There is a lot of misinformation being thrown around, sorry if I seem "mean"

Jessica do not rewire your rack.

Quote Originally Posted by Mike.P View Post
That's a good way daisy chain them, yes... Though I would make one addendum. Instead of linking them all on the same side, I would go opposite sides. For example, when you face your rack, if the outlet connection comes in on the left side, link to the one above from the right side, then the next one up on the left side, and so on. Bit more of a pain, and you'll need more connectors, but here's why...
Mike can you please elaborate on what you are talking about so I can explain where you are wrong, either that or I am completely misunderstanding where you are coming from.

I look at the picture in the link posted and all I see is the only way It makes sense to wire flexwatt. I don't understand what your talking about "left side right side" I might need a picture. Sounds like your assuming the "bus bar" on the flexwatt is running left to right of a rack as opposed to front to back. If thats the case I can explain. but the short answer is, it doesn't matter.

Quote Originally Posted by Mike.P View Post
Electricity follows the path of least resistance. If you have them all on the same side, with the the thicker power cables twisted together at the connections, it's going to go up to the next level, more than it will go through the heat tape. Only the final one in the chain will get full power. This could result in lower and unstable temperatures in the rest of the strips. If you separate the connections like I suggested, it will follow the circuit and flow in sequence, because it has no other choice.
Electricity flows in ALL paths. They will all get the same power assuming they all have the same resistance. Doesn't matter where the wire connect first. Basic ohms law. I still need clarification on how your hooking them up, but there is hardly any "sequence" in flex watt, you have a bunch of heating elements connected in parallel, connected to common "bus bars" and you feed them with 120v AC some how.

Quote Originally Posted by Mike.P View Post
In my scenario, no, it wouldn't be in parallel... It would be in series. That is, if a strip in the middle failed, all the ones after it would as well. But that's an easy enough problem to catch, and flex watt is pretty bullet proof so it's a small risk. Worth it in my opinion, to attain even flow. Also lessens the chances of a short.
If you hook up flexwatt correctly it will be in parallel....look at the tape, its in parallel there no other way to do it.

To hook it up in series, you would have to cut out each heating element and wire it that way, which would lead to a high resistance connection and no heating. Also if it was hooked up in series, if you broke a connection, everything in the circuit would stop, not just stuff afterwards. Also what is lessening the chance of a short exactly?

Quote Originally Posted by Mike.P View Post
You would have to kill the connections, and rewire from scratch. Adding in redundant connections like that can cause a lot of issues. Never want to have "backflow" in a circuit. You'd have to put in directional diodes (which act as one way gates for current) between all the connections. Which would be even more work than a rewire in this case. Sorry, I'm just rambling now... I love me some wiring. lol
first what is "back flow"? and as far as i know redundant connections are called parallel feeders, which I hook up on 13,200 volt gear all the time .... trust me there no issues with it. but I also don't see a situation where someone would do this with flexwatt.

also do you realize we are dealing with AC current (Alternating Current)? It changes direction 60 times every second, what are you talking about diodes for? That would only give you half our sine wave, make it act like DC and screw it all up....again I don't want to be mean, but your electrical theories seemed to be all messed up man.

Quote Originally Posted by willieshotg3 View Post
just make sure when you wire them in series you are not exceeding any watt specs because you will be adding resistance in a series circut...


example if you have five, five foot long sections at 5 ohms per foot that is 25 ohms per shelf total load of 125 ohms of resistance in series

and in parallel you will have 25 ohms total load....

this is assuming 5 foot is 5 ohms i have no idea...but in series you add all the resitance together...just be carefull
As stated above there is no way to wire flexwatt in series unless you want to cut out each individual heating element. Using your numbers 5 ohms per foot. A 5 foot piece of flexwatt would only be 1 ohm since it is in parallel.

You have the right idea that IF you wired it in series the resistance would add though. however you might want to check out how to calculate parallel loads. heres a nice calculator I googled, formula is up top http://www.1728.org/resistrs.htm

so assuming 5 ohms per foot (I have no idea either), 5 foot piece would be 1 ohm and then wiring 5 shelves together the rack would be .2 ohm total. What I really want to know is what kind of animal your keeping that requires a 5 foot piece of flex