Protecting heat tape from sliding tubs and from metal shelf

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Edsal-60-...0127/202545421

If you have any other ideas I have asked a direct question in other thread.

So metal shelves are nice and cheap but electrical. I did read a similar thread about grounding the shelves and it talks about PVC. I dont want my tubs to sit little crooked if i put strip of pvc on top of racks. I prefer something of tape wise maybe to put under the tape and on top of it so i dont hurt it with sliding tubs. So which tape or what else i can do?

thanks!

get the 5 tier plastic shelves instead. no way to conduct electricity through them if you somehow expose a wire or contact on your heat tape.

Also, grab a roll of aluminum tape, and tape the edges of the heat tape down, the tub will hit the aluminum tape before the heat tape, causing less wear and tear.

still wears off the tape

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by qwerty53

still wears off the tape

---

ya well unless you recess it into the shelf itself you are going to get slight wear and tear if the tubs are sliding directly over the heat tape. be careful and it shouldn't cause any major issues.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by qwerty53

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Edsal-60-...0127/202545421

If you have any other ideas I have asked a direct question in other thread.

So metal shelves are nice and cheap but electrical. I did read a similar thread about grounding the shelves and it talks about PVC. I dont want my tubs to sit little crooked if i put strip of pvc on top of racks. I prefer something of tape wise maybe to put under the tape and on top of it so i dont hurt it with sliding tubs. So which tape or what else i can do?

thanks!

---

This is how I protect my heat tape. Two thin strips of linoleum for the tubs to slide on.


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...428de5dd3d.jpg

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

We have a 54-qt five-level rack for juvenile/small adult boas that's made from plastic shelving and the 12"x10" heat tape is covered with thin acrylic sheet that is screwed into the shelf. The acrylic was a bit expensive but it's doing a great job protecting the heat tape. The nice thing is that if we need to disassemble the rack to move it, the heat tape isn't directly attached to anything so the rack breaks down into easily-moved pieces.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/OPTIX-11-...C-27/202090111

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

We have a 54-qt five-level rack for juvenile/small adult boas that's made from plastic shelving and the 12"x10" heat tape is covered with thin acrylic sheet that is screwed into the shelf. The acrylic was a bit expensive but it's doing a great job protecting the heat tape. The nice thing is that if we need to disassemble the rack to move it, the heat tape isn't directly attached to anything so the rack breaks down into easily-moved pieces.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/OPTIX-11-...C-27/202090111

---

This is exactly what my plan was but I didn't want to spend the money. Glad to hear it works so well. I may go ahead and bite the bullet for my next build.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

We have a 54-qt five-level rack for juvenile/small adult boas that's made from plastic shelving and the 12"x10" heat tape is covered with thin acrylic sheet that is screwed into the shelf. The acrylic was a bit expensive but it's doing a great job protecting the heat tape. The nice thing is that if we need to disassemble the rack to move it, the heat tape isn't directly attached to anything so the rack breaks down into easily-moved pieces.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/OPTIX-11-...C-27/202090111

---

What shelving you use??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kevall1

This is how I protect my heat tape. Two thin strips of linoleum for the tubs to slide on.


https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...428de5dd3d.jpg

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

---

Thanks thats great idea.What wardrobe you use as a frame and arent you afraid its going to catch fire because its wood.

I made mine out of Melamine. It can withstand some heat but I do have it hooked up to a dimmer AND a thermostat. The chances of BOTH of those failing are slim.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by qwerty53

What shelving you use??

---

http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-36-in...8974/100006678
This style with the shelves deep enough we could slide a 54-qt Hefty tub in between the supports on the short side of the shelf, it may even have been this particular model. We used a hacksaw to cut the plastic support posts so that the underside of the shelf above the tub keeps the tub lid secure while still permitting the tub to slide in and out easily. Also the holes in the shelf allow air under the heat tape so it doesn't overheat, since the acrylic sheet is on top of the tape this was a concern.

We used two shelving units to create one six-tub rack and one two-tub quarantine rack. The downside to this rack style is the open sides. For the six level rack it didn't matter since it's in the snake room which is kept fairly warm compared to the rest of the house in the winter. I had to cover the QT rack with a blanket and put a hide over the heat tape, and then it stayed warm enough for the slithers.

The linoleum is a great idea. I was thinking using strips of adhesive backed padding or felt on the bottom of the tubs might also work.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lizardlicks

The linoleum is a great idea. I was thinking using strips of adhesive backed padding or felt on the bottom of the tubs might also work.

---

Thank you Lizardlicks. I do want to point out that my heat tape is not installed in the conventional direction we are all used to seeing. My tubs slide in and out in the illustrated direction. Anyone trying this would want their linoleum strips to run in the same direction the tubs slide.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...393feddc02.jpg

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

I've read a few people use painters tape (the blue kind) and as long as there is no creases in the tape it doesn't wear the tape down hardly at all over longer periods of time


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk