# Large panel heaters in my 8ft viv



## retic666 (Jan 18, 2021)

Finally got around to trying out a large infrared panel heater in my 8ft viv. This is something I've been wanting to try for a while now as I'm in need of more "surface area" heat for my big constrictors to coil under, especially as my big female Retic is gravid. 

I've always liked the Habistat reptile radiators on 18" high vivs, but they are super hard to obtain at the moment as I am led to believe Habistat are miles behind on manufacturing & I would need 2 of them for each 8ft viv. 

So.... By using these 180watt 600mm x 300mm x 22mm heat panels I get more heat for my ££££'s. I've designed & had made the stainless steel mounting brackets so I could bolt directly to the roof of the vivarium. 

I've been running this heat panel for 2 days now & had fantastic results from it. I'm gonna run it for another couple wks & if it still performs as well as it does at the moment, I will replace all my ceramic heaters for these panel heaters. These heat panels are only good for the big vivs, so if you want one for anything under 6ft, then stick to the Habistat reptile radiators! 

Just want to say a thank you to Malc for answering a couple of my electronic based questions, cheers Malc.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

retic666 said:


> Just want to say a thank you to Malc for answering a couple of my electronic based questions, cheers Malc.


You're welcome... Must admit those panels look the part.... and ideal for a large viv.


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## Jasedee (Mar 21, 2021)

Following this as been looking at the panels myself 
Would the panels need a heat guard ? And what is the height of your viv ?
Thanks


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## LiasisUK (Sep 30, 2019)

Where did you get these from?


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## retic666 (Jan 18, 2021)

Jasedee said:


> Following this as been looking at the panels myself
> Would the panels need a heat guard ? And what is the height of your viv ?
> Thanks


My vivs are 18" high. 

No heat guard needed as they don't get hot enough to burn. If the snake touches it when it's at full chat, they back away instantly. Same as when you touch something hot, your natural reaction is to pull away.


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## retic666 (Jan 18, 2021)

LiasisUK said:


> Where did you get these from?


I bought them online, but TBH they need some work & modifying to get them to fit, so won't bolt straight on. I've designed stainless mounting brackets & get them laser cut. I will be selling them as a complete kit so they bolt straight on. Will also have a probe mount so you can hang a probe down from bracket.


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## Jasedee (Mar 21, 2021)

Thanks . I think I’ll stick with the ceramics for the new vivs as there 8’x3’x3’ and have kinda worked out a plan for the set up


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## retic666 (Jan 18, 2021)

Jasedee said:


> Thanks . I think I’ll stick with the ceramics for the new vivs as there 8’x3’x3’ and have kinda worked out a plan for the set up


Absolutely. Ceramics are the best form of heating large tall vivs. The only reason I prefer heat panels on the 18" high vivs is because they are very low profile. Ceramics hang down too far & a large constrictor can't fit under it. Part of the reason why I designed my own heat guards for my trough cermanics is for this very reason.


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## Jasedee (Mar 21, 2021)

retic666 said:


> Absolutely. Ceramics are the best form of heating large tall vivs. The only reason I prefer heat panels on the 18" high vivs is because they are very low profile. Ceramics hang down too far & a large constrictor can't fit under it. Part of the reason why I designed my own heat guards for my trough cermanics is for this very reason.


Was it you seen on another post using the green ceramics ?


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## retic666 (Jan 18, 2021)

Jasedee said:


> Was it you seen on another post using the green ceramics ?


Yes it was. Work a treat


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

If you need a ceramic to heat a large enclosure then trough ceramics are better than the mushroom or conical shaped ones. They give a wider spread, and have a shallow depth so don't intrude too much into the headroom of the enclosure. The only downside is they need to be guarded and a suitable guard is now becoming harder to source, mainly as the guy who used to make most pf the guards for prorep has now retired. Mind you I'm sure using a suitable mesh and some woodworking skills it wouldn't take much to build something suitable.


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## retic666 (Jan 18, 2021)

Malc said:


> If you need a ceramic to heat a large enclosure then trough ceramics are better than the mushroom or conical shaped ones. They give a wider spread, and have a shallow depth so don't intrude too much into the headroom of the enclosure. The only downside is they need to be guarded and a suitable guard is now becoming harder to source, mainly as the guy who used to make most pf the guards for prorep has now retired. Mind you I'm sure using a suitable mesh and some woodworking skills it wouldn't take much to build something suitable.


I've been told the guards for the Microclimate AHS heaters work a treat. All the guys I know that run trough cermanics use them & they are about £18.
I only fabricated my guards cos I wanted really low profile. Mind you, they cost more than £18 to make! Think by the time I had them laser cut, folded, took them to work to weld & then powder coated it was about £36 each!..... Ouch..... Did look cool though haha


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

retic666 said:


> I've been told the guards for the Microclimate AHS heaters work a treat. All the guys I know that run trough cermanics use them & they are about £18.
> I only fabricated my guards cos I wanted really low profile. Mind you, they cost more than £18 to make! Think by the time I had them laser cut, folded, took them to work to weld & then powder coated it was about £36 each!..... Ouch..... Did look cool though haha


I'm guessing that they may of sourced a new manufacturer as I'm 99% sure he used to make the AHS guards. Yes nice powder coated guards look nice and aren't cheap. When I was selling the kits for around £80 people thought I was profiteering, when in reality I was lucky of I made a fiver out of each transaction as the cost of the guards was the bulk (around 50%) of the cost of the components.

At least I know where to come now should I need some powder coated guards for the remaining two trough heaters fabricated


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## Jasedee (Mar 21, 2021)

retic666 said:


> I've been told the guards for the Microclimate AHS heaters work a treat. All the guys I know that run trough cermanics use them & they are about £18.
> I only fabricated my guards cos I wanted really low profile. Mind you, they cost more than £18 to make! Think by the time I had them laser cut, folded, took them to work to weld & then powder coated it was about £36 each!..... Ouch..... Did look cool though haha


I’m a welder / fabricator and run my own restoration business so I you need any metal work doing again give me a shout


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## retic666 (Jan 18, 2021)

Jasedee said:


> I’m a welder / fabricator and run my own restoration business so I you need any metal work doing again give me a shout


Cheers for the offer. I'm a welder/fabricator too so still have all the contacts to get stuff done. Hence why I designed & made the mounting brackets for these panel heaters. Job comes in handy sometimes! LOL


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

I mentioned in one of these threads on these panels that I still had a 50 watt Ultratherm ceramic heat plate somewhere. Well I found it the other day.



















Now I can here everyone screaming... "It must get too hot as the matting (fibre glass type material) is showing signs of heat distress!... but that has happened over the course of 30 years, and probably 20 years of use. If I place that under an 18mm thick melamine shelf, that sits 12" above the vivarium floor and have the substrate in the floor reading 32c, the top of the shelf reads 37c, so the fibre glass isn't getting that hot, but overtime it's darkened down.

It's a real shame that Ultratherm stopped making these. Fitting them to a guarded shelf, they provide the opportunity for belly heat, and heat form above, plus they give a wide spread of heat making them ideal for Royals and other tropical species that don't get too large. Plus at 50w they are a lot cheaper to run.


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## retic666 (Jan 18, 2021)

Malc said:


> I mentioned in one of these threads on these panels that I still had a 50 watt Ultratherm ceramic heat plate somewhere. Well I found it the other day.
> 
> View attachment 352237
> 
> ...


Blimey never seen those before. Like all good things.... They stop making them!


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## Jibbajabba (Jan 31, 2011)

Just saying, Russ’ panels and fittings are great. I got two.


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