Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 2,973

0 members and 2,973 guests
No Members online
Most users ever online was 6,337, 01-24-2020 at 04:30 AM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,031
Threads: 248,490
Posts: 2,568,448
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, isismomma
Results 1 to 8 of 8
  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    12-13-2019
    Posts
    51
    Thanks
    51
    Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts

    Leaving a gap between heat and tubs DIY rack

    What are the reasons most professionally made racks leave a space between heat tape and the bottom of the tub?

    Second question. What's the best way (in your opinion) of achieving this gap when building a DIY rack?

  2. #2
    BPnet Senior Member jmcrook's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-05-2016
    Location
    Mississippi
    Posts
    3,640
    Thanks
    7,844
    Thanked 7,195 Times in 2,638 Posts
    Images: 13

    Re: Leaving a gap between heat and tubs DIY rack

    1. So the sliding of the tubs doesn’t wear on the heat tape.

    2. Router


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  3. The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to jmcrook For This Useful Post:

    AbsoluteApril (04-28-2021),Bogertophis (04-28-2021),cincy (04-29-2021),Erie_herps (04-30-2021),IrishBalls (04-28-2021)

  4. #3
    Bogertophis's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-28-2018
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    20,183
    Thanks
    28,085
    Thanked 19,740 Times in 11,797 Posts
    The heat tape itself comes with instructions to leave an air gap for safety, so it doesn't overheat, short out & be a fire danger. Don't want to melt the tub either- -not all plastics are the same.

    DIY, depends on the materials you're using, many ways to do that.
    Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
    Eric Hoffer (1902 - 1983)

  5. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Bogertophis For This Useful Post:

    AbsoluteApril (04-28-2021),IrishBalls (04-28-2021)

  6. #4
    BPnet Senior Member AbsoluteApril's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-05-2014
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    2,080
    Thanks
    2,325
    Thanked 2,605 Times in 1,296 Posts
    In both my DIYs and purchased racks, I have the tape run up the back or on the sides.
    Same with cage stacks for boas, I run the tape up the back.
    ****
    For the Horde!

  7. The Following User Says Thank You to AbsoluteApril For This Useful Post:

    IrishBalls (04-28-2021)

  8. #5
    Registered User
    Join Date
    12-13-2019
    Posts
    51
    Thanks
    51
    Thanked 10 Times in 8 Posts
    Thank you guys. I was aware that heat mats say that the tub should be in direct contact. Although I know this Is not practiced in the majority of racking systems I've encountered.

    AbsolutelApril so you provide back heat as opposed to belly heat? I thought ball pythons in particular needed or at least seemed to prefer belly heat?

  9. #6
    BPnet Senior Member AbsoluteApril's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-05-2014
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    2,080
    Thanks
    2,325
    Thanked 2,605 Times in 1,296 Posts

    Re: Leaving a gap between heat and tubs DIY rack

    Quote Originally Posted by IrishBalls View Post
    AbsolutelApril so you provide back heat as opposed to belly heat? I thought ball pythons in particular needed or at least seemed to prefer belly heat?
    no belly heat for my boas or ball pythons (or colubrids or blood python) - haven't had any issues and have successfully bred boas and BPs in these set-ups, have had some of my BPs since 2011 and boas since 2000s like this.
    I do keep my ambient home temps (and snake room temp when I used to heat just that room) in the low 70s.
    ****
    For the Horde!

  10. The Following User Says Thank You to AbsoluteApril For This Useful Post:

    IrishBalls (04-29-2021)

  11. #7
    Reptile Dysfunction
    Join Date
    03-02-2021
    Location
    Kansas City, KS
    Posts
    55
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 19 Times in 18 Posts

    Re: Leaving a gap between heat and tubs DIY rack

    I have two DIY racks and the reason I didn't get the gap right is because I bought cheap wood. If you buy melamine I believe that is the good stuff don't buy composite wood.
    Checkout my YouTube channel! I post Ball Python Morph Combo videos daily: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXr...7cOR5pcCONzvtA

  12. The Following User Says Thank You to JacksReptiles For This Useful Post:

    IrishBalls (04-29-2021)

  13. #8
    BPnet Senior Member jmcrook's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-05-2016
    Location
    Mississippi
    Posts
    3,640
    Thanks
    7,844
    Thanked 7,195 Times in 2,638 Posts
    Images: 13

    Re: Leaving a gap between heat and tubs DIY rack

    Quote Originally Posted by JacksReptiles View Post
    If you buy melamine I believe that is the good stuff don't buy composite wood.
    Melamine board is a composite wood...

  14. The Following User Says Thank You to jmcrook For This Useful Post:

    Hugsplox (04-30-2021)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1