Need help with FLEXWATT! please!

So i hooked up the flexwatt on my new rack under construction, and after ~5 minutes, I don't feel it heating up...

How long does it take? I plugged it directly into my helix which is set to 105, and it still won't heat up!! I might give it an hour, but if it doesn't work, what should i do??? i'm pretty sure i set it up correctly..

how did you hook up to the flexwatt??? with the clip thingies, or solder? oh,, also, do you have one of those things that you stick into plugs to see if there hot?
it might take a few to heat up.. do you have a thermo to check it with?

spooky

I used the clip thingys..

stick into plugs? what? i dont know what youre referring to =s..

I was going to test the exact heat with a thermometer but I wanted to see if it heated up at all.. which it didn't :(

the things that im talking about is something that you can get at lowes/homedepot/ any hardware store. you wave it across"hot "wires,, and it will cherp or allert you. the flex watt will get warm after time, but it wont get hot. you should be able to feel some diference in it though... try unpluging the flexwatt and re crimping the clamp thingies. is the flexwatt pluged directaly into your stat, or does it plug into a 6 way thats wired into the stat?

"do you have one of those things that you stick into plugs to see if there hot?"

Did you mean a fork? Or was it my tongue?

ZZZZZZzzzzzzZZTTTTT!

Oh nevermind.

:O:O:D:D:colbert::D:D:O

can you take a pic of what you have so far?
spooky

Clips suck, and if not done right wont heat up.

Flexwatt is best soldered, lasts longer, heats faster more even heating as well.

Okay, I just re-crimped the clamps.

And yes, it's plugged directly into the t-stat

Quote:

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Originally Posted by h00blah

Okay, I just re-crimped the clamps.

And yes, it's plugged directly into the t-stat

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and???????

Quote:

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Originally Posted by h00blah

Okay, I just re-crimped the clamps.

And yes, it's plugged directly into the t-stat

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Plug it directly into the wall. and it should only take 30 seconds for it ot reach over 90F.

When I solder, they reach 115F in under 1 min.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

Plug it directly into the wall. and it should only take 30 seconds for it ot reach over 90F.

When I solder, they reach 115F in under 1 min.

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you beat me to it

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

Clips suck, and if not done right wont heat up.

Flexwatt is best soldered, lasts longer, heats faster more even heating as well.

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I actually have a soldering kit, and I have ~6 extra feet of flexwatt in case i run into this :oops::D

a buddy of mine is over right now, and he's pretty good about that stuff, so he'll help solder a different shelf

lol 2 minutes later, and i'm still waiting for it to heat up. This is the 'directly plugged into t-stat' attempt, with re-crimped clips.

I'll try the 'into the wall' suggestion in another 2-3 minutes to see if anything happens

EDIT: and if that doesn't work, i'll try soldering

okay i plugged it directly into the wall, and it's not ~90.... and more than 30 seconds has past by lol. idk if you were exaggerating, but yeah... at least i know its getting warmer! i'm going to wire the 2nd shelf via solder.... is that safe?

also: it doesn't feel anywhere near 90... i'll check it in like 10 minutes... check back at 8 please =]

just thought i'd post the results of our tests, as our buzzed soldering turned into quite a fun science experiment haha

basically.. i daisy chained 2 shelves - 1 shelf was wired using the clamps, and it took about 15 minutes to get kindof warm.....

the 2nd shelf had the wires soldered on, and that heated up in a matter of seconds....

one last Q.. i bought the 3 inch heat tape.. how hot does that get? it doesn't feel as warm as the heat tape in my 28 qt juvenile rack that i've been using for a year now with no problems.. the t-stat is set to 100, and the heat tape gets to ~92

3" 6watt and 10 watt both can exceed 140F depending on room temp.

I would redo all your connections as solder. Clips just plain out suck for flexwatt.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

3" 6watt and 10 watt both can exceed 140F depending on room temp.

I would redo all your connections as solder. Clips just plain out suck for flexwatt.

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haha while i came here to post the results, they soldered the previous connections :D

now both shelves heat up SUPER fast

thanks so much guys!!! my rack is SLOWLY but surely coming together ^_^

i'm putting some time into it after work, then gotta get my game on, then sleep and work ^_^. i have all next week off though haha so sweetness!!!:gj: