the flexwatt size you prefer and why?

Why do some people choose 11" flexwatt and some will choose 3" for the same type of rack with the same type of snakes? I use 11" flexwatt for a 10 tub high cb-70 style rack with adults and 3" flex for a hatchling rack but im sure there are others out there who do things totally different when it comes to flexwatt.

i have been using flexwatt for a over year and am still pretty new to it. I would love to hear everyones experiences and ideas about multiple sizes of flexwatt applied to a variety of rack styles.

what works and what doesnt? What works best for you and why?

the width of the FW is only one consideration,wattage is also very important.for example the 3" FW comes in 6 & 10 watt per foot.both wattages will give you the temps you desire,but the 10 watt has the potential for harm in case of thermostat failure.

for most applications i use the 3" 6 watt in belly heat.i find this is safe and efficent,also the lower the wattage (that does the job) the less thermostats that i have to buy.

BTW i just read that there's a new FW product out,4" that's 5 watts per foot.have fun !

I use the 11 inch just because it covers the whole surface of my hides for my bigger ball pythons.

do you think that 3" flexwatt would do the same job as 11" flexwatt in your situation??

I like the 4" because of thw lower watts per foot. 3" is kind of thin and the 10w can get really hot if something fails. I've tried the 11" in an incubator and it actually smoldered or caught fire. The tape turned to ash and the bottom of my incubator melted. 4" seems to work the best for me.

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Originally Posted by PythonWallace

I like the 4" because of thw lower watts per foot. 3" is kind of thin and the 10w can get really hot if something fails. I've tried the 11" in an incubator and it actually smoldered or caught fire. The tape turned to ash and the bottom of my incubator melted. 4" seems to work the best for me.

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Really!

Even with a thermostat? I check on my 11 inch heat tape everytime i enter the room( well, i only use it so i check up on all of the snakes heat), so far it has been fine.

No, I was testing it without a thermostat to make sure I was using enough tape to get the incubator up over 90. I did have one failure using the 4" tape and it spiked to 107, making my hot spots 103. I didn't catch it for a whole day, and if I was using anything hotter than what I was I'm sure I would have found a bunch of cooked snakes.

Houses have burnt down because of heat tape failures/ not useing something to regulate the heat, so i can see that happening.

Would one strip of 3" or 4" flexwatt be enough to heat up a 41qt tub properly?

4" for 6qt and 15qt, 11" for 32qt and 41qt tubs

For smaller tubs I use a 4" and cut it down.
For a tank or larger tub I use an 11" and cut it down. :]

1 foot of FW is enough for an enclosure depending on the size right?

Can you cut it to less than 1 foot? I thought I saw where it had special separations at 12" intervals for cutting.

From reading around I am thinking of getting a 15qt (or as close as possible) and ordering flex watt from reptile basics (getting 4" and 11" so when the snake gets bigger I don't have to order and pay shipping again) and was just going to get 1' of each.

well i use 3" on my freedon breeder rack which is for my adults and it works great so i really never see you needing anything bigger then that. and i have 3" in everything.

Hi,

I'm almost certain I remember reading that the 11" should not be cut in sections less than a foot long but I'm danged if I can find the post. :mad:


dr del

thats only the 11" and 17" all the others you can cut any place

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Originally Posted by cpsinatl

1 foot of FW is enough for an enclosure depending on the size right?

Can you cut it to less than 1 foot? I thought I saw where it had special separations at 12" intervals for cutting.

From reading around I am thinking of getting a 15qt (or as close as possible) and ordering flex watt from reptile basics (getting 4" and 11" so when the snake gets bigger I don't have to order and pay shipping again) and was just going to get 1' of each.

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I use 11" for my snakes, it has never overheated (I use Ranco thermostats) and works fine for me. Plus the 11" covers a much wider area than the smaller tapes.

I guess it depends on your particular setup and personal preference...

Im thinking about building a rack setup with mulitple size tubs in it. i have a limited number of snakes and the wife hates them so getting new ones is an issue but with a rack setup, she might not notice a new one!!

so can you wire two different size heat tapes as long as they are the same wattage?

You can cut flexwatt to any length you desire. You just have to make sure you cut it the right way.
You must make sure you cut all the way through the elements so that the circuit is broken.
The straight element tape is easiest, the zig zag is more complicated.
-Steven