Under cage heating

[pathfinder36]

I recently purchased a 421d cage from Boaphile Plastics with 1.5 flexwatt under cage heating. After setting it all up, I am finding that I can only get the hot side up to 84 deg. This is even after I covered it with with a blanket. I really don't want to scrap the flexwatt, so I was thinking aout just stacking another (small)uth under the flexwatt. Should be just enough to stablize the heat output at 88deg hot side. I can't imagine any reason that this is any more dangerous than just the flexwatt as long as it is on a good thermostat system, but I still wanted to bounce it off the peanut gallery! =Þ

Any ideas on why I should not do this?
(it is hooked up to a thermostat from boaphile plastics)

[telefrag]

84 surface temp, or 84 air temp?

I dont know if I'd double up heat sources like that.

Flex watt isnt designed to sustain a temp of over 91 (I think its 91 degrees)

just checked... its 95, but that means to sustain an air temp over a certain point, the tape itself will have to be set much higher.

flexwatt may not be the best option for your situation.

But still, 84 on a warm side isnt too bad, depending on what type of snake it is.

Im sure for a boa, its not enough.

But many other snakes , that would be ok.

[pathfinder36]

Surface temp. The probe is directly on top of the reptile carpet. Probem is that my apartment is at a constent 72deg in the summer, so I think the flexwatt is having trouble fighting the cool air. (there isn't a snake in here yet, just testing the system first)

[telefrag]

good plan, I like to have a cage up and going for at least 2 weeks before I put a snake in it too. (if its not a rack set up anyways)

72 in the summer? man.... thats pretty cool.

Hate to see your electric bill.

Im in the nice texas heat (100+ several times a summer) and 78 is about all I am willing to keep my AC at.

[pathfinder36]

I hate texas. Lived there for 13 years (houston). The heat, humidity, the 300yr flood every other weekend, bi-daily tornados, mosquitos, biting flies, gnats, killer bees, red wasps, yellow jackets, leaches, lime infested ticks, roaches that you can saddle and ride, ect.

[ironkladd]

hey hey....watch how you talk about texas, thats where i stay & dont forget about the fire ants.

[pathfinder36]

Oh yea, the FIRE ANTS. Evil little creatures.

Come on now, I have the right to talk about it... I lived there for 13 YEARS!

[pathfinder36]

Don't get me wrong, I loved it when I lived there, and didn't know any better... but now I do! =Þ

[pathfinder36]

I don't think I've been bit by a mosquito in like 8 yrs! =)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=) =)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)=)

[LdyDrgn]

There are fire ants in CA, too. As well as all the other buggies. Tornados are rare, though. Mostly just blistering heat through the Sacramento Valley.

(I lived in Solano County for 33 out of my 36 years )

Doubling up on the heat may not be a great idea. What do you have the thermostat set to?

[pathfinder36]

88deg on the hot side. Probe is directly on the newspaper and only pulling 84deg at best with the flexwatt. The cage is 4'Lx2'Dx1'H. Like I said, I keep my house pretty cool, so I was just going to double up the heat source. My thermostat is set to 1+\-, with a back up thermostat set to kill the first if the system gets over 93deg.