Malfunctioning flexwatt...

[icygirl]

Has anyone ever had a piece of flexwatt go on the fritz? This seems so odd because I really thought they were foolproof...

I moved from college back to home recently, and I set my snakes up the way I usually do - Ranco probe on Caspie's flexwatt, and Caspie and Luke's flexwatt pieces plugged into that same Ranco. Everything seemed to be working fine that night - temps were good, I checked everybody. But the next morning, I check the tubs, and the temp on Caspie's flexwatt (displayed on the Ranco) was in the 70's - yet the t-stat's power strip had been on for god knows how long, and Luke's flexwatt temp was through the roof around 105*F!! Thank god Luke was on the cool side - smart boy!!

Now I know it is not the Ranco and indeed Caspie's flexwatt, because after this happened, I let everything cool down, then switched the probe to Luke's flexwatt - this time his heated up normally to 92 and stayed there, but hers still was not heating up properly...

I ordered a new piece of flexwatt and it is en route, but what happened here!? Do you think it was something I did, or do they just periodically malfunction...? Could a power surge have caused this (although I don't remember one occurring, it's possible)?

[Freakie_frog]

Sounds like a thermostat problem. Flex watt only heats up to as hot as the thermostat lets it. So if its getting to hot its not the flex watt it the thermostat.

[nevohraalnavnoj]

If I understood correctly, when the probe was placed on the faulty flexxwatt the thermostat kicked on and booted the good flexxwatt on the other enclosure to 105 degrees and the faulty flexxwatt stayed cold.

Another member on here, in hooking up his flexxwatt, hooked something up wrong and actually fried it. So I believe this can happen.

Anyone know for sure?

JonV

[xdeus]

Sounds like a thermostat problem. Flex watt only heats up to as hot as the thermostat lets it. So if its getting to hot its not the flex watt it the thermostat.

I think she said one piece of flex is connected to the t-stat and is working fine, but the other piece that's also connected to the t-stat (without the probe connected to it) is overheating.

Have you tried placing the t-stat probe on the Luke's and see if the other one gets too cool?

[Freakie_frog]

AAAAA ok then yea I can see that happening. Sorry I mis read

[AndrewGeibel]

Well it sorta sounds like the flexwatt that the probe was on stopped working for some reason so the thermostat was all the way on to try to warm that piece of flexwatt back up but since that piece wouldn't warm it it just let the other one basically cook. That's what it seems to me at least because 70 something seems too cool for flexwatt. To me it seems as though maybe a wire came loose ... did you have it wired in parallel?

Edit: Ok I reread the post and it seems as though you have each piece plugged into the thermostat. To me it really sounds like for some reason you aren't getting current through the flexwatt. I would recheck all the connections and make sure you have good contact on her flexwatt.

[1Mojo]

How are your connections made? Are you using flex watt metal connectors and the plastic insulators.

When making my connections I always fill the Plastic insulator with 100% silicone, it insulates your connections and makes sure the connections don't move.

[icygirl]

How are your connections made? Are you using flex watt metal connectors and the plastic insulators.

When making my connections I always fill the Plastic insulator with 100% silicone, it insulates your connections and makes sure the connections don't move.

I am using the clip/insulator/wire set that is from Reptile Basics. So yes, I am using the metal connectors/plastic insulators that are supposed to go with it.

So, I just measured the temp of Caspie's flexwatt again with my temp gun (it is plugged in as before except with the probe on Luke's [working] flexwatt), and now it is up at 89 - not ideal but still way higher than before! What this tells me, is that Andrew Geibel is probably right that it is probably a weak connection - this explains why it stopped working before and now is mysteriously functional again.

To get the connectors in contact with the metal strips on the sides of the flexwatt, all I did was just clamp on it with needlenose pliars as hard as I could. Is there a better way to do it to make sure the connections are solid?

Also, thanks so much everyone for the replies... I was going "" after this whole thing happened!

[1Mojo]

Some people solder the connection instead of using the clips. IMHO I like the metal clips and plastic insulators.

Now that you have a good connection fill the plastic insulators with 100% silicon and close them around the metal clip. This will make a waterproof connection and insure that the connection doesn't move.

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

This link has a step by step using the silicone. When making the connections in this manner I have never had a problem.

Good luck, hope this helped.

[Gloryhound]

This is what I used until I broke down and bought the proper tool to make sure the metal was clamped down tight.



Also until I got the proper crimper for the barrel connectors I soldered the wires into them. If you don't have a good solid connection there it can also cause similar problems like what you are having.

On a side note it would not be a bad idea to get a second Ranco and wire them up to power each other and act as a back up to each other. Each Ranco monitors a different piece of flexwatt. If one or the other sees an over temp it can shut the flexwatt down. Just set the back up a degree or two higher than the primary.