Heat Tape Trouble (Anyone who has experience with heat tape please help!)

Ok though I don't see how is wouldn't be "safe" to use less than 2 inches. I hope things work out.

I'm just quoting the bedding manufacturers. On the back it recommends at least 2 inches of substrate.

But yea I'll let you know. Thanks for the help!

No problem

TBH, there's nothing wrong with your flexwatt, it's operating correctly. My guess is that your room temperature is simply too cold. Many of us keep our reptile rooms at 75 to 80F, because flexwatt doesn't heat the air in bins more than 5 degrees.
If that's not an option, try adding insulation. Even draping a blanket over most of the tub would help. (Keep it away from the flexwatt wires, of course).

3 and 4 inch flexwatt is only good inside of a rack, it's not going to give you the ambient temps your looking for unless the room is 78 degrees or so.

I use 11X12 inch under all of my 28qt tubs and larger unless they are in an enclosed rack, then 3 or 4 inch works fine.

Holes do not go in the lid of the tub, they go in the side of the tub :gj:

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Currently the warm side temp ranges from 82-90 and the cool side is from 73-76 which I know is too cold. (temp varies because I am using a dial and a temp gun to measure and flexwatt isn't very consistant) The ambient air temp is 78 and humidity is 60%(accurate digital thermometer/hygrometer).

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What's the problem with these temperatures? I ask because those are the temps my BPs are kept in the winter(74 cool side, 86 warm side). The snakes will go to the warmer side if they need to but I find them chilling on the cool side as often as not..

im fighting the same problem, i just got my rack and damn its kind of a pain in the butt to get the temps right. Not trying to jack your thread but maybe one of you could answer me this, whats the best way to hold the probe down on the heat tape?

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Originally Posted by Lucky lep

im fighting the same problem, i just got my rack and damn its kind of a pain in the butt to get the temps right. Not trying to jack your thread but maybe one of you could answer me this, whats the best way to hold the probe down on the heat tape?

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I use hot glue, just make sure that the glue melts at a higher temperature than the heat tape will get. Whatever you do don't use aluminum tape as it will mess with the readings.

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Originally Posted by John1982

What's the problem with these temperatures? I ask because those are the temps my BPs are kept in the winter(74 cool side, 86 warm side). The snakes will go to the warmer side if they need to but I find them chilling on the cool side as often as not..

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While these temperatures won't harm the snake they are not ideal.

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Originally Posted by The Serpent Merchant

I use hot glue, just make sure that the glue melts at a higher temperature than the heat tape will get. Whatever you do don't use aluminum tape as it will mess with the readings.

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And thats what the dude sent me with my rack and ranco, i had it at 106 and the thermometer only read 86 right on top of the heat tape