STEP RIGHT UP! We got more flexwatt questions!?!?

I posted yesterday about this, but it's still not goin right... I wired 3- 11" pieces of flexwatt all have thier own cord. The first one I finished I plugged in and tested it on a reostat ( I know get a thermostat they are better... I dont have the cash for that right now.) It went to 103F and then I lowered it to about 97F and left the reostat set at that.. I then went on to wire the last 2 pieces, and test them. I tested one at a time and both of them would not go past 89F... SO I am trying again I have 2 hooked to the reostat and one is plugged into the outlet, with a probe taped to the center... NONE of them are goin above 90F..

I'm new to using the soldering iron but I tried on some scrap first... I melted the plastic from the flexwatt like I've seen done in the DIY's .. but like I said I'm new to the solder iron. and the plastic on the other side melted a lil..

Did I fubar my flexwatt? I Tinned both the wire and flexwatt.. PLEASE HELP.. Not sure if I can undo it and re try on the flexwatt, or am I S.O.L?

Thank you in advance and for reading all this, there were a few more choice words I could have used to tell you how I feel, but I dont wanna get another warning. Thanks again

Cheers:gj:

How long are you leaving them when you test them? May take a few hours to get them all the way heated up. Are they all plugged into the rheostat at the same time? Throw all three cords in a powerbar, plug the bar into the rheostat and then let them all heat up, then check temps. That's my setup exactly since my thermostat failed and mine are all even (give or take a degree or two as you move up the rack).

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Originally Posted by MustBeSatan

How long are you leaving them when you test them? May take a few hours to get them all the way heated up. Are they all plugged into the rheostat at the same time? Throw all three cords in a powerbar, plug the bar into the rheostat and then let them all heat up, then check temps. That's my setup exactly since my thermostat failed and mine are all even (give or take a degree or two as you move up the rack).

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Yesterday I left them for a hour or so.. Tonight they have been plugged in since 5ish. All 3 were plugged in to a powerstrip, but them I plugged one into the outlet it self and left 2 on the reostat.. I'll plug all 3 back into the strip. The temp is up to 94F now.. Thanks for the info, and I like your screen name:gj:


Cheers

Maybe the solder didn't make it through the plastic? I always cut the plastic away from the contact points with a razor blade just for that reason.

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Originally Posted by m00kfu

Maybe the solder didn't make it through the plastic? I always cut the plastic away from the contact points with a razor blade just for that reason.

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I melted the flex and used a razor to scrap away the plastic.. Should I have scraped the the metal strip a lil? I warped the black filliment on the other side of the silver strip, will that mess it up? Thank you in advance


Cheers:gj:

On my first flexwatt install I melted the back a little as you described, and have no ill effects from it. If they are heating up and not getting blazing hot at the solder joints themselves then I think your connections should be fine. Don't worry about them not getting as hot as you think they should... remember you are testing them in an open room (likely under 70 degrees) and not under a tub, or even in the back of an enclosed rack. It's kinda like turning on an oil/electric space heater outside (doesn't do much), but put it in a small room and it will get hot enough to the touch to almost burn you.

The heating element (the black part) is connected to the silver part along the full length of the flexwatt, so warping it or melting it at the soldering point shouldn't have any effect on the rest of the strip. If it still isn't working right you can always cut off the section you already have soldered and try again, just be sure to put electrical tape over any point that the heating element is cut.

I actually cut the plastic off before even touching the soldering gun. I use a razor to make a cut on each side of the flexwatt about 1/4" in from the end up to the silver part, then cut across the plastic in the middle, leaving just the silver part sticking out with no plastic around it. Then the plastic left on the silver part itself will lift right up on one side and you can cut it off. I hope that made sense? I don't think I've got a spare piece of flexwatt laying around or I'd just take some pictures of the whole process.

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Originally Posted by m00kfu

The heating element (the black part) is connected to the silver part along the full length of the flexwatt, so warping it or melting it at the soldering point shouldn't have any effect on the rest of the strip. If it still isn't working right you can always cut off the section you already have soldered and try again, just be sure to put electrical tape over any point that the heating element is cut.

I actually cut the plastic off before even touching the soldering gun. I use a razor to make a cut on each side of the flexwatt about 1/4" in from the end up to the silver part, then cut across the plastic in the middle, leaving just the silver part sticking out with no plastic around it. Then the plastic left on the silver part itself will lift right up on one side and you can cut it off. I hope that made sense? I don't think I've got a spare piece of flexwatt laying around or I'd just take some pictures of the whole process.

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oh ok good, I feel better already.. Maybe that s my problem then not having all the plastic out of the way.. Yes all that made perfect sense, I"m pickin up what your droppin. Thank you all for the info and help!


Cheers:gj: