Heat tape question: flexwatt

I am using a metal rack. The surfaces of each level is grated (like a fence). I will be putting the heat tape on the surfaces. Will I need to put something over the surfaces and then the heat tape on top? Will there be a problem to put the heat tape over the metal surface other than losing heat from the under-side? If I need to put something over the metal surface, what should I use?

I would say you should probably cover the bottom side, you'll lose a lot of heat otherwise. You may try putting foil tape down underneath the flexwatt, you can order it at Reptile Basics. Or you may even try aluminum foil, but you'll still need to use something like foil tape to keep it down.

There aren't any problems with hen the flexwatt on the metal except for heat loss.

Anything I can put underneath the heat tape to prevent a lot of heat lost?

Thats what I was telling you in my previous post:

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Originally Posted by pigfat

I would say you should probably cover the bottom side, you'll lose a lot of heat otherwise. You may try putting foil tape down underneath the flexwatt, you can order it at Reptile Basics. Or you may even try aluminum foil, but you'll still need to use something like foil tape to keep it down.

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Originally Posted by Haksui76

Anything I can put underneath the heat tape to prevent a lot of heat lost?

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I would use a sheet of expanded PVC

Someplace on youtube, I watched a video about setting up Flexwatt. Freedom Breeder or Some other major rack builder. I cant seem to find the link, sorry. Anyways they sell an extension cord that is grounded and its grounded to the sheet metal that houses the heat tape. I would imagine that if the Flexwatt was in direct contact with the metal, it must be grounded. Maybe someone with knowledge, or someone who has viewed that video will enlighten us.

Brian

No a ground is not necessary but would add another layer of protection. The only time that a ground would be needs is if the plastic covering the contacts is worn off. As long as the Flexwatt is checked once a month this will not be an issue.

If you want to ground the metal rack it is easy, just take some metal chain and attach it to the bottom level of the rack. Then get a Anti-static mat and put it under the chain (so that the chain makes a loop from the rack to the anti-static mat. This is how I ground all of my workbenches at home and how we ground metal racks at the electronics manufacturing company that I work at as an intern.

Here is the video that shows them with a grounded cord.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPhnnoiWRCg

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Originally Posted by BrianWilson

Here is the video that shows them with a grounded cord.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPhnnoiWRCg

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Yeah, I've seen them before it is a nice feature but not totally necessary.