Wattage of Ceramic Heat Light

[ubermensch]

I recently got a new 60X60X90 enclosure for my Diamond and need to know what wattage of ceramic heat light is needed - as it's not a big space I tried a 50W hooked up to a thermostat and let it heat up to 35 on the thermostat before popping her in and letting her explore.
I came back 2 hours later and she was wrapped about the light cage and the air temp of the cage was cold - it seems most of the heat is escaping out the hole for the cord and not going in to the cage.
I've popped her back into her old click-clack with her old set-up but would ideally like to get a new heat light and get her back into her nice new enclosure ASAP so she's got more room to climb.
Can anyone recommend a good wattage for the space?

 

[Deyendran]

you can try a 60 or even a 100 watt bulb but instead, clog up that hole by the cord and u should see results, also make sure that your vents are on the opposite side of your terrarium, also try to use a heating pad more often then a heating bulb, i find that to work much better.

 

[Snowman]

Is a small enclosure. A 60w should be fine. Surely the hole for the cord isn't that big that much heat would escape from it? Post a picture up so we an see what we are dealing with.
Also no light in ceramic's. So they are called ceramic heat emitters.

- - - Updated - - -

Also I'd e keeping the temps closer to 32 for a dp.

 

[mad_at_arms]

Do have any idea of the actual temps?
Thermostat readings are not to be taken as gospel.

 

[ubermensch]

I was trying to think of the word for it but my brain just wasn't working! Thank you, snowman, because that was bugging the hell out of me.

I think most of the problem IS the hole where the cord comes out from - as this is where I can actually feel the heat (but not so much in the cage). The hole is fairly large...it has a diameter of about 8CM? It wasn't something I had control over, I'm not too handy so I purchased a cage as-is.
Is there some kind of heat-safe material I can use to plug this with?
Or is it okay to use a heat pad with laminated MDF? I don't know how I'd go about that, hence why I opted ceramic heat in the first place.
(Unless someone wants to make me a tank with a nice heat cord built in? ;D)

 

[Pythoninfinite]

There are other considerations as well - if the vents are up high on the sides or the back, the heat will go straight out of them as well, and if the cage has sliding glass, this both allows heat out at the top and draws a lot of cold air in at the bottom. These things, couple with a whacking great hole in the top will ensure that all your heat leaves the cage almost immediately.

Jamie

 

[bigjoediver]

If you want to block the hole drive past a building site and scrounge a piece of cement fibre sheet ( stuff they use for the eaves and gable ends) or a piece of wet area board both are 100% fire proof at the temps you are achieving. If you go onto the SXR website Doc rock has some good advice on keeping diamonds re heating etc.

 

[ubermensch]

There are other considerations as well - if the vents are up high on the sides or the back, the heat will go straight out of them as well, and if the cage has sliding glass, this both allows heat out at the top and draws a lot of cold air in at the bottom. These things, couple with a whacking great hole in the top will ensure that all your heat leaves the cage almost immediately.

Jamie

Fantastic :/ there's one vent up high and one low (on either side) coupled with swinging glass front and the hole in the top. This is starting to sound like a gigantic waste of money.
Is there something I can do I suppose to heat-proof or insulate those parts of the cage that are sucking the heat?