Ideal Heat Gradiant

[Muzz111]

Hey Team

I have my enclosure set up but i am having issues getting a good heat gradiant. I am running a digital thermostat and have been playing with the temps on it to get the warm side of the enclosure around 32c. Problem is the cool side is sitting round 30c and i cant seem to get it any lower without lowering thetemp on the warm side.
I thought it might be just the mechanical thermometers on each side of the enclosure so went out and bought digital ones but they reading pretty much the same.
Enclosure is 900×400×400 is there any tricks to lower the temp on the cooler side down to the desired 26/28c

Appreciate any help

 

[pinefamily]

The most accurate way to read temps is with an infra-red heat gun. You can pick one up from Ebay fairly cheaply.

 

[alichamp]

What animal do you have?
What heat source are you using?
Where are the thermometers actually set up? eg high in the cage ambient temp (stuck to the wall) or low direct surface heat?

 

[Muzz111]

What animal do you have?
What heat source are you using?
Where are the thermometers actually set up? eg high in the cage ambient temp (stuck to the wall) or low direct surface heat?

She is a wee Spotted Python
Heat source is via an 100w Ceramic Lamp
Thermometers are stuck to the wall in each corner of the enclosure about 4in off the floor.

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Picture of enclosure

 

[pinefamily]

How much gap is there between the back of the enclosure and the wall? A very easy option to lower the cool end temps is to put another vent in at the end, rather the back. It doesn't have to be as big as those you already have, there are smaller ones on the market. Start with one of those, and go up to a bigger one if the temp is still too high.

And save yourself some dollars; you don't need the UV in there.

 

[Vipercat]

Ive been experimenting with the same thing in almost the same size enclosure and from trial and error over the past 2 months have found that if i put the vents high at the end with the ceramic heat lamp (100w) and low at the opposite end the convection that occurs draws cooler air in at the low side and keeps the hot side warm
Typically the hot end is always at 31c and the cool end usually hops between 24/25c depending on the ambient temp outside, I also found that the flow was more noticeable if i had the vents at either end of the enclosure in the end panels rather than the back.
Only problem is now i have cut so many holes and patched it up where i moved the vents various times i need to rebuild the back and sides again.:/

This is of course just my observations from trial and error and there may be other factors that are in play as no scientific principle was used

Edit: i also found that moving the thermometers up or down gives different reading by as much as 2 degrees, my final build will be vents in the ends low at the cool end and high at the warm end with a shelf higher up at the warm end to maximize available ambient heat

 

[Wokka]

I think 100 watts is too much heat for that cage. If you put a wall in the middle it will keep the heat towards one end.

 

[Muzz111]

.

 

[pinefamily]

We kept one of our spotted's in a similar sized enclosure, but used a 60w ceramic heat emitter without a thermostat without issue. The hot end got the desired temp of 32 degrees on a rock underneath the CHE, and the cool end around 25 or 26. All measured with an IR gun, rather than thermometers.

 

[Muzz111]

How much gap is there between the back of the enclosure and the wall? A very easy option to lower the cool end temps is to put another vent in at the end, rather the back. It doesn't have to be as big as those you already have, there are smaller ones on the market. Start with one of those, and go up to a bigger one if the temp is still too high.

And save yourself some dollars; you don't need the UV in there.

Cheers man ill look at putting a vent into the end of the enclosure and go from there. There is prob 100mm gap between enclosure and wall.
Before setting up enclosure some people said UV some said not to. I played it safe and got one incase i needed one.

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Ive been experimenting with the same thing in almost the same size enclosure and from trial and error over the past 2 months have found that if i put the vents high at the end with the ceramic heat lamp (100w) and low at the opposite end the convection that occurs draws cooler air in at the low side and keeps the hot side warm
Typically the hot end is always at 31c and the cool end usually hops between 24/25c depending on the ambient temp outside, I also found that the flow was more noticeable if i had the vents at either end of the enclosure in the end panels rather than the back.
Only problem is now i have cut so many holes and patched it up where i moved the vents various times i need to rebuild the back and sides again.:/

This is of course just my observations from trial and error and there may be other factors that are in play as no scientific principle was used

Edit: i also found that moving the thermometers up or down gives different reading by as much as 2 degrees, my final build will be vents in the ends low at the cool end and high at the warm end with a shelf higher up at the warm end to maximize available ambient heat

Cheers man ill take all that info on board appreciate the help.

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We kept one of our spotted's in a similar sized enclosure, but used a 60w ceramic heat emitter without a thermostat without issue. The hot end got the desired temp of 32 degrees on a rock underneath the CHE, and the cool end around 25 or 26. All measured with an IR gun, rather than thermometers.

Cheers man i might look at getting a lower wattage ceramic bulb if choose not to cut up enclosure to add another vent.


I went out and bought an Infrared Temp Gun. Warm End 32c - Cool End 28c at this point in time