A flat-faced ceramic element that radiates infrared heat and emits no light at all, which makes it the cleanest way to hold overnight temperatures without disturbing a day–night cycle. Two things follow from that: it needs a ceramic or porcelain socket, never plastic, and because there is no visual cue that it is running, it should be on a thermostat.
Features
- No light output — usable 24 hours a day without affecting the light cycle.
- Three wattages — 60W, 100W and 150W.
- Flat-faced design — Zoo Med rates it as more efficient and longer-lasting than conical emitters.
- Up to 5 years — around 25,000 hours average life.
Sizing
Zoo Med's guidance is 60W for roughly 40–75L enclosures, 100W for 110–150L and 150W for 190–230L. As a rough guide it lifts enclosure air temperature something like 6–11°C above room temperature, but that varies enormously with enclosure size and ventilation, so set it with a thermometer.
Safety
- Porcelain or ceramic socket only. Using it in a fixture not rated for it voids the safety approvals.
- Run it on a thermostat — there is no way to tell by looking that it is on.
- The face gets extremely hot and stays hot after switch-off. Keep it out of reach and away from children.
A suitable fixture is the Deluxe Porcelain Clamp Lamp. More in Reptile Heating & Lighting.