The foe that is flexwatt

[2kdime]

Really!!?!?!? Never heard that!!!!

Makes sense though. All 3 tubs were off differing degrees.

some people dont use 11 in is what ive read

because of the same issues ur dealing with

[dr del]

Hi,

I always wonder how much of it is the actual connections on each peice or the wire between them.

It was so I could "retro-fit" dimmers etc if needed that I built this monstrosity of a rack - till I worked out how much 14 dimmers would cost **ouchie**.

Definately calibrate the thermometers with each other first though just to rule that out - as the man said can't measure wood with elastic.


dr del

[Subzero]

I just built an incubator and used two ft. of 11 inch flexwatt, it took a good 3 days for the temperature to stabilize. This is why flexwatt has no guarantee/warranty. Id try putting the tubs somewhere else in the room incase a fan or ac vent is blowing closer to one of the tubs, are these tubs in a rack? If you continue to have trouble just buy two more pieces of flexwatt.

I think this is why most rack builders run one long piece weaving from top to bottom, so that there are no inconsistancies.

Could be that the new piece your using has a diff guage wire or something.

[Gloryhound]

I don't have experience with flexwatt, but the option compared to multiple thermostats is the herpstat. With the pro system you get 4 seperate ourputs that each have their own probe. Right now we are using Helix, but if we would have known about the herpstat that would have been the direction we would have went. Three Helix units cost $420+ while the herpstat is $320+ and monitors 4 probes for 4 different outputs. If you buy the computer software that should make programming them a breeze it would only be another $80 and take care of all the units you ever decide to buy.

I talked with people from Helix and I was very impressed with the quality control and care that goes into building their DBS1000 units and the passion they seem to have about their product. I would go into some of the technical stuff we talked about, but I think it would bore you to death.

I plan on calling spider robotics and see how good they can make me feel about their system before I 100% switch.

[2kdime]

Oh tell me tell me!!! I love technical stuff!!

I did call Rich at reptile basics about it. He said that the company that makes flexwatt mixes up the ink for the heating element in batches.

And therefore the output of heat can vary. The amount I was off heat wise; Rich said acceptable by flexwatts standard.

They allow a variance so to speak.

All in all. If your getting flexwatt. Get it all at once so that it comes from the same "batch".

[bigballs]

in my rack of 10 tubs i use a herpstat ND set at 88F and place the probe under the second tub from the floor. the lower hot spots are always a few degrees cooler than in the higher tubs. i have hot spots range from 89-95 from the bottom to the top. it kinda sucks but i guess heat will always rise...

[Desert]

in my rack of 10 tubs i use a herpstat ND set at 88F and place the probe under the second tub from the floor. the lower hot spots are always a few degrees cooler than in the higher tubs. i have hot spots range from 89-95 from the bottom to the top. it kinda sucks but i guess heat will always rise...

Heat will move in any direction; up, down, sideways, whatever. Heated air will rise. As do heated liquids. But heat itself moves in any direction.

As for this thread's opening post, I suspect the heat strip is working just fine. What most likely is being observed are differences in environmental conditions along that heat strip's length that affect the conduction of heat from it.

The remedy for this, (if a remedy is necessary) is to make the physical and thermal conditions as uniform as possible in the areas along that heat strip where temperature will be measured.

[bigballs]

well i guess i should be more specific next time. sorry for any inconvenience i may have caused...

[J.Bissell]

Several things could be wrong.

- difference in solder connections/bad connections

- difference in gauge of wire

- difference in length of flexwatt

Just my 2 cents.

[Papa Burgundy]

I thought the Flexwatt only had to be the same width, not length. Like 6 watts per foot, or whatever.

Either way, I just hooked up a piece 4'' Flexwatt, 3 feet long, to my Herpstat and temperatures were all over the place. More stable now.