Questions about building a rack

First off, I think this is the proper place for this, but if it belongs in another section, I apologize and feel free to move it there.

So I am going to build a rack out of Melamine and am fairly new to using heat tape. I am confused about how to set the heat tape, particularly flex-watt.

I am planning to build the rack 4 rows high and 2 tubs per row. I am planning on using either Sterilite 32qt tubs or the CB70s. Now, first what is the best way to use the heat tape to heat the tubs. I have seen some posts/sites saying side heat, and others showing belly heat. I am personally leaning toward using belly heat. Now if I use belly heat, I will need 4 rows of the flex-watt.

So here is where my question/confusion comes in, because I want to make sure I am doing this safely. Does each row of flex-watt need to be wired individually and have their own thermostat and plug ins or can each row of tape be wired together and use just one thermostat and then use one plug in.

Thanks, Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

Each strip of flexwatt will need to be wired separately and then all those can be plugged into a power strip with is turn is plugged into the tstat. Hope this helps

Actually it does help a lot, I hadn't even considered that option. It does how ever lead me to my next question then, would it matter where the probe from the tstat is placed?

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Originally Posted by Erndogg

Actually it does help a lot, I hadn't even considered that option. It does how ever lead me to my next question then, would it matter where the probe from the tstat is placed?

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I think everyone has there own way of doing it, but me personally I would keep it on the 2 or 3rd shelf. Just so its almost in the middle. I'm kinda OCD like that. Also as for belly heat or back heat it's all preference. Most will tell you belt heat though along with myself.

Actually, you can wire the flexwatt in paralell and have only one plug if you want. I have also seen people run one long piece across one shelf, down a side and across the next shelf and so on throughout the rack. I have heard there can be some temperature variance in the long runs like that though. As for me I figured wire is a lot cheaper than the flex, so I wired in paralell. mostly down to personal choice.

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Originally Posted by Darkbird

Actually, you can wire the flexwatt in paralell and have only one plug if you want. I have also seen people run one long piece across one shelf, down a side and across the next shelf and so on throughout the rack. I have heard there can be some temperature variance in the long runs like that though. As for me I figured wire is a lot cheaper than the flex, so I wired in paralell. mostly down to personal choice.

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Tempeture variance is true in my case. I use a animal plastic and there is a 6 degree difference from top to. Idle to bottom. I luckily keep the room at 80 so it's not to hot on top and to cold of the bottom

I have two more probably stupid questions, but I feel I better ask, I don't want to do something wrong and have problems down the road.

The first, what do you mean by wiring them parallel? Is this what I was asking if you can do earlier where you have all the strips wired so that its one big string like with Christmas lights (one plugged into the end of the other) or all the wires come together in one place and then connected to the plug.

Now for the second question, I haven't figured out which room of the house I am going to put the rack in. Mostly because my fiance and have different opinions. I want to put them in the extra bed room where I keep my bearded dragons, but she is not a big fan of snakes, and doesn't want them on the main level of the house, and would rather the be down stairs in the basement. Now the spare bedroom the average temp is is mid 70's. If I end up having to put them in the basement that can get quiet cold some times, I would say mid 60's.

I too run my wires in parallel. tends to get more even heat imo. all that means is instead of running a plug off of each strip, you wire each strip of flexwatt to the next and put the plug on the last line. As for where in the house to keep your snakes you better take your womans feelings into consideration otherwise you maybe selling snakes before you ever have your first clutch. lol there's several things that you can do to warm up the basement. first one that comes to my mind is wall off part of it and insulate it and use a space heater to warm it up. Now if money is a concern that can be a selling point to the little woman as to why they should be upstairs with the beardies.

So I just realized that my phone totally cut off the actual question. I was going to ask which size heat tap I should use. I was thinking I should do the 11/12inch wide stuff especially if I end up putting them in the basement. Should I got with the wider heat tape so that if I need to move it I can?

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Originally Posted by Darkbird

Actually, you can wire the flexwatt in paralell and have only one plug if you want. I have also seen people run one long piece across one shelf, down a side and across the next shelf and so on throughout the rack. I have heard there can be some temperature variance in the long runs like that though. As for me I figured wire is a lot cheaper than the flex, so I wired in paralell. mostly down to personal choice.

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Without a doubt.... x2 : Why spend $3.50-$4.50/ foot and be heating wood instead of tubs ? Also, there are several DIYs on BP.Net to show how easy it is to wire "jumpers" between levels and it works perfectly. I've done a 42 qt. ... 5 row breeder rack and it works like a charm with very little heat difference between the top and the bottom shelves. All done with 1 plug into a contriller and then into an outlet. Look around and use the set up you're comfortable with and BEST WISHES.