Protective material over Flexwatt? First rack.

I just built the frame for my first rack, it is a single column of six levels, with one level at the bottom for storage (no tub there). I got two options for heating, I bought some UTH heaters that are prebuilt that goes on each level, and each has a protective "bag" that you can fit over it. The bottom of the bag is aluminium to reflect heat upwards. The top of the bag is a clear plastic material to protect the mat from rubbing.

I have decided that it is not hot enough. I have some 11 inch flexwatt I will try.

The difference between the flexwatt and the UTHs, other than wattage, seems to be that the plastic covering over the UTHs are a lot thicker, like laminated, whereas the Flexwatt is only very thin plastic covering the heating elements and the two metal strips along side that I can see being scratched over time by the tubs. I kind of want to layer some "protective" material over it, like the bags that were offered with the UTHs, to reduce scratching over time, but don't know what to use? What materials such as those clear plastic sheets which I can use between the flexwatt and the tub, which can withstand heating like that?

By the way, what if I were to put two strips of electrical tape (those used to seal off the end of the flexwatt where cut), OVER the two strips of metal along either side of the flexwatt? (i.e. I lay the flexwatt down, I over the two strips with some electrical tape, as "extra" insulation in addition to the thin plastic laminate, then affix that on to the shelf with foil tape.) It is largely those two strips which concern me as they are slightly raised and thus can rub more, and also they conduct the electricity so I don't want them to connect with the foil tape in case there is a scratch on the plastic.

Would those two strips over the metal parts cause problems?

I just want to find an alternative to protect the tape instead of covering the whole thing with foil tape because I have been told here that it will cause the mat to heat up too much and not much heat get to the tubs. I am also just paranoid that there are small scratches on the plastic exposing the electrical components which I can not see.

Also, I am being told to use "Contact paper" like transparent plastic paper kids use to wrap their school textbooks covers in that has adhesive on the other side. This is from a leopard gecko forum so I don't know what temperatures they reach with their heating elements. Will this work? Or will it also have problems like foil tape in trapping heat down, or worse yet, melting?

I just have the flexwatt down in mine...nothing covering or anything and it hasnt burnt the house down yet. :please:

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Originally Posted by ShortStop

I just have the flexwatt down in mine...nothing covering or anything and it hasnt burnt the house down yet. :please:

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That's cool but I want to put something to cover it to protect from long term wear and tear so the flexwatt lasts longer. I know lots of people do this. I have been told to not cover the whole thing with foil tape so how does contact paper sound?

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Originally Posted by hungba

That's cool but I want to put something to cover it to protect from long term wear and tear so the flexwatt lasts longer. I know lots of people do this. I have been told to not cover the whole thing with foil tape so how does contact paper sound?

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Not sure...sorry

I just taped the sides down so that they wouldn't get worn out or pushed back when I slide the tubs in. I'm sure other people with more experience will be able to answer your question better then I can.

For the life of me, I can not remember WHO posted about this handy tip, and I cannot find the thread where its posted either, lol, but SOMEONE here recommended wood shims to oh so very slightly lift the back edge of the tub up and over the flexwatt to prevent rubbing. It seemed like a really good idea and I planned on doing this if I ever got around to building a rack myself. It might be helpful for you too.

Perhaps you'll have better luck finding the thread?? :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

For the life of me, I can not remember WHO posted about this handy tip, and I cannot find the thread where its posted either, lol, but SOMEONE here recommended wood shims to oh so very slightly lift the back edge of the tub up and over the flexwatt to prevent rubbing. It seemed like a really good idea and I planned on doing this if I ever got around to building a rack myself. It might be helpful for you too.

Perhaps you'll have better luck finding the thread?? :rolleyes:

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I read that thread too, but unfortunately my rack is already done sans heating, and the tubs are on the tight side (used cds for space). I won't be able to fit wood shims into it and have the tubs still slide into it. I was originally planning on just going to use the heat pads that are pre made and came with a protecting covering, but they are not hot enough. So I now use flexwatt of the same size but I need something else to protect it. (No I can't use the same protecting bags for them because the wires do not come out the same side and I have to give them back to my friend anyway if I don't want the heat pads.)

Basically I want to find something like foil tape and same/similar thickness that doesn't trap the heat downwards or melt or any funky stuff like that.

Anything covering the flexwatt will dissipate the heat some basically it will cost more to run. If you really want to do some thing I'd look at thin glass tempered if you can get it over the flexwatt it will even out the heat from the flexwatt (which is not typically even) and prevent spikes. It burns but at that point the rack would already be on fire and the snakes dead. It will work but is not going to be cheap. I'd also only cover the flexwatt as heating glass un evenly can cause issues.

I clean my rack every month, the tubs come out and get washed, sanitized and returned. The shelves get scrubbed and sanitized while I am doing that (long and painful job) I inspect the flexwatt for wear and damage I have extra sections ready to go in case one needs to be replaced it is just a matter of pulling the old up and undoing it from the main line and connecting and taping the new.

The other thought is have you looked at heat cable instead? It can easily be recessed into a groove and is water resistant (my biggest fear is shorting the flexwatt while washing I have installed switches at each shelf to kill the power to one as it is cleaned.) as it can easily sit below the surface there is little chance for wear. I have not used it myself but am very very seriously considering switching from flexwatt.

I only wish I have thought of that before using the flexwatt as it was very very expensive to set up (I have the racks in a home office in Canada and the law is very clear about eletrical connections in commercial spaces it must be done by an electrician... 700$ later)

By the way I am really frustrated as to why those heat pads are not hot enough. They were hot enough and more when I tested in the day time, went up to 104F INSIDE the tubs. The temperature in the room was about 80-85F during the day. Then at night it was about 70F here and the temp in the tub was only 80 -85F! I don't see how the temps in the room dropped 10 - 15F, but the temp in the tub with the same heat pad got down 20- 25F. I am going to test it again tonight, just in case it was something else but man this made my day...

They would have been perfect. Perfect size, protective covering, no risk of overheating etc.

Racks really need stable room temps and typically 80ºF is what is best just heat the room to 80 and hold it there and the issue is gone. The point is often missed by people whom recommend using racks that most how do have them have rooms at 80ºF and 60% humidity. The problem with out this is there is very few ways to control the cool side and ambient air temps by far the easiest way is to heat the room and hold it at constant temps most use a t-stat with an oil filled heater.

I read a lot about people using oil filled heater to heat the ambient in the room and have it controlled by a thermostat. I remember a couple years ago or so, the electronics store here REFUSED to sell me a thermostat when I told them I was going to hook it up to an oil filled heater. They said it was very dangerous to do so, I don't know why.

But let me start by knowing what to tape down the flex watt first. I have another issue. I know it is done a lot of people using foil tape to affix the flexwatt along the sides, but not to tape ACROSS it running across both AC metal strips. However, I have the flexwatt 11 inch so that the tubs will slide ALONG it, (i.e., the horizontal black heating elements are paralell to the back of the tub), so I need to tape the part across it where the tub will slide on. This will be across the two AC current lines. What can I use??

No they will slide over the flexwatt fine no problem just use electrical tape over the cut 'strips' an over the connections I use foil tape alone just the edge to hold it down. Ranco and johnsons are designed to control heaters and units like oil filled heaters especially the cheapest versions that are with out complete thermostats of their own. Set it to max (or close to) and then allow the regular t-stat to regulate it.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

No they will slide over the flexwatt fine no problem just use electrical tape over the cut 'strips' an over the connections I use foil tape alone just the edge to hold it down. Ranco and johnsons are designed to control heaters and units like oil filled heaters especially the cheapest versions that are with out complete thermostats of their own. Set it to max (or close to) and then allow the regular t-stat to regulate it.

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Yes I know you just tape the edges to tape it down, but usually you tape the edges that are perpendicular to the heating elements and paralell to the AC so that the tubs slide over the taped down edge. Since I am angling the tape the other way, as the tubs are about 10 inches wide (best for the 11 inch tape), I will be sliding the tubs over the side that is usually NOT taped down, such that the tubs are paralell to the heating elements and perpendicular to the AC, do you understand what I mean?

Perhaps I can make it simpler if I say I am sliding the tubs "vertically" ALONG the flexwatt, and not "horizontally" onto the flexwatt. You tape the edges horizontally, the vertically is usually not taped. I need to tape that down so it can slide.

I tape all four side down. The exposed metal is taped with electrical tape first. I actually use liquid rubber on it then electrical tape and foil tape to hold it down.

My 17 inch is laid down metal tracks in the flexwatt front to back the back flexwatt is side to side. I think I mentioned in another thread I use hot and cool end heaters... ? it is hard and complex but solves my issues (stupid old house.)