Flexwatt- How to wire it?

[appygirl84]

Does anyone have experience setting up flexwatt? I've seen that you can wire multiple strips together and run it off of one thermostat. The question I have is how?

Do you solder yours?

Use clips and insulators?

Does anyone have a step by step photo guide, or know of a good video that shows how to set it up?

[Adam Chandler]

Does anyone have experience setting up flexwatt? I've seen that you can wire multiple strips together and run it off of one thermostat. The question I have is how?

Do you solder yours?

Use clips and insulators?

Does anyone have a step by step photo guide, or know of a good video that shows how to set it up?

I buy all my fexwatt from Rich over at ReptileBasics.com. He attaches all the wires and connecters to the flexwatt he sells for free. He has been doing it for a good while so I would reccomend calling or emailing him for flexwatt info.
Here is his Flexwatt FAQ:http://www.reptilebasics.com/flexwatt-faq.html
Might have some info that could help.

[iCandiBallPythons]

Search youtube for wiring flexwatt,

[Stewart_Reptiles]

http://www.beanfarm.com/heating/Flexwatt_Wiring.pdf

http://www.beanfarm.com/heating/Flexwatt_parallel.pdf

http://www.beanfarm.com/heating/Flexwatt_connectors.pdf

[seeya205]

YouTube - ‪Flex Watt Wiring and Mounting: Part 1 (by IncubatorWarehouse.com) Flexwatt‬‎

[appygirl84]

What do they mean when they say : "As a rule of thumb: #12 wire may loaded up to 16 amperes, #16 up to 10 amps and # 18 up to 8 amps."
Do I need a voltage meter to make sure I'm not over wiring it? I talked to my dad on the phone tonight and he more or less told me that whether I use the connecting clips or electrical wire that it should be safe. His only concern was whether it would be indoors or outdoors. He might know what they meant by the amps, but he might not. He's a little forgetful and doesn't always remember stuff these days.
Thank you all for the help, between the video and youtube I understand how to wire it together. The parallel webpage was helpful too now I know how to tell them what I want, in the one video they called it "daisy chaining".

"Yeah I'd like this wire daisy chained."
"Daisy-what?"

[SnakeKB]

Daisy chaining is where to would run a strip of flexwatt, then run wires to another piece of flexwatt, and then more wires to another piece of flexwatt, and in the end would have one plug going into the thermostat to control everything. Power goes from the thermostat to the heat tape and continues on through the circuit of however many pieces of heat tape you have wired to it.

T-------F1------F2-------F3--------F4-----etc.

Its a nice method but a pain to replace a section if needed. I wire mine with a plug for each shelf of tape and hook them into power strips (surge protectors) and have the power strip plugged into the thermostat.

[angllady2]

What do they mean when they say : "As a rule of thumb: #12 wire may loaded up to 16 amperes, #16 up to 10 amps and # 18 up to 8 amps."

They are talking about the gauge of wire you are using to wire the flexwatt. The cord you buy will have that information on it, the gauge of wire it is.

The description of the flexwatt itself tells you the wattage it carries. For example, the 4" flexwatt says it carries 8 watts per foot, and can be used at a maximum of 60 feet.

Any heavy duty extension cord should easily handle 40 feet of flexwatt. Maybe even the entire 60. I have a simple white cord I bought in the lighting section of Wal-Mart for around $4 wired with 25 feet with no worries.

Gale

[seeya205]

Just use a standard extension cord from any hardware store or Walmart or sometimes you can get them at the dollar store. You just cut off the female end and strip the wires then connect to the clips!