Question About Tubs/Racks

[Eazyyyb]

Hey so after now having 2 tank set-ups, it is getting more and more tempting to switch to a small 3 high rack systems with tubs, but I had some questions about them that I don't understand. How does the heating work? Do all rack systems I see come with the heating installed? Is there no need to UTH's or Lamps? And also thermostats still seem to confuse me. Most of the ones I see only have 1 probe, but can control like 3 devices, how is it possible to control, say a UTH and 2 lamps, if you can only have one heat source probed? and do these thermostats turn the UTH/lamps off and on as needed? Sorry for all the noobie-ish questions I just can't figure it out

[Trackstrong83]

Alot of people build their own racks, which I did and I love it. A majority of racks use heat tape, which you MUST have a thermostat for. When a thermostat only has one probe it can only control one type of heating element of that wattage. So for example I can't hook up 6'' heat tape and 12" heat tape into the same thermostat cause they use different wattages, get what I mean? lol Then if I have a thermostat with 2 probes I can control 6" and 12" heat tape just fine.

Heat tape is just best for racks cause it's easier and takes up less space. Racks though you have to keep the air warm around them cause you only have the heat tape on one side, so if you're room is cold you'd have to get a space heater.
BUT, you can have multiple strips of the same sized tape on one thermostat, you just have too plug it all into a surge protector, then the surge protector into the thermostat.

For example I have 4 strips of individual 12" heat tape for my rack, plugged into a surge protector, then that plugged into the herpstat 1 i have. Making sense? haha

[Eazyyyb]

Alot of people build their own racks, which I did and I love it. A majority of racks use heat tape, which you MUST have a thermostat for. When a thermostat only has one probe it can only control one type of heating element of that wattage. So for example I can't hook up 6'' heat tape and 12" heat tape into the same thermostat cause they use different wattages, get what I mean? lol Then if I have a thermostat with 2 probes I can control 6" and 12" heat tape just fine.

Heat tape is just best for racks cause it's easier and takes up less space. Racks though you have to keep the air warm around them cause you only have the heat tape on one side, so if you're room is cold you'd have to get a space heater.
BUT, you can have multiple strips of the same sized tape on one thermostat, you just have too plug it all into a surge protector, then the surge protector into the thermostat.

For example I have 4 strips of individual 12" heat tape for my rack, plugged into a surge protector, then that plugged into the herpstat 1 i have. Making sense? haha

So is the heat tape the only source of heat for your rack? and yes it makes sense, thanks hahah

[The Serpent Merchant]

Racks are heated with heat tape or in some cases heat rope. Most professionally made racks will include this heat tape. lamps cannot be used with a rack system.

racks require a temperature controlled room. It needs to be heated/ cooled so it stays between 75-85 F year round. (+/- a few degrees)


A single thermostat can only control a single heat source, or multiple heat sources that are identical in every way

For example you can hook up 3 24" inch long pieces of 4 inch wide heat tape to a single thermostat because they all will produce very similar amounts of heat.

You cannot hook up 2 different heat sources, for example a UTH and a heat lamp. because of the vastly different power requirements of the 2 heat sources the thermostat cannot control them both at the same time. To do this there are multichannel thermostats like the herpstat 4. The herpstat 4 is literally 4 thermostats in a single box. it has 4 probes, 4 outlets, and 4 programable channels.





This is very different from a herpstat 1 which only has 1 probe/outlet/channel:

[Trackstrong83]

The heat tape is the only heat source for my snakes hot spot wise, but I have my rack in my huge walk in closet, and I have a space heater in there that keeps it between 79-82.

[Eazyyyb]

So theoretically, if I did a 3 high rack system with 3 snakes, I could use just a herpstat 1, because all the lengths of heat tape would be the same? And what about a basking spot (like hot side vs cool side)?

[Trackstrong83]

So theoretically, if I did a 3 high rack system with 3 snakes, I could use just a herpstat 1, because all the lengths of heat tape would be the same? And what about a basking spot (like hot side vs cool side)?

Yes you could as long as it was the same width of heat tape.
The heat tape provides a hot spot, the cool side you'd have to keep the air warm in the room (78-83). Like I said I use a space heater, which i think alot of people use

[The Serpent Merchant]

So theoretically, if I did a 3 high rack system with 3 snakes, I could use just a herpstat 1, because all the lengths of heat tape would be the same? And what about a basking spot (like hot side vs cool side)?

Most professionally made racks only use a single long piece of heat tape that is "snaked" through the levels. In this case a herpstat 1 will work great.

Some home made racks are made like the pro racks and use a single piece of heat tape. Others use multiple strips. As long as they are identical a herpstat 1 can control them all.

The heat tape provides the hot side. The temperature of the air in the room is what determines the cool side temperature in a rack. This is why you need to carefully control the air temperature in the room.

[Eazyyyb]

Okay I understand now, thanks guys!

[Trackstrong83]

No problem!
I feel like me and Aaron were typing at the same time and kept repeating each other haha

Great minds think alike.