Flexwatt question

[Peter Williams]

I've been reading up on how to wire flexwatt, and I saw about using an extension cord and stuff for it. My question is, do you have to wire EVERY piece you use with its own extention cord and plug it into your thermostat? Thats not a problem for me, I'm just wondering. And also, a proportional thermostat has one temp probe right? And you put this probe on ONE of the pieces right?

[SatanicIntention]

No, you can parallel wire it, so it ends up only having one cord.

Start with one cord like normal, solder it to the first piece of flexwatt, then run both pieces of cord(as long as your shelves are tall, plus some) to the second piece of flexwatt, where you will then use two more pieces of wire, twist the copper parts together and solder both wires to the flexwatt. Do that as many times as you need to, then end it with the male part of the cord.

I'm probably making it sound confusing, but it's very easy. Lemme find a diagram for ya!

http://www.mgreptiles.com/files/wiring_in_parellel.pdf

Poor BeanFarm's links are broken...

[Peter Williams]

Thanks! And what about the probe on the tstat, it just goes on 1 piece and the tstat keeps them all that temp right?

[SatanicIntention]

Depends on what kind of tstat. I find that the digital on/off controllers like Johnson/Ranco work best is the probe is on the hot spot INSIDE the tub(I use an empty, extra tub inside the rack). The controller will allow the flexwatt to heat up enough, and it won't be cycling on and off every 5 seconds. The temps stay more steady that way, IMO. The digital proportional tstats like Helix/Herpstat work well when the probe is just tape to the flexwatt and adjusted from there. I have a Helix on one rack(probe in extra tub because I'm anal retentive like that), a Herpstat 2 on one rack(probes in tub for same reason and because I didn't router a space in the board big enough for the probes), and I have a Johnson Controls on the baby rack(soon to be 2 baby racks).

But that's just me and it works other ways for other people

And if you need pictures, I have pictures.

[Kagez28]

as long as they are all the same width... like all 3" or 4" or 11". since they are all different watts if you use say an 11" piece and then a 4" piece, then their might be a temp difference.

[Krazy99CL]

i think thats whats wrong with mines...lol....I have a 11'' and a 4'', the 4 doesnt heat that well sometimes.