Heat Tape for both Hot & Cool Sides

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lisafoster2510

Greekineese I am having a really difficult time getting my temps up we live on the water in a 200' year old house so it gets chilly at night. How much coverage on the bottom does your uth cover? Are they different sizes would putting one on the back wall work as well?

---

I just put 2 on the bottom. One larger one that covers half the area and another that covers about 80% of the remaining space.
Like kitedemon said, the main challenge is keeping up the air temps, the surface temps are fine.

I think the air temps in the tank in general might be a little low, but inside the hide the heat gets trapped in there so it's better.
I use a temp gun to check his body temp every so often to make sure his temps are good too.

Before I was using a heat lamp, but after watching this video I stopped:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNUpj4mYdbI

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Flikky

I've never thought of this but maybe I need to. I'm always fighting to keep the cool side temps up with a space heater on full blast. Would it save on energy costs to run more heat tape and another thermostat vs. a space heater?

---

That depends on the room. My room is so poorly insulated that it just isn't reasonable. I had two 1600w units one running max and one running at 800w to hold 80º I saved enough for the herpstat and the failsafes in a few months.

When you have more than just a hot spot I would insist that a failsafe must be used.

I also would be very certain that the cool side heater never exceed safe temps. The great thing of the 17 inch flexwatt (low density) is it maxes out at around 88ºF in my room temps that means the tub only gets to be 86º running 100% power all the time. Hot but not scary.

Likely look at it this way a 20w flexwatt vs a 1200w heater. It almost has got to. The real kicker is that flexwatt, RHP are radiant heat sources and do not directly heat air. They heat objects that then heat air. So it while it is super efficient may not be enough. It takes very careful planning to heat the air as well.

That video is silly.

He clearly does not understand heat systems or even have an inkling of them, radiation, convection conduction. Lamps are convection they heat air, Flexwatt radiant it heats things not air. Conduction heats things too. Regulating temps you need to have warm air and surfaces.

I love how flexwatt magically heat air now.

Suggesting you require an UTH and this is the only type is a complete myth.