Ordering Heat Tape

[SCWood]

I can't keep the room at 85 anymore it's too hot x.x but every time I go to order the heat tape, I have a panic attack because it makes no sense to me and I don't want to mess anything up

[Prognathodon]

Which part doesn't make sense?

Reptile Basics (no affilliation, yadda yadda) will assemble it - cut to length and attach the cord - for you. If they do charge, its a nominal fee. They were also very helpful when I called before ordering on advising what width tape and which direction - front-back or side-side to run it.

Once you get your assembled heat tape, you tape it to the outside of the underside of your enclosure, with the thermostat probe sandwiched between the heat tape and the heat tape (assuming you have glass or plastic enclosure).

So you end up with these layers:

Happy snake (in a little while, anyway)
Substrate
Enclosure floor
Thermostat probe
Heat tape

Putting the heat tape on the outside of the enclosure keeps the snakes out of trouble with sticky, cords, spilled water, etc.

Sandwiching the probe between the heat tape and the enclosure keeps it from moving and ensures it will be reading what the heat tape is actually producing.

Once you have the heat tape and probe in place, plug the probe and the heat tape's power cord into the thermostat. Set the thermostat to the temperature you want, and wait a few minutes for it to warm up.

Check the temperature on the inside floor of the encloure. It'll probably be a few degrees below what the thermostat is set to (3-5 degrees in our living room with glass) due to heat loss through the enclosure floor.

Turn the thermostat up or down as necessary, wait a few minutes, check again, repeat until you're getting the temperature you want.

Once everything is running and stable, you can add the snake back in.

If you want to run multiple enclosures off one thermostat output probe, they need to have the same length and width of heat tape, and be the same material, otherwise you'll get different temperatures in each. In that case, the easiest way to do it is to use an outlet adapter that lets you plug multiple items into one outlet. Like the white one in this picture, which has the cords for the heat tape on two of our python enclosures plugged into it:




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[Prognathodon]

Oops, hit reply a bit too soon. The thermostat usually sits on a shelf, not on a pile of shoes.

If you don't want to use an adapter, you wire the heat tape power cords together into one plug. If you don't understand how to do that, Reptile Basics may be able to do it for you also (call, can't hurt to ask), or get help from a friend that does grok simple wiring.

When running multiple sections of heat tape from one output, you pick one to be the one that gets the probe - there's good arguments to bottom, middle, or top, etc. which I haven't put a lot of thought into because most of our heat tape, RHPs, and heat lamps each have their own probe/t-stat output, because of the mix of species, enclosure sizes and heat tape lengths, etc.


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[SCWood]

I have two different sizes of tubs on a 5 tier rack. This may pose a problem, yes?

[Prognathodon]

Can you give us details on what types and sizes the tubs are, rack type, etc.? That way the people who have experience with racks have more information to work with to give helpful answers. I can see non-convoluted situations where it would be reasonable to have both sizes on one control, or where they'd be better off separated.



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[SCWood]

Can you give us details on what types and sizes the tubs are, rack type, etc.? That way the people who have experience with racks have more information to work with to give helpful answers. I can see non-convoluted situations where it would be reasonable to have both sizes on one control, or where they'd be better off separated.



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Sure! I use a PVC rack. There are 3 tiers with 2 16qt tubs each making that 6 16qt tubs and there are 2 28qt tubs which take up a row each

[distaff]

SCW,

I don't use it, I use mats from reptile basics, with a cheap Hydrostat T-stat on each tank. $14 mat, $26?? T-stat on each. Reptile Basics sells a good mat that doesn't seem to get too hot anyway (good if the T-stat dies, or the probe un-sticks.) Amazon sells the Hydrofarm. So far, I like that set up. Don't forget the laser temp gun. I like the one I have from RB, I think it was $29?.

As for heat tape, HLH Reptiles You tube (Jordan Shaw) had what looked to me, to be a very informative video on the basics of heat tape, and even soldering it. (as I've indicated, I haven't done this, but I would watch that video again if I were going to.)

Good luck!

[SCWood]

SCW,

I don't use it, I use mats from reptile basics, with a cheap Hydrostat T-stat on each tank. $14 mat, $26?? T-stat on each. Reptile Basics sells a good mat that doesn't seem to get too hot anyway (good if the T-stat dies, or the probe un-sticks.) Amazon sells the Hydrofarm. So far, I like that set up. Don't forget the laser temp gun. I like the one I have from RB, I think it was $29?.

As for heat tape, HLH Reptiles You tube (Jordan Shaw) had what looked to me, to be a very informative video on the basics of heat tape, and even soldering it. (as I've indicated, I haven't done this, but I would watch that video again if I were going to.)

Good luck!

The only thing is, I tried mats and most have that raised lip where the cord attaches and it keeps it from sliding under

[distaff]

The only thing is, I tried mats and most have that raised lip where the cord attaches and it keeps it from sliding under

I put my tanks on 1/4" (plus or minus) high feet at each corner, and still get proper temps on the inside surface of the glass floor. It is my understanding that there is supposed to be a bit of an air space, but I could be wrong.

Otherwise, set the tank forward, and sacrifice the 3/4" or so on the cord end. For the sliding tubs, maybe try little wooden runners?

[SCWood]

I put my tanks on 1/4" (plus or minus) high feet at each corner, and still get proper temps on the inside surface of the glass floor. It is my understanding that there is supposed to be a bit of an air space, but I could be wrong.

Otherwise, set the tank forward, and sacrifice the 3/4" or so on the cord end. For the sliding tubs, maybe try little wooden runners?

Hmmm perhaps