watt lights. There will be 2 basking areas each will have a 100 watt globe and a 150 watt ceramic. This will give two hot spots of around 38 degrees celcius, one will be over a perch and the other will be closer to the floor so there is a floor basking area. The ambient temp for the tank will be around 26 degrees im thinking on previous attempts that are quite large which will be sweet. This will also give me around the 60-75% humidity im hoping for.

Also for good light cages you cant go past looking on ebay, they are under half the price as pet shops. I hope i haver helped.

[presspirate]

Once I finish converting Celsius to Fahrenheit I should be good.

[Feebo]

°C °F °C °F °C °F °C °F °C °F
-99 -146.2 1 33.8 101 213.8 201 393.8 301 573.8
-98 -144.4 2 35.6 102 215.6 202 395.6 302 575.6
-97 -142.6 3 37.4 103 217.4 203 397.4 303 577.4
-96 -140.8 4 39.2 104 219.2 204 399.2 304 579.2
-95 -139.0 5 41.0 105 221.0 205 401.0 305 581.0
-94 -137.2 6 42.8 106 222.8 206 402.8 306 582.8
-93 -135.4 7 44.6 107 224.6 207 404.6 307 584.6
-92 -133.6 8 46.4 108 226.4 208 406.4 308 586.4
-91 -131.8 9 48.2 109 228.2 209 408.2 309 588.2
-90 -130.0 10 50.0 110 230.0 210 410.0 310 590.0
-89 -128.2 11 51.8 111 231.8 211 411.8 311 591.8
-88 -126.4 12 53.6 112 233.6 212 413.6 312 593.6
-87 -124.6 13 55.4 113 235.4 213 415.4 313 595.4
-86 -122.8 14 57.2 114 237.2 214 417.2 314 597.2
-85 -121.0 15 59.0 115 239.0 215 419.0 315 599.0
-84 -119.2 16 60.8 116 240.8 216 420.8 316 600.8
-83 -117.4 17 62.6 117 242.6 217 422.6 317 602.6
-82 -115.6 18 64.4 118 244.4 218 424.4 318 604.4
-81 -113.8 19 66.2 119 246.2 219 426.2 319 606.2
-80 -112.0 20 68.0 120 248.0 220 428.0 320 608.0
-79 -110.2 21 69.8 121 249.8 221 429.8 321 609.8
-78 -108.4 22 71.6 122 251.6 222 431.6 322 611.6
-77 -106.6 23 73.4 123 253.4 223 433.4 323 613.4
-76 -104.8 24 75.2 124 255.2 224 435.2 324 615.2
-75 -103.0 25 77.0 125 257.0 225 437.0 325 617.0
-74 -101.2 26 78.8 126 258.8 226 438.8 326 618.8
-73 -99.4 27 80.6 127 260.6 227 440.6 327 620.6
-72 -97.6 28 82.4 128 262.4 228 442.4 328 622.4
-71 -95.8 29 84.2 129 264.2 229 444.2 329 624.2
-70 -94.0 30 86.0 130 266.0 230 446.0 330 626.0
-69 -92.2 31 87.8 131 267.8 231 447.8 331 627.8
-68 -90.4 32 89.6 132 269.6 232 449.6 332 629.6
-67 -88.6 33 91.4 133 271.4 233 451.4 333 631.4
-66 -86.8 34 93.2 134 273.2 234 453.2 334 633.2
-65 -85.0 35 95.0 135 275.0 235 455.0 335 635.0
-64 -83.2 36 96.8 136 276.8 236 456.8 336 636.8
-63 -81.4 37 98.6 137 278.6 237 458.6 337 638.6
-62 -79.6 38 100.4 138 280.4 238 460.4 338 640.4
-61 -77.8 39 102.2 139 282.2 239 462.2 339 642.2
-60 -76.0 40 104.0 140 284.0 240 464.0 340 644.0
-59 -74.2 41 105.8 141 285.8 241 465.8 341 645.8
-58 -72.4 42 107.6 142 287.6 242 467.6 342 647.6
-57 -70.6 43 109.4 143 289.4 243 469.4 343 649.4
-56 -68.8 44 111.2 144 291.2 244 471.2 344 651.2
-55 -67.0 45 113.0 145 293.0 245 473.0 345 653.0
-54 -65.2 46 114.8 146 294.8 246 474.8 346 654.8
-53 -63.4 47 116.6 147 296.6 247 476.6 347 656.6
-52 -61.6 48 118.4 148 298.4 248 478.4 348 658.4
-51 -59.8 49 120.2 149 300.2 249 480.2 349 660.2
-50 -58.0 50 122.0 150 302.0 250 482.0 350 662.0
-49 -56.2 51 123.8 151 303.8 251 483.8 351 663.8
-48 -54.4 52 125.6 152 305.6 252 485.6 352 665.6
-47 -52.6 53 127.4 153 307.4 253 487.4 353 667.4
-46 -50.8 54 129.2 154 309.2 254 489.2 354 669.2
-45 -49.0 55 131.0 155 311.0 255 491.0 355 671.0
-44 -47.2 56 132.8 156 312.8 256 492.8 356 672.8
-43 -45.4 57 134.6 157 314.6 257 494.6 357 674.6
-42 -43.6 58 136.4 158 316.4 258 496.4 358 676.4
-41 -41.8 59 138.2 159 318.2 259 498.2 359 678.2
-40 -40.0 60 140.0 160 320.0 260 500.0 360 680.0
-39 -38.2 61 141.8 161 321.8 261 501.8 361 681.8
-38 -36.4 62 143.6 162 323.6 262 503.6 362 683.6
-37 -34.6 63 145.4 163 325.4 263 505.4 363 685.4
-36 -32.8 64 147.2 164 327.2 264 507.2 364 687.2
-35 -31.0 65 149.0 165 329.0 265 509.0 365 689.0
-34 -29.2 66 150.8 166 330.8 266 510.8 366 690.8
-33 -27.4 67 152.6 167 332.6 267 512.6 367 692.6
-32 -25.6 68 154.4 168 334.4 268 514.4 368 694.4
-31 -23.8 69 156.2 169 336.2 269 516.2 369 696.2
-30 -22.0 70 158.0 170 338.0 270 518.0 370 698.0
-29 -20.2 71 159.8 171 339.8 271 519.8 371 699.8
-28 -18.4 72 161.6 172 341.6 272 521.6 372 701.6
-27 -16.6 73 163.4 173 343.4 273 523.4 373 703.4
-26 -14.8 74 165.2 174 345.2 274 525.2 374 705.2
-25 -13.0 75 167 175 347 275 527 375 707
-24 -11.2 76 168.8 176 348.8 276 528.8 376 708.8
-23 -9.4 77 170.6 177 350.6 277 530.6 377 710.6
-22 -7.6 78 172.4 178 352.4 278 532.4 378 712.4
-21 -5.8 79 174.2 179 354.2 279 534.2 379 714.2
-20 -4.0 80 176 180 356 280 536 380 716
-19 -2.2 81 177.8 181 357.8 281 537.8 381 717.8
-18 -0.4 82 179.6 182 359.6 282 539.6 382 719.6
-17 1.4 83 181.4 183 361.4 283 541.4 383 721.4
-16 3.2 84 183.2 184 363.2 284 543.2 384 723.2
-15 5.0 85 185.0 185 365.0 285 545.0 385 725.0
-14 6.8 86 186.8 186 366.8 286 546.8 386 726.8
-13 8.6 87 188.6 187 368.6 287 548.6 387 728.6
-12 10.4 88 190.4 188 370.4 288 550.4 388 730.4
-11 12.2 89 192.2 189 372.2 289 552.2 389 732.2
-10 14.0 90 194.0 190 374.0 290 554.0 390 734.0
-9 15.8 91 195.8 191 375.8 291 555.8 391 735.8
-8 17.6 92 197.6 192 377.6 292 557.6 392 737.6
-7 19.4 93 199.4 193 379.4 293 559.4 393 739.4
-6 21.2 94 201.2 194 381.2 294 561.2 394 741.2
-5 23.0 95 203.0 195 383.0 295 563.0 395 743.0
-4 24.8 96 204.8 196 384.8 296 564.8 396 744.8
-3 26.6 97 206.6 197 386.6 297 566.6 397 746.6
-2 28.4 98 208.4 198 388.4 298 568.4 398 748.4
-1 30.2 99 210.2 199 390.2 299 570.2 399 750.2
0 32.0 100 212.0 200 392.0 300 572.0 400 752.0

Fahrenheit to Celsius chart

Yeah I agree If it`s warm, it`ll warm the ambient temperature in there. I have quite small wooden tanks with heat mats and those heat mats still warm the air quite sugnificantly because it`s a nice wooden vivarium Totally agree on the ceramic set up too, you cannot go wrong with them. They`re totally controlable, they heat the whole of the air space AND a hot spot directly around the safety cage. They`re fantstic at keep good humidity propergation too because the heat is so uniform. I get my rainforest guys really good and wet and they reliably dry up about a day and a half later when they`re due their next rainfall

[Feebo]

That looks a little confusing doesn`t it but look along the top line until you see a 1, that`s 1c opposite is the F for it, follow the 1 down as it counts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 etc and Robert`s your fathers brother

[Feebo]

Or you could just look at this, much simpler lol I`m having a funny five minutes here soz lol

Temperature conversion table

[percey39]

Haha it is a little confusing with your chart feebs, might be easier with the link or if all else fails use google lol. I keep forgetting you guys are all backwards in the states!

[shaunyboy]

i use ceramics fitted inside all but my diamonds tank.they all have good heat guards on them.i have had no problems with burns and found ceramic set ups to give good consistant heat.all mine shed 100% perfect and complete every time.its only carpets i keep and they can punish the guards something rotten but ive had no problems with the heavy steel guards i buy on line mate

cheers shaun

[shaunyboy]

Originally Posted by Feebo

That looks a little confusing doesn`t it but look along the top line until you see a 1, that`s 1c opposite is the F for it, follow the 1 down as it counts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 etc and Robert`s your fathers brother

you having a too many med's day mate ??????

you not rember the last time we brought up

bob's your uncle

on here ???

the us folk didnt get it mate

must admit until you explained the look for a 1 in the top line part i was a tad confused mate

but then again im a tad confused most days

cheers shaun

[presspirate]

Allright, thanks guys I'm going to go with the ceramics. Probably still get some flexwatt as it is cheap and I can use it for my plastic cages.
Feebo, I'm gonna print that chart out and hang it next to my computer so next time you guys in the "Backwards" Part of the world start talking temps. I'll be able to follow along. (actually it was easy, and makes sense that water should freeze at 0 deg. and not 32 deg.)

Shaun, welcome back How was your holiday? And since you guys brought it up, Fanny's your aunt and Bob's your uncle. What does it mean?

[Feebo]

LOL Yes Shauny, looking back on it I was totally wiped out when I wrote that....
Bob`s your uncle... Well. It`s a phrase, a very old one I might add which over here means... Oh it`s hard to explain actually lol Ummm.... You say it when a plan comes together as Hannibal would say. If you are explaining to someone how to ummm..... tie a reef knot. You might say, " through there, over there and then back around and Bob`s your uncle! A reef knot" Or maybe telling someone how to start a car you might say "get the key, put it in the hole, turn it to the left and Bob`s your uncle! It sounds really stupid when written down actually but it`s been said for a very very long time. I think it probably originated with the Cockney rhyming slang except it doesn`t rhyme lol Does that make sense? Oh and you won`t be let down, ceramics are fantastic

[presspirate]

It's ok Feebo, I get it. We have the same pointless sayings over here. I'm going to go with the ceramics, and make my own bulb cages from hardware cloth. And as I said before, I'll be using flexwatt on my plastic cages. My only problem is this......When I get my two cages done, I'll have room for more snakes.

[Feebo]

What`s hardware cloth? Sounds dodgy... You want a metal cage really....