Another Heat Tape ?

[csagen]

Hey all,

I'm putting my flex watt heat tape on my 6 tier home made rack. I have planned to just use one long 12' length of tape to just snake back and forth on the shelves all the way up. Obviously the heat tape has the two copper bars/strips running through the whole thing, but my question is that every other shelf the copper bars are going to be touching the melamine shelf, if the electricity is distributed through the bars, can it potentially harm the rack? (i.e. catch it on fire?)

I know there are plenty of racks that have the heat tape "snaked" all the way through for a more even temps, but just wanted to make sure I don't need to like cover the copper up before I lay it face down.... Help please!

Thank you in advance!

Calder

[The Serpent Merchant]

You have nothing to be worried about. Here's why:

1. At the voltage/amps that flexwatt runs at electricity on it's own cannot catch a rack on fire.
2. The copper bars are insulated with a sheet of plastic which should insulate them from anything that the flexwatt comes into contact with.
3. Melamine is not a conductor of electricity. This means that even if the flexwatt's plastic coating is damaged and the electrical pathways come into contact with the rack absolutely nothing will happen.

[csagen]

-Aaron,

Thank you very much for the quick response! It is much appreciated! I'm gonna get this tape installed now I should have this rack all ready to go hopefully today or tomorrow!

Thanks again,

Calder