Night House questions

[Kapidolo Farms]

I like @Tom 's design a great deal.

I was considering making insulated wall panels but with aluminum walls and a plastic lumber frame. Two considerations are that aluminum is much lighter than plywood sheeting (a pro) but plastic lumber is much heavier (a con). I know these materials are more expensive, but not so much that it makes the nighthouse of these materials unacceptable.

Anyone have experince using these materials in this kind of application?

I know the cinder block wall thing could work too, but them, it's much more permenent and non-movable.

I think I'll adopt Yvonne's idea to side mount the heating pig blankets, I think the metal interior of aluminum would conduct the heat around better then the wood interior as well. I have found mini oil filled radiators used for motor homes, but they still use much eletricity.

Radiant panels are in consideration too.

Does anyone have a prefered radiant panel?

 

[tortadise]

No experience with aluminum. Plastic lumber is good, but why not use PVC HDPE or poly sheeting to achieve the same results with one material. Aluminum could conduct maybe too much heat possibly. Not sure of the conductive highs or lows of it.

 

[Tom]

I like the RHPs from this guy: http://www.reptilebasics.com/80-watt-radiant-heat-panel

I have not used those materials, but would love to see how well it works.

While the mini oil heaters pull 250 watts on low they only run for a short time when compared to my RHP/pig blanket boxes, which run all night long. I run those "EZ Watt" electricity meters in line in both boxes and the mini oil heaters on low (250 watts) use around a third to half the electricity of my 80 watt RHP + 78 watt 18x28" Kane matt combos. The mini oil heaters also run in 4x8x2' boxes vs. the RHP/heat mat combo in the 4x4x2' boxes. So even heating twice the volume of space, the oil heaters still pull a lot less electricity. I'm inclined to think this is because of the heat sink properties offered by the enclosed oil reservoir.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Inside? Outside? Lumber is much better at insulating. Aluminum is conductive as above mentioned. Wood would keep the heat in. (but remain cool.) Aluminum would transfer at least some of that heat to the aluminum.

 

[Yvonne G]

Inside? Outside? Lumber is much better at insulating. Aluminum is conductive as above mentioned. Wood would keep the heat in. (but remain cool.) Aluminum would transfer at least some of that heat to the aluminum.

This was my first thought too. I've seen what happens inside a metal shed with no insulation. It gets hotter than an oven in there. So, yes, the insulation might keep heat/cold in/out, however, with wood you have the added extra insulating power.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

I see your point on the oil filled radiator Tom, thanks for the analysis. I want to use these other materials to avoid rot and termites. The plastics seem to 'off' gas for many months and with a heater inside, I worry about what the result would be on the tortoises, and melting slowly over time as well as fatigue on the plastic panel. I'm thinking I would make panels with 2 inch foam insulation, so that tends to make me think the heating will be not so much trouble. I consider the tortoises can use outdoor hides in the peak of summer, and/or when the heaters are off it won't heat up as much from the sun for them to use the box, I might ad air doors in the roof for this too. These would be outside night houses, or winter time retreats. I'm thinking of a 4 x 8 main box and a 4 x 4 'vestibule' they enter through. Air curtains at each entrance. I'm still undecided about soil floor or some other surface.

Tom, would you please share the brand/model number of the radiator that is 250 watts? The ones for motorhomes I found are 400 and up.

 

[Tom]

I see your point on the oil filled radiator Tom, thanks for the analysis. I want to use these other materials to avoid rot and termites. The plastics seem to 'off' gas for many months and with a heater inside, I worry about what the result would be on the tortoises, and melting slowly over time as well as fatigue on the plastic panel. I'm thinking I would make panels with 2 inch foam insulation, so that tends to make me think the heating will be not so much trouble. I consider the tortoises can use outdoor hides in the peak of summer, and/or when the heaters are off it won't heat up as much from the sun for them to use the box, I might ad air doors in the roof for this too. These would be outside night houses, or winter time retreats. I'm thinking of a 4 x 8 main box and a 4 x 4 'vestibule' they enter through. Air curtains at each entrance. I'm still undecided about soil floor or some other surface.

Tom, would you please share the brand/model number of the radiator that is 250 watts? The ones for motorhomes I found are 400 and up.

I'll have to go look at them. I got one type at Walmart and the other from Bed, Bath and Beyond.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Here is a real basic plan drawn in power point. The walls will be 2 inches thick, so two inch foam insulation board will fill that void. I don't plan on a floor but will set it on the soil, that will assure it won't sweat.. I'll use a small oil filled radiator per earlier conversation in this thread set on concrete pavers. The frame will be made of plastic composit wood. The skin will be white aluminum. The hieght is such that at the seem there will be a 1/2 inch overlap of the aluninum skin. One 50 foot rool should do the whole structure. The lid will have two doors that pivot open from the center. The center solid piece will be about one foot wide, so the lids will be about 4 x 3 each. The proportion in the drawing are a it off, so 12 inches may look not proprtionaly correct to 18 inches.

There are two doors as there will be a partition inside to keep males seperated from females. If heat escapes to readily then I will make a vestibule of the same over all design, but with a 4 x 4 foor print and 24 inches high. I am still considering putting 'skylites' in the lid.

 

[JeffR]

Here is a real basic plan drawn in power point. The walls will be 2 inches thick, so two inch foam insulation board will fill that void. I don't plan on a floor but will set it on the soil, that will assure it won't sweat.. I'll use a small oil filled radiator per earlier conversation in this thread set on concrete pavers. The frame will be made of plastic composit wood. The skin will be white aluminum. The hieght is such that at the seem there will be a 1/2 inch overlap of the aluninum skin. One 50 foot rool should do the whole structure. The lid will have two doors that pivot open from the center. The center solid piece will be about one foot wide, so the lids will be about 4 x 3 each. The proportion in the drawing are a it off, so 12 inches may look not proprtionaly correct to 18 inches.

There are two doors as there will be a partition inside to keep males seperated from females. If heat escapes to readily then I will make a vestibule of the same over all design, but with a 4 x 4 foor print and 24 inches high. I am still considering putting 'skylites' in the lid.

Did you end up building this. With the cost of lumbar this seems like a good idea

 

[Team Gomberg]

I run those "EZ Watt" electricity meters

the oil heaters still pull a lot less electricity. I'm inclined to think this is because of the heat sink properties offered by the enclosed oil reservoir.

We have the same results. My husband tests Levi's house regularly and is always surprised to find it barely uses any electricity.