CB-70 Heat Tape setup - For Chad Schwinn

[muddoc]

Chad sent me a PM asking about how we set up our heat tape on our CB-70 racks, and I told him I would take some pics, so here they are. We actually build the metal inserts out of 4" metal flashing. The heat tape is taped to the metal, and the metal screwed to the rack. All heat tape connections are soldered.

Chad - Hope this helps.

[TekWarren]

Nice looking, how does the metal sheet affect heating? I've always been leary about attaching heat elements to metal that can transfer a current. I'm wondering though if it helps spread the heat and how it affects your stability?

[jglass38]

Nice looking, how does the metal sheet affect heating? I've always been leary about attaching heat elements to metal that can transfer a current. I'm wondering though if it helps spread the heat and how it affects your stability?

All the breeder quality racks (FB and ARS at least) attach the heat tape to a metal plate just like that. For me, with ARS racks, it works perfectly!

[TekWarren]

The flexwatt is under the metal sheet? I'm interested in trying this to see what it does for me in a rack.

[jglass38]

The flexwatt is under the metal sheet? I'm interested in trying this to see what it does for me in a rack.

On mine, the flexwatt is under the metal strip and then reflectix is stuck to it to keep the heat radiating up.

[kavmon]

looks like a good setup for flexwatt! i've seen this on the freedom breeder racks, works good. you can actually get 2 forms of heat transfer that way. the tub that slides on top of the metal strip would get conductive heat, the tub below would get radiant heat from the flexwatt hanging above.



vaughn

[muddoc]

Vaugn,
You are absolutely correct. If I have hide boxes in my racks, I find that the snakes get on top of the hides, and actually try to get at the heat from above. Another perk, is that if, and it has happened a few times, a snake gets out, rest assured, I can always find it jammed up under one of the heat panels.

[AkivaSmith]

Thanks!!!


I am definitely thinking about going to a tub when fluffy gets to big for his current situation.

I did not want to attach anything to the tub itself. This looks perfect for what I had in mind.

Can flexwatt be plugged into a ReptiTemp 500 -- or should I stick to the ReptiTherm UTHs that I am using now?

[Nate]

that's good stuff thank you for posting that!

[jwk811]

im going to be building a rack very soon and i was wondering how the heating tape works.. i thought that the heating tape was like the heating pads.. so you only use one small strip across the bottom of the tub? Should I be using more than one for more heat or what I don't think one strip will work.. and with this ill be needing a thermostat how does that work and hook up? And which one would you think I should buy, lookin for something cheaper.. what would happen if you didnt use it? Thanks in advance for the help! And I was also wondering.. with the racks it doesnt need to be lighted right?