Flexwatt and thermostats

So question Robyn, how do you recommend disinfecting a rack with THG tape? Especially when the instructions on Chlorhexidine and F10 products say saturate the surface. Can it be disinfected?

YOU sent a sample for me to test and I never asked for it, YOU, singled ME out, unsolicited. It is a big part of my job to do product evaluations why else would you send it to me? Then when I have the first initial impressions you criticize them rather than addressing the issues? Reptile Basics does not ship to Canada, so why else did you make an exception? I don't need it nor is it even legal for me to use it under Canadian law, I run a business from my home it needs to be wired by an electrician to be legal.

The amount of effort has already been more effort than the solution.

Use the right reading side up. Not so hard. 'methinks thou dost protest too much'

Next time do not give a product for evaluation if you don't want it evaluated!

The box. (I try to re use boxes as much as possible)

http://images54.fotki.com/v461/photo...MG_3115-vi.jpgHosted on Fotki

I'm sorry that the product was damaged in shipping.

I'm sorry that we have wasted your time.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

So question Robyn, how do you recommend disinfecting a rack with THG tape? Especially when the instructions on Chlorhexidine and F10 products say saturate the surface. Can it be disinfected?

YOU sent a sample for me to test and I never asked for it, YOU, singled ME out, unsolicited. It is a big part of my job to do product evaluations why else would you send it to me? Then when I have the first initial impressions you criticize them rather than addressing the issues? Reptile Basics does not ship to Canada, so why else did you make an exception? I don't need it nor is it even legal for me to use it under Canadian law, I run a business from my home it needs to be wired by an electrician to be legal.

The amount of effort has already been more effort than the solution.

Use the right reading side up. Not so hard. 'methinks thou dost protest too much'

Next time do not give a product for evaluation if you don't want it evaluated!

The box. (I try to re use boxes as much as possible)

http://images54.fotki.com/v461/photo...MG_3115-vi.jpgHosted on Fotki

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wow, Kitedemon, I think that you are clearly over reacting on your part here. It is very clear that the product that they sent you for testing was damaged during shipping and from what I can see you acknowledge that, so why would you even bother to test a product that was clearly damaged? the correct response I think should have been " hey, this product was damaged during shipping and is unusable for safety reasons. please send me another or I cant fairly run the tests I need to properly evaluate your product, rather than BASH it! This is the second AMERICAN heat product made by a major manufacturer that you have deemed "not worthy ". To be honest , that makes me question your qualifications? I am by no means a thermal engineer but even lil Ole me can tell a damaged part when I see it. You always talk about heating equipment and thermostats and thermometers being unacceptable at +/- 2 deg swing, Let me remind you that these are living creatures that we are talking about, not industrial equipment that needs to be calibrated to the thousands or it will fail. Living creatures have whats called adaptation! Heck even at night temps in nature drop + 10 or more degrees. Ball pythons come from Africa where temps can easily reach into the 100's during the day and at night can reach temps that if not properly protected the human body can suffer Hypothermia. That"s a difference of +/- 50 deg. in one night , yet these living creatures adapt. There is not a place on this earth that is not controlled by man that holds a tolerance of less than +/-2 deg. I think your job as a tester has got your opinion a bit askew from nature and reality and I don't think you purposely mean to give bad advice but I personally think you may have reached the point where you are no longer relevant to the herp husbandry topic! Nothing is good enough for you, which leaves newbies very confused on their options!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SnowShredder

My bad, I do use the THG heat tape from reptile basics. I always thought flexwatt was the same thing and have always called any kind of heat tape flexwatt.
While we're on the topic, what is wrong with flexwatt?

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There's nothing wrong with flexwatt, we've all been using it for years. Two of my racks and my bator are flexwatt. I only have one rack, my newest rack, that is THG heat tape. I personally still call THG flexwatt, to me it's just the updated version ;) Although, if you have the option to use THG I would use that since it doesn't get as out of control when you run it wide open (or your thermostat breaks). It still gets way too hot for bps though, when I ran it wide open it got to 130+ degrees, but took a bit of time. My flexwatt hit 150 degrees within minutes before I unplugged it. I know it's designed with reptiles in mind, but I don't think it's "way safer" than flexwatt based on my own testing. IMO flexwatt and THG are equally dangerous if something goes wrong.

I would also use 6 inch with a 28qt tub.

I use Ranco, Helix, and Vivarium.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by norwegn113

wow, Kitedemon, I think that you are clearly over reacting on your part here. It is very clear that the product that they sent you for testing was damaged during shipping and from what I can see you acknowledge that, so why would you even bother to test a product that was clearly damaged? the correct response I think should have been " hey, this product was damaged during shipping and is unusable for safety reasons. please send me another or I cant fairly run the tests I need to properly evaluate your product, rather than BASH it! This is the second AMERICAN heat product made by a major manufacturer that you have deemed "not worthy ". To be honest , that makes me question your qualifications? I am by no means a thermal engineer but even lil Ole me can tell a damaged part when I see it. You always talk about heating equipment and thermostats and thermometers being unacceptable at +/- 2 deg swing, Let me remind you that these are living creatures that we are talking about, not industrial equipment that needs to be calibrated to the thousands or it will fail. Living creatures have whats called adaptation! Heck even at night temps in nature drop + 10 or more degrees. Ball pythons come from Africa where temps can easily reach into the 100's during the day and at night can reach temps that if not properly protected the human body can suffer Hypothermia. That"s a difference of +/- 50 deg. in one night , yet these living creatures adapt. There is not a place on this earth that is not controlled by man that holds a tolerance of less than +/-2 deg. I think your job as a tester has got your opinion a bit askew from nature and reality and I don't think you purposely mean to give bad advice but I personally think you may have reached the point where you are no longer relevant to the herp husbandry topic! Nothing is good enough for you, which leaves newbies very confused on their options!

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Once again I have no idea what you are speaking of?

I said nothing about Flexwatt.

Royal pythons are NOCTURNAL... they are underground during the day so spouting about day temps in the sun is silly. They do not bask.

http://images52.fotki.com/v642/photo...MG_3120-vi.jpgHosted on Fotki

Is the the AMERICAN made product you are speaking of?

I love my RHPs. I do a huge amount of work with radiant heaters. I own three, I don't like people telling others that they will do things they don't.

I think my chunk is defective.

My 6 year old nephew was visiting my work and was sitting behind me playing with a dinky car. He asked if he could play with the plastic 'road' I looked over and after I cut the power cable off of THG said sure go ahead.

I turned back to the urgent task that pulled me off the beach today and a moment later heard 'oh no' and silence... I really hate those silences around kids, 'umm its not a sticker is it?' I turned back to find THG heat tape pealed apart about 5 or 6 inches up the section. I took it back and gave it a hard tug, it tore. Clearly my section was defective there is a large piece that was not correctly adhered together.

I know that it is not a toy and that 6 years olds should not be playing with heaters, although in my defence, as I had NO intention of using it, or even testing it further (I hope to get away from flexwatt as well and stick with prewired heaters) I cut the cord off. He could not plug it in as far as I was concerned it was just a scrap of plastic.

I also would not expect heat tape to peel apart easily either. I can't say why.

I have a photo if anyone wants to see it just message me.

Perhaps I am over reacting...

I recommend the herpstat intro+. It has the safety relay to keep from cooking your snakes and also the high alarm and low alarm. Can be programmed for night and day temps, and has 3 socket thingy where you can put 3 plugs in.

http://spyderrobotics.com/products/herpstat_introPLUS.html