Heating a rack with flex watt

[chapskis1]

I was thinking about building a rack -- and probably using belly heat. I have a question about the belly heat though (don't thing I've ever heard of anyone using this option).

Has anyone used two strips of flexwatt? One for the warm side, and one for the cool? Our house is about 68 degrees in the winter, so I am concerned about the cool side and the ambient temp not being high enough.

I figured I would use 11" flexwatt -- one strip for the front of the rack, and one for the back. I have a herpstat II, so controlling the temps should not be a problem.

Thoughts?

Later,

George

[Sarin]

You should be just fine using one strip for the warm spot. Tubs hold in heat and humidity very well and the 90ish degree hotspot will warm the whole tub up.

[chapskis1]

I suppose I could start with one strip, and add a secong if I needed it.

If one strip works, then why do I see a lot of pics where people have a space heater in their snake room?

Thanks,

George

[Sarin]

Good point there, I am not sure. I just know that the one strip works fine for me when it gets cool. 93 Warm spot and 75-80 ambient in the tub when the room is in the low 70's.

[SlitherinSisters]

I agree, just use one thing of flexwatt. I use one 3'' strip of flexwatt and my snake room is in the basement. I heat my room to 70 in the winter time and don't have any problems with ambient temps. Like others have said, they hold in heat and humidity very well.

Just don't make the mistake I did with the belly heat and let the tubs touch the flexwatt. It took over a year, but my flexwatt recently gave out on me and started shocking me if I touched it where it was worn down.

Here's a link to my thread with pictures of window shims I used to keep the tubs off the flexwatt. http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...d.php?t=113533

[chapskis1]

What if a person put a thin (say 1/8" or as thin as it comes) sheet of plexiglass/vinyl on top of the flexwatt? It seems like that would make the rack look neatly finished, would protect the flexwatt, and be thin enough for the heat to go through and still heat up the tubs.

Thoughts?

Later,

George