Protective material over Flexwatt? First rack.

[hungba]

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?

[hungba]

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.

[hungba]

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?

[ShortStop]

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

[hungba]

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

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?

[ShortStop]

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?

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.

[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??

[hungba]

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??

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.

[kitedemon]

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)

[hungba]

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.