Flex-watt setups.

Anybody got any pics of their flex-watt setup? I'm waiting on my shipment from Matt at MGreptiles of Flex-watt and a JC thermo and was wondering if there was any pics I could look at before I set this all up?

found this from google.
hope it helps
http://www.arbreptiles.com/cages/flexwire.shtml

I appreciate the link but I'm getting my Flex-watt all prewired and ready to go. What I was looking for was pictures of how people have them mounted to the bottom of their vivs. In particular glass vivs.

What kind of enclosure are you putting the flex on/in?

monkeywrench133 already has some pics for wooden enclosers, but for wood you'd probably need to do extra work.

i dont have an aquarium. but if i had, i'd probably put it under the viv and that would be it

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Originally Posted by monkeywrench133

What kind of enclosure are you putting the flex on/in?

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It is a 20 gallon long glass aquarium w/a screen top. It is definitely going underneath on the outside. I was just looking for ideas as far as placement and where to tape it where the therm probe is placed inside the tank (hot side coild side in a hide outsdie a hide etc.)

Oh, to bad I didn't see your post last night, I just set up a 20 long with hot and cold side flex and two Ranco's.

Couple suggestions

1) get 10feet of 16" wide Reflectix insulation, Matt sells it on his site by the foot. and "wrap" the tank with it. sides, back, bottom and top. I just used clear packing tape. On the top I cut a hole just big enough to for a light, but taped the edges to the lid. This will help maintain your temps AND humidity. People are always talking trash about glass tanks, but IMO if you set them up right, they work great.

2) Now, I'm going to assume from your previous post that you are getting ONE piece of flex, correct? I would suggest two, but one will work for now if money is an issue. Tape the flex at one end using foil tape, again, Matt sells it, I'm sure he suggested some. Then put Reflectix over it. This will help the flex work more efficiently. Tape the t-stat probe to the floor of the tank, in the middle of the piece of flex. then just cover it with substrata. If you did get two pieces of flex, running two t-stats, its ok to overlap the flex a little in the middle. But definitely use the foil tape, nothing else will stand up to the temps for long.

If you have any questions PM me, and I'll email you pics of my setup.


Edit*** Important!!! Get a couple pieces of 1x3 or 2x4 and set the tank on Them, do not put the tank directly on a flat surface. The edge of the tank will pinch down on the power cord to the flex and will eventually wear through the insulation, causing a short. Short in power cord=fire=bad.

Thank you very much MW. Last week when i ordered flex and t-stat from Matt I ordered 2 pieces of that reflectix one for the screen top and one to go over the flex on the bottom. I will probably order more in the future to fit 3 sides of the tank I saw how you had that setup and think that will work best to keep temps and humidity right. What I was looking for was a picture so that I can see placement of the flex in relation to the bottom of the tank.
So I should tape the t-stat probe right to the bottom of the tank not rest it on top of the substrate like the probe for my acurite?

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Originally Posted by Damian7

So I should tape the t-stat probe right to the bottom of the tank

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Yes, between the glass and the flexwatt :)

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Originally Posted by Damian7

not rest it on top of the substrate like the probe for my acurite?

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No

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Yes, between the glass and the flexwatt :)

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You can do it either way. My probe is actually in the tank, taped to the bottom, so I've got flex-glass-probe. I do it that way because I feel that with the probe in contact with the flex, it will sense the temp too quickly, which will make the t-stat click on and off more than is necessary. Other people do it other ways. You don't want the probe unsecured whatever you do. If it is, the snake could move it, causing low readings to the t-stat, and overheating of the flex. What you need to check, whether the probe is inside the tank, or under sandwiched between the glass and flex, is the temp on top of the substrata. I use aspen in all my cages, and it absorbs some of the heat from the flex. So, my t-stats are usually set 10-15 degrees higher than what my temp gun tells me the surface of the aspen is. In Tigerlilly's tank hot side t-stat is set at 106, and I'm reading 92 on top of the aspen. Obviously, the more substrata you've got, the higher you'll have to bump your t-stat setting.

As an aside, I had a wired one foot piece of flex that I just plugged in to see how hot it actually got, in 15 minutes it was at 147 degrees according to my Fluke temp gun.

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Originally Posted by monkeywrench133

What you need to check, whether the probe is inside the tank, or under sandwiched between the glass and flex, is the temp on top of the substrata.

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Remember, too, that your BP will move some substrate around and might actually come in direct contact with the glass/plastic bottom. Make sure those surface temps aren't too high as well.

Still noone can submit any photos of their flexwatt taped to the bbottom of the tank. I'm still waiting on some reflectix from Matt @MG. He must be really busy because he doesn't return my phone calls. I called to add to my order since some stuff was backordered I wanted to get some more reflectix and foil tape. Anyone know of somewhere else I can go? Once I get the chlorhexidene (sp?) I will be cleaning and changing the tank and then going to the flex w/t-stat setup. I'm still looking for pics of peoples setup from underneath the tank. Some of the things I would like to get straightened out are what side is up on the flex? Where to tape exactly on the flex? Placement of the t-stat probe? Should tape go over the probe or just hold the wire in position? Hell wher does everyone put their actual T-stat? How much reflectix should go over the flex? Where to tape the reflectix?? I have many ?'s and not many have been answered. Please help!
PS where can I get the foil tape from other than MG?

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Originally Posted by Damian7

PS where can I get the foil tape from other than MG?

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Hardware store?

I'd answer your other questions if I could, but I haven't used flexwatt yet and am not sure. I have my new t-stat tucked behind the cage that it's attached to. I can reach it easily though, to change the settings if I need to.

Walmart has foil tape by all the painting supplies.

Not a lot of people use tanks anymore. I don't have any pics, but it's really easy to picture.

Mat has that aluminum tape (so doesn't walmart, home depot, ace hardware, lowes): tape that to the bottom of the tank, then place the heat tape on it and retape over the heat tape. Make sure to use a dimmer though and tape the probe right next to it.

This is how I would do it. Sandwich it.

~Jim

Edit: I'd keep the HTape a few inches from the side of the tank and go from front to back. Tanks usually have an under lip on the bottom. Use a heat gun and melt out an inch or two section so as to feed the cord through so the tank is not tilted.

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Originally Posted by jim020cricket

Mat has that aluminum tape (so doesn't walmart, home depot, ace hardware, lowes): tape that to the bottom of the tank, then place the heat tape on it and retape over the heat tape. Make sure to use a dimmer though and tape the probe right next to it.

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So you suggest putting a layer of tape between the glass and flex. Meaning the flex will not be in direct contact with the bottom of the tank glass? What would i need a dimmer for the flex will be controled by a t-stat?

The cord will not be an issue as the tank is on a stand with a bit of a lift and hollow middle.
To reiterate that last post. The suggestion was foil tape then flex then more tape to cover the entire flex? I ordered reflectix to tape over the flex to keep the heat insulated as I stated before the bottom of the tank is exposed as my stand is hollow in the middle. I JUST NEED TO VISUALLY SEE THIS! I though maybe just taping the corners down on the flex would suffice? My flex is curled like a mofo (was shipped rolled up). Is there a right side up or down on flexwatt?

Sorry for so many ?'s I just want to be able to do this once and do it right. I also don't want it to be such a hassle untaping all this stuff every month when I clean and disenfect.

Pictures are truly worth 1000 words!!!!!

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Originally Posted by Damian7

I JUST NEED TO VISUALLY SEE THIS! I

Pictures are truly worth 1000 words!!!!!

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I do understand this, but quite honestly, it is not that easy to lift a tank up off it's surface to just take a picture of it to illustrate for someone.

Maybe if someone was just setting one up and could take pictures as they went along, then it would help.

Either side of the flexwatt is fine (no bottom or top side).

I tape the thermostat probe directly to the glass on the outside, lay the flexwatt on top of that and secure it with the aluminum tape. Voila - that easy.

So Robin you tape the probe outside of the tank? Do you tape completely over the probe or just the wire?

I bought a roll of aluminum tape the other day at Lowes for under $10.00, not sure if it was $6.00 or $8.00.

Just tape the Flexwatt to the bottom on one side of the tank and tape the probe to the Flexwatt. Attach the flexwatt to your thermostat and set it to the temp needed to get the desired hot spot in your tank over that hot spot. I have my thermostats most of the year set at 96-100F for a 90-92F hot spot inside my cages and tubs. I check the hot spots regularly with a temp gun and have never had any problems.

In FL heating your cages isn't a problem you have to deal with most of the year. :)

WOW I guess everyone does it different. Your suggesting taping the flex to the bottom of the cage and then taping the t-stat probe over that?

That's how I do it..
I tape the probe to the Flexwatt directly and set my thermostat as need.

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Originally Posted by Damian7

So Robin you tape the probe outside of the tank? Do you tape completely over the probe or just the wire?

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I tape the probe to the outside of the tank (on the bottom) and cover the probe with aluminum tape. Then I tape the flexwatt on top of that. Ssscales way will work as well. Anything that will control the flexwatt once you set it to your desired temp. As long as it can read the heat of the flexwatt, and you're measuring the surface of the substrate where your snake is, will be fine.

before u set up consider this:


BPs dont need all that much head space and depending on excatly how ur lid stays on the tank it may be more worth ur while to turn the whole thing sideways and give him more floor space and for u a nice aerial view thru the glass.
i did this while i still had a tank (it cracked horrible and i switch to an AP) and it worked great but i wasnt using flexwatt.

What does foil tape do what others dont? Why not use electrical?

Foil tape resist heat to a certain degree, other tapes such as electrical and duct won't stick for long and will get gummy with heat.