Zoo Med Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter 100W

I worked in a building where an astronomical amount of money was spent on geothermal. Well, geothermal isn’t showing the return on investment it promised, and as a result the powers-that-be decided we were going to show a savings no matter what. How do you do this? Simple, push the thermostat down during the winter and push it up during the summer. We’ll save money no matter how cold/hot it gets in this building. What do people do? Break out the personal heaters of course. Well, those are not allowed and you don’t want to get caught using one; oddly enough heating pads and blankets are authorized, go figure.

Looking for a loophole I thought a heat lamp would be good. I don’t need to heat a large area, just under my desk as that is enough to keep me warm. Only problem is I didn’t want a bright glow under my desk so as to be obvious and draw attention. That’s when I came across this heat ’emitter’.

Combined with a $4 heat lamp fixture I already had hanging in the the garage, this thing is great. Using my IR heat gun I measured a surface temperature of 449 degrees Fahrenheit. I was amazed it gets so hot. There is no fan of course, so by the time the heat radiates out it is far from that temperature. Still, under my desk it does a good job of heating the space and keeping me warm, even with cold air blowing on me from the vents in the ceiling all day. There is a larger heat emitter if you desire more heat. Best I can tell the vast majority of heat is emitted from the front surface of the disc. I have it in a proper heat lamp assembly so heat on the back side is not a worry, but still nice that the heat is focused at the front. And there is NO visible light. On or off, you can not tell by looking at it.

The disc is smaller then I expected. Even though dimensions are listed, I for some reason expected something a little bit bigger. It is the proper size for what is listed, and works great, so no worries there.

This is a heat emitter, so common sense (and all the proper warnings) tells you NOT to use it in anything but a proper heat lamp assembly/fixture. Since it does get (very) hot, you NEED protection to keep foreign objects from touching the surface.

I plugged this in at home to test it before dragging it to work. I’m glad I did as it gave off a terrible odor until it had been running for an hour or so. Once the odor burned off it is now odor free thankfully.

I know this is not intended as a personnel heater, but if you find yourself in a situation where typing with gloves on doesn’t work very well, this might be your ‘no heaters allowed’ loop hole. After freezing my rear off all winter, I wish I would had bought this thing much sooner.

BOUGHT FOR MY PAROT CAGE

GENERAL COMMENTS
Does the job. Radiant heat without light. My Senegal parrot loves it. Georgie’s day-cage is on an outside patio in south Florida. I use the heat emitter perhaps 30 days/year when the temperature is between 50 and 65 degrees, and cover the top of the cage with a large beach towel (because cold = windy in south Florida). At night and below 50 degrees during the day, Georgie stays inside.

COLOR
The emitters come in two colors (black and white), but both produce exactly the same infrared (heat). I have the white version. I suppose some very skittish animals might be uneasy with reflection from a shiny white surface, which is probably the reason for the black version.

PLACEMENT
Remember that this is radiant heat—it bounces like light. I place the emitter about 3″ outside the cage, about 6″ below the top—that way, with the top of the cage covered, some radiant heat will bounce down from the cover to warm Georgie’s top side. His perch is perpendicular to the emitter, about 2″ below the emitter, so that Georgie can choose how much warmth he wants by distance from the emitter. A “nesting box” is immediately below the perch—that way heat can bounce upward from the top of the box to warm Georgie’s underside, and the box itself absorbs some warmth, in case Georgie needs to retreat from a hawk, cat, or other perceived threat, or just to nap. I am considering adding a second 60-watt emitter solely to warm Georgie’s nesting box, which would provide a toasty retreat even if the temperature drops unexpectedly. Note that an ordinary cardboard box with a entrance hole can serve as a “nesting box”.

60, 100, OR 150 Watts
The 60 watt is it is adequate for closed vessels, such as 10 gallon aquariums, for which it is recommended. However, even for relatively small uncovered cages, it may not be sufficient. My guestimate (based on use) is that in non-windy conditions 60 watts is adequate for a single medium-small animal able to get within 6″ inches of the emitter, in an open cage down to 50 degrees, perhaps 40 degrees with the cage covered (i.e., with a towel or blanket). If the ambient temperature is lower, or the cage is large, or contains many animals, or it is impractical for the residents to get close to the emitter, then maybe a 100 watt or 150 watt emitter would be preferred. Zoo Med ReptiCare Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter 100 Watts Zoo Med ReptiCare Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter 150 Watts

GENERAL COMMENTS AND CAVEATS
These generalization depend on the size of your animal, how many animals are in the cage, activity level, and whether cold-blooded or warm blooded. A small difference in size makes a big difference, because the ratio of surface area to mass increases exponentially with decreasing size.
> A parakeet can probably survive temperatures which would kill a slightly smaller lovebird. A rat can survive temperatures which would kill a mouse.
> On the otherhand, a half-dozen active finches can do a pretty can do a pretty good job of warming up a covered cage by themselves. Or a group of small rodents can huddle together for warmth.
> Most birds can reasonably adjust to ambient temperatures by growing more down feathers—but it takes time. Small mammals can adjust by other mechanisms—but it takes time. So don’t suddenly expose your animal much colder temperatures than it is used to.
> If its cold, be sure your animal has access to plenty of high-energy food—such as nuts.
> If your animal is a nest-builder, be sure it is supplied with plenty of material.
> If you need to warm your animal’s container to more than 30 degrees above ambient, then you probably risk chilling or cooking it—I strongly suggest investing in a thermostat to control the infrared emitter. It is particularly easy to cook animals in terrariums. At the very least, for terrariums, always install a thermometer, or several at strategic points.
> A large container of water in a terrarium can go a long way toward moderating temperatures.

SAFETY
> Note that the emitter itself of (even a 60 watt unit) gets very hot—and can badly burn your pet or your fingers—even thought it may not feel very hot from 1″ away. Be sure your pet cannot reach the surface of the emitter. And DO NOT touch the surface to check if it is working.
> I suggest installing the emitter in a wire-cage holder on the side (not the top) of your pet’s cage or aquarium, so that your pet can choose its own preferred amount of warmth by distance from the emitter.
> I suggest installing using a switch with an indicator light, which will tell you whether the emitter is on or off without burning your fingers. Plug in Cord Switch with Safety Reminder Light or PLUG IN CORD SWITCH WITH SAFETY REMINDER LIGHT If your lamp-holder has a switch tape it in the “on” position with blue painter’s tape.
> If your pet is a bird, or otherwise a plastic-chewer, be sure to be sure that it cannot get at the electrical cord.

> Click on “Stoney” just below the product title to see my other reviews, or leave a comment to ask a question.

The emitter arrived quickly and it throws good heat. My main issue is that it arrived with a chip in it. It works which is great but it may increase the risk of it cracking.