convert flexwatt into a radiant heat panel!

[bigballs]

ok so i have seen a thread on this topic somwhere on bp.net before but has anyone actually encased a strip of flexwatt in such a way that it can be used like a radiant heat panel? does it work and successfully create a nice basking spot for an arboreal snake such as a green tree? i wouldnt mind trying it out but if anyone here has experience with this please fill me in!

thanks!

[LarryS]

I did this for my GTP cages and it works very well.

[mooingtricycle]

I did this for my GTP cages and it works very well.

how did you go about setting something like this up? did you use any sort of reflector to direct the heat in one general direction?

it sounds like it could very well be a nice cheap alternative to the panels themselves. Do they still provide the proper temps?

[Damon Theis]

I use flex in all my gtp cages. You just have to have enough of it in there and I found that running it up one side a bit helps.
Here is one example:

[bigballs]

nice! so where do you place the thermostat probe? on the flexwatt or on a perch??

[bigballs]

I did this for my GTP cages and it works very well.

can you show us how you did it? do you have pics? and where do you place your thermostat probe??

[LarryS]

Hi Moo, yes I did use a piece of 1/2" thick foam board with the reflective foil as a backer.

The element is three pieces of 3" flexwatt. This gives me 30 watts, and it is working better than I could imagine in a 24" cube cage.

I made the frame out of 1/2 xpvc and the flat panel that covers the element is 1/8" pvc. You could go really inexpensive and build what you see in the first pic and wrap the edges with foil tape. I insulated the connections with liquid tape because the crimp connectors are too bulky. Be careful.





I saw a sheet of thin plastic at Home Depot that has that dimpled texture on it that may make a good flat panel to cover the heat element, but I am not sure how it wold react to heat. The label says it is recycled plastic. I worry about offgassing. PVC could be an issue with offgassing as well, but so many people are using it with pvc cages, I figure it must be OK.

The flexwatt is 2.10 per foot from Bean Farm, the foam board is around 10 bucks for a 4x8 sheet I think, so figure a couple bucks there, and I buy a 16g extension cord for $1.24 to use for a cord to the thermostat. I assemble the cord after I pass it through the cage hole, otherwise buy the cord separate from the plug end.

So my total cost w/o the pvc is around 10 bucks. The pvc is all scrap, if you bought this separate it would be a little more, but not much. HD sells a pvc type trim for houses that would work fine for the frame, and that plastic sheet was around $16 for a 4x8 to use as a cover.

I take full responsibility for the safety of this setup for myself, but cannot recommend anyone copy what I have done unless you are willing to do the same.

Hope this helps.

Larry

[LarryS]

That is a really nice and cost effective design Damon, I like it.

[Damon Theis]

Thanks Larry. To add, I have one issue with flex. I have to be able to see it and touch it for a comfort factor. Especially the 3 and 4 inch stuff because it is so much more unstable than the 11 inch. I use 11 inch where ever possible. I also check the surface temps of my flex and not just the temp at the probe. You will often find that flex may be running a 130 degrees on the surface to keep the temp at a probe at 88. That is a dangerous situation, as the flex will deteriorate over time. I've also found that on/off thermostats with flex will make the smaller flex sizes warp over time vs. a proportional.
Probe placement in my gtp cages is at the "hot" end, usually coming in the back of the cage and suspended about half way between the ceiling and the top perch.
The main issue is attachment to the cage. All of my gtp cages are lined with a "tile board" moisture resistant panels. I use foil tape on this surface and have never had an issue, but we all know tape and snakes don't mix. However, if the bonding is correct, you will not have a problem with foil tape.
That said, in the sample picture I posted, that cage had tile board sides and an exterior painted ceiling. Tape does not adhear to painted surfaces correctly, so in that case I cover the flex with 8th inch plexi.
I have tried the tandem wiring like that with 3 pieces for the back of a rack and I didn't like it. It seemed the first piece in line degraded the power for the next and so on. Since, I have chose to always direct wire each piece if multiple cuts are involved in a single cage.
All in all, I love flex for cages up to 3 foot. Anything bigger, a true radiant panel is the way to go.
Anyhow, great topic and great pics of that setup Larry.
-damon

[littleindiangirl]

Larry (or anyone really), do you think this could be applied in a same manner with heat cable running it back and forth on the square for even distribution? I have very little experience with heat cable, but it seems like it would be more suitable for larger cages than 3" flexwatt.