28 watt RHP as supplemental heat to 80 watt RHP and pig mat?

[Rocco's family]

Hi all,

I realized that my sulcata's night box will not stay warm enough once the temperatures drop (this will be his first winter outside in his night box). Right now I have an 80-watt RHP suspended about 8 inches above his shell height, plus a pig mat on the floor and a similar panel screwed to the wall. I ordered what I thought was a second 80-watt RHP, but it arrived and is actually a 28-watt- I think I saw the $80 and thought it was 80-watt The night box is fully insulated with the panel insulation and wood on both the outside and inside, and it has a footprint of 4x6, but it was made too tall- it's about 5 feet in the back and maybe 3.5-4 in the front.

Should I send it back? Or does anyone have experience and can say that adding a 28-watt panel will be enough to supplement? I also ordered a heavy quilted moving blanket to lay over the top of the box, thinking that might help hold some more heat in? The coldest it has gotten this fall is in the 50's, but that has dropped the inside temp from a solid 85 down to 79-80, so I know once it gets into the 40's-30's it will be way too cold for him.

Thank you!

 

[Len B]

Can you put a lower false ceiling in it using a piece of foil faced ridged insulation. 1/2 inch thick would probably be enough to solve the problem.

 

[Tom]

Hi all,

I realized that my sulcata's night box will not stay warm enough once the temperatures drop (this will be his first winter outside in his night box). Right now I have an 80-watt RHP suspended about 8 inches above his shell height, plus a pig mat on the floor and a similar panel screwed to the wall. I ordered what I thought was a second 80-watt RHP, but it arrived and is actually a 28-watt- I think I saw the $80 and thought it was 80-watt The night box is fully insulated with the panel insulation and wood on both the outside and inside, and it has a footprint of 4x6, but it was made too tall- it's about 5 feet in the back and maybe 3.5-4 in the front.

Should I send it back? Or does anyone have experience and can say that adding a 28-watt panel will be enough to supplement? I also ordered a heavy quilted moving blanket to lay over the top of the box, thinking that might help hold some more heat in? The coldest it has gotten this fall is in the 50's, but that has dropped the inside temp from a solid 85 down to 79-80, so I know once it gets into the 40's-30's it will be way too cold for him.

Thank you!

Only your thermometer can answer this question. There are too many variables. If you are already seeing the temp drop with these mild temps, then I doubt an additional 28 watts will do much.

 

[Rocco's family]

Can you put a lower false ceiling in it using a piece of foil faced ridged insulation. 1/2 inch thick would probably be enough to solve the problem.

Thank you for this idea! I will look for someone who may be able to do this!

 

[Rocco's family]

Only your thermometer can answer this question. There are too many variables. If you are already seeing the temp drop with these mild temps, then I doubt an additional 28 watts will do much.

I am working on returning the 28-watt rhp. I am looking around to see if I can find someone to build a lower false ceiling. In the meantime, I have been looking and the 80-watt rhp's are out of stock everywhere! I finally found a place that has a 120 watt one- should I grab that to supplement heat until I can get the house modified? Do you think that would make sense?

 

[Tom]

I am working on returning the 28-watt rhp. I am looking around to see if I can find someone to build a lower false ceiling. In the meantime, I have been looking and the 80-watt rhp's are out of stock everywhere! I finally found a place that has a 120 watt one- should I grab that to supplement heat until I can get the house modified? Do you think that would make sense?

Absolutely. The 120 should work well for you. It is thermostat controlled, so it won't over heat the enclosure. Even an 80 might not be enough with your tall ceilings.

 

[Rocco's family]

Absolutely. The 120 should work well for you. It is thermostat controlled, so it won't over heat the enclosure. Even an 80 might not be enough with your tall ceilings.

Thank you so much!