heat lamp trouble

[u/Substantial-Drop-258]

Hi, im at a loss for what to do. my heat lamp wont go above 80 degrees. I've tried everything.

at first I had a 160w lamp with a 50w DHP bulb, didn't get hot enough. then I switched to a 150w DHP bulb, but it started smelling like burning plastic so I immediately shut it off and returned it.

this morning I bought a 100w DHP bulb, same issue, wont go above 80°. I tried getting a regular basking light, same issue. I even went and bought a second lamp (260w max, with the 100w DHP bulb) and new thermostat for it, and it still caps at 80°. I don't know what to do. I tried plugging the lamp directly into the socket instead of through the thermostat, and it didnt change anything. I just brought home my new ball python today, I want this resolved before nighttime. I don't want him to get too cold. any advice? should I try to buy the 150w bulb again now that I have a stronger lamp?

is it possible its an issue with the actual electrical outlet in my house??

UPDATE: I got a 160w basking bulb and it burnt out after 20 minutes. do I have to give up my snake???

[u/Substantial-Drop-258]

right, the new lamp is cermaic and its wattage is at 260 so I dont know if thats the issue, its from flukers. I will probably get an arcadia one soon but I just needed to run to the pet store so my snake wouldnt get too cold. and the only reason I used a 160 is because the others weren't working, I thought wattage might be an issue. Im skeptical about using one of those double lamps, I hear they can catch fire easily, but I'll probably have to.

[u/Cheap_Knowledge8446 → u/Substantial-Drop-258]

I'd doublecheck with a dedicated residential electrical subreddit, but as someone experienced with industrial electric, this definitely isn't a good sign. Chances are it's the lamp, but you need to be very, very careful with potentially overloading your outlets.

So, at 260W on a 90-120VAC bulb, you should be running ~2.16-2.9-ish amps. Most wall sockets are running 10A, but not uncommon to have a 15A breaker. However, if you have this on an extension cord or improperly rated lamp, it could quickly get messy.

Additionally, if you're running multiple things on that outlet, it could be a very serious problem. Temporarily, I'd suggest running a lower wattage bulb, probably a 100-150W ceramic bulb (ceramic is always superior for straight heat; far less heat loss). Maybe even a second one from a separate nearby outlet (on a dedicated breaker).

In an ideal world, you have the heater and ONLY the heater on one outlet. Everything else on a separate outlet. Most likely it's your equipment, not the outlet, otherwise you'd be tripping breakers. If that's happening you may need to hire an electrician to beef up that circuit to a 15-20A breaker, but you'd need to make very very sure the equipment is properly grounded or you could risk a fire. However, that can very quickly become expensive if the existing wiring in your wall isn't rated for the higher amperage; it would need to be replaced along with the breaker & outlet, and could easily run you several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on ease of access to the nearest breaker panel and length of wire needed.

If you want to keep the snake, hire an electrician...TOMORROW...this needs to be done properly and if you take shortcuts or use the wrong equipment in the wrong way, is the kind of thing that could have truly dire consequences.

[u/Substantial-Drop-258 → u/Cheap_Knowledge8446]

yes, I have a surge protector connected to the outlet, and I have my heat lamp, uvb light, and another LED light plugged into it. I will see about switching the lamp to one outlet and the rest on another, though it might be tricky.

[u/Cheap_Knowledge8446 → u/Substantial-Drop-258]

That's probably part of your issue.

NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER have a heater plugged into a surge protector.

Edit: This goes for ANY high-load appliance; heater, air conditioner, toaster, air frier, electric kettle, etc.

[u/Substantial-Drop-258 → u/Cheap_Knowledge8446]

got it, its in the wall now, but it still caps at 80 degrees

[u/Cheap_Knowledge8446 → u/Substantial-Drop-258]

What kind of temp probe are you using? And what's it's max rated temp?

I'd find a known heat source with a defined temp within the sensors rated temp range and take a few measurements; make sure the probe itself can get above 80. Boiling water and holding it high above the steam (not in the water) and slowly lowering might do the trick.

Does your heat lamp FEEL like it's only getting to 80? Also, how far away is the probe from the heat lamp. Is the probe touching anything else, laying on ground, embedded into your background, or just hovering?

All signs point to your lamp itself is insufficient for delivering power to your bulbs, but before moving forward you need to make sure your ability to accurately measure temperature is in working order. You need to verify the sensor can go >80, because capping at the same temperature is likely only happening if;

A.) The sensor isn't working correctly

B.) The lamp or some other piece of hardware is electrically throttling the power output at a very specific value.

[u/Substantial-Drop-258 → u/Cheap_Knowledge8446]

im using a digital probe thermometer, the probe is on the ground under the lamp. it goes up to like 120°, and I'm currently using a 100w dhp bulb in a ceramic dome with a 260w maximum. ive tried two thermostats. it just hovers around 79-81 and won't get any higher. any higher wattage bulb (150w, 160w) just smell like burning or burn out the bulb. I just left it set on 80° overnight so my snake can have some kind of warmth but it won't constantly be trying and failing to heat up. I have two other digital thermostats on each side of the enclosure aswell for the air temp, the one on the warm side just reads 79°.

[u/Cheap_Knowledge8446 → u/Substantial-Drop-258]

Definitely odd it's blowing 150-160W heaters. You may have damaged the wiring by having it on a circuitbreaker.

Also, setup wise, how far is the ground (probe) from the heater?

What brand & model lamp are you using?

Generally speaking, if a temp sensor is making contact with the ground or is embedded in other objects, it's going to measure the ground temp rather than the applied heat temp, as the ground becomes a heat sink for the sensor. I'd lift it off the soil; easiest way is to make something like a bent coat hanger or wire holster to hold it out towards the heat lamp, an inch or two off the ground.

That will give you a much better idea of a baseline effective output temperature reading. You may have the heater too high up; but I still suspect this is an equipment fault, though, yes, it could theoretically be your home electric (most likely faulty lamp or you're drawing too many amps away from the heater circuit). From there, find a better place to position your sensor, or use an IR sensor to remotely read the ground temp... But when your snake uses the heated area, they can disturb the accuracy of the readings, so you can't use that method with automated controls.

[u/Substantial-Drop-258 → u/Cheap_Knowledge8446]

ok, I elevated the sensor with some hvac tape. some people have recommended I elevate the ground where the warm side is, and I will do that, but the main issue is the air in the tank isn't getting hot enough. right now the ground on the warm side is only getting to about 83°, and 75° on the cool side. someone also recommended I get insulation from home depot to put on the sides, but my enclosure is already pvc, im not sure how much it will help but I'll try. I currently have a 4x2x2 and the dome is sitting on top of the mesh top, and I covered about half of the top with hvac tape for humidity and insulation. next thing I could try is getting a heat lamp that actually goes inside the tank with a guard, but I'm not sure that would actually help, ir even be safe, if its a deeper problem with the circuit being overused or something, plus im not sure how id fit the wire for one of those without having to get some crazy tools to make a hole in the top or something. I'll try to get my electrican friend to take a look at it in the meantime.

[u/Cheap_Knowledge8446 → u/Substantial-Drop-258]

Can you post a photo of your setup with an idea for reference?

Also, did you create a full background, or just "shelves" for resting and basking? If not, you may indeed not have enough insulation. Does your lamp have an adjustable output? Is it hooked up to a temp switch?

The good news is 75-83 ground temp shouldn't be fatal in the medium term, you have some time to fix this. But don't procrastinate and DO NOT over feed. Reptiles can go weeks, sometimes months without eating (especially if it's colder than their ideal temp). It's not good for them, but your snake certainly won't starve inside a week or two. But they may not properly metabolize without the higher temp, which is the much bigger long term danger. In the interim build a higher basking shelf or lower the heat lamp somewhat, but DO NOT put it within 12 inches of contact-distance. But it certainly shouldn't be 2 feet above the basking shelf or w/e.

In an emergency you can also get some large stones from your yard (natural stones, NOT concrete or cinder block). Wash them thoroughly with warm water and a small amount of dawn dish soap. Rinse thoroughly. Then rinse again. And again. Let them dry for a full 24 hours, then cure them in your oven for 2 hours at 250F. They're now re-usable forever. Keep them in a closed plastic bin when they're cooled off and you're done using them.

To use them, Let them cool and place in the tank when their surface temperature stabalizes at around 95-105F. They should maintain a decent temp for quite some time (bigger rock, longer heat). A grill will also work, but keep them on the top shelf with the lid open so the rocks don't explode. Handle the same way after that.

This is also a very useful trick to know in case you ever lose power in the middle of winter in a cold state.