Snake Rack Heating Help!

I recently built a 4 shelf melamine snake rack with the intent of only using the top shelf for now. The shelves are 18.5" deep and 24" wide. I house two tubs on the top shelf. I currently have a 6x23" Ultratherm UTH running under the bins in the back, but I am having problems with my cool side temps. The back temps are about 90 over the pad, but the temps at the front of the rack are about 70. My room temperature is 69. In order to combat this, I put polystyrene (rated 3.8) over the back (trying to push the heat out of the front), but the temps at the front are still at 71. These tubs are about 16 inches long so a 20 degree temperature change over 16 inches seems huge. Heating the room isn't really an option. How does everyone else maintain cool side temps in a rack? I imagine it will basically hang around room temperature no matter what I do. I really need to get the cool side temps to about 77. I've thought about possibly placing the UTH at the front of the rack since the back is insulated, but I'm not sure this is feasible. This rack is meant to house two neonate JCP for about a year. Possibly 2 Brazilian Rainbow boa's on the third rack from the top. Thanks!

All I can tell you is heat your room. The cool side will be the temp of what the room is. We use an oil filled heater to keep the room 84-86 degrees for ball pythons. Could try putting the heating source at the front but it might heat the front and the back since the back is insulate. Might keep the heat in throughout the whole tub and that wouldnt be good. Hope this helps

Just run another strip of flexwatt at front of rack. Use seperate thermostat and set it to a different temp to create a true two zone setup

Originally Posted by salottimc

I recently built a 4 shelf melamine snake rack with the intent of only using the top shelf for now. The shelves are 18.5" deep and 24" wide. I house two tubs on the top shelf. I currently have a 6x23" Ultratherm UTH running under the bins in the back, but I am having problems with my cool side temps. The back temps are about 90 over the pad, but the temps at the front of the rack are about 70. My room temperature is 69. In order to combat this, I put polystyrene (rated 3.8) over the back (trying to push the heat out of the front), but the temps at the front are still at 71. These tubs are about 16 inches long so a 20 degree temperature change over 16 inches seems huge. Heating the room isn't really an option. How does everyone else maintain cool side temps in a rack? I imagine it will basically hang around room temperature no matter what I do. I really need to get the cool side temps to about 77. I've thought about possibly placing the UTH at the front of the rack since the back is insulated, but I'm not sure this is feasible. This rack is meant to house two neonate JCP for about a year. Possibly 2 Brazilian Rainbow boa's on the third rack from the top. Thanks!

How tll are they? Can you use heat panels.? They will heat the hot spot and the cool side will go up since using overhead heat. If not,i also say to heat the room. Thats what i do also. But on my racks,i use heat panels on the bottom cage since its the coolest. I set panel to 92 and my warm side runs about 85.
Good luck
Rich

As stated, heating the room is a great option if feasible. Securing the ventilation on the cool side can help too. I put clear tape over the front ventilation holes on the lower tubs in the winter. Where are you taking the readings from on the cool end? On the outside or inside of the tub?

Thanks everyone. I ended up raising the room temperature.

Originally Posted by salottimc

Thanks everyone. I ended up raising the room temperature.

How is it going with raising the room heat?

The heat in a rack system can escape very quickly, like a refridge with no door...Can you throw a heavy towel/blanket over the unit, esp. the front? It will help.

I've got the room heat set to 74. This is creating a good gradient. I also have plexiglass doors that I made, but I haven't had to use them.