How to Solder Flexwatt

[gardenfiend138]

Well I have a rack half complete, so I decided to stick down a sheet of flexwatt, put a tub on top, and placed another shelf on top of it. I plugged the heat tape into the thermostat, set it for 100, and it's STILL climbing, after 10 minutes it's only at 93. I remember in your video you said that an advantage to soldering is that it heats up much quicker, does this slowed heat-up time possibly have anything to do with my connections?? Thanks again for your help guys!

[RichsBallPythons]

Well I have a rack half complete, so I decided to stick down a sheet of flexwatt, put a tub on top, and placed another shelf on top of it. I plugged the heat tape into the thermostat, set it for 100, and it's STILL climbing, after 10 minutes it's only at 93. I remember in your video you said that an advantage to soldering is that it heats up much quicker, does this slowed heat-up time possibly have anything to do with my connections?? Thanks again for your help guys!

Its possible, How are you measuring the Heat tape and temps inside tub.

[gardenfiend138]

Heat tape has the thermostat probe (ve-200) taped to it, which is giving me the reading of the heat tape temperature, and a temp gun (zoo med) to measure all surface temps (I have checked it against a friend's PE-2, and it is accurate to that within a degree).

Are electrical connections an "all or nothing" deal (i.e.- electricity flows, or it doesn't), or can the amount of electricity they carry be affected by poor connections?? I swear I tugged hard and they stuck!

[RichsBallPythons]

When i first wire up racks I only check temps once every hour as takes time for it to fully heat the tubs bottoms

[gardenfiend138]

Ahh okay, well thank you for your help! I ended up buying a smaller diameter solder so I can be more precise, and wrap the wires to prime them first. I figure I'll just re-do them just for the piece of mind. Thanks again!