I'm confused about snake racks

Do the snake tubs touch the flexwatt or is there a space between the flexwatt and the tub? I just read an article on how to connect flexwatt and it also said that the tubs don't touch the heat tape to reducing wearing it down.

can be done either or so long as temps are spoto n.

mine touch.

My tubs that are belly heat, have the silver tape over the flexwatt.

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Originally Posted by llovelace

My tubs that are belly heat, have the silver tape over the flexwatt.

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Sure hope you mean just the Edges of the flexwatt. if not its a fire hazard waiting to happen if entire flexwatt is covered with foil tape. And the Flexwatt under neath is a lot hotter.

All of my homemade racks had the tubs directly touching the flexwatt. I've read sometimes the flexwatt will wear out from friction due to the sliding of tubs. I've never had that happen to me.

On my homemade rack they touch the flexwatt, on my RBI rack they do not.

One rack touches and one has back heat.

Most touch or at least partially many tubs have raised edges so the contact area is quite small. (2 or 3 inches) it gives a slight air space between heater and tub (1/8 inch) That tends to promote a bit larger hot spot and nice tapering off of temps.

Ive never heard of fires in snake rooms because the heat tape got to hot. I have heard of fires from faulty wiring but not from the heat tape itself. Some of my racks have back heat, some have belly heat and some have heat cables and i have never had any issues