Questions using flexwatt on a rack

[Annarose15]

Dimmers only work if the room temps are absolutely stable. If they are not they don't work well. I agree the flexwatt is variable and racks are more an 'average' system. I have never had dead on temps top to bottom. I would say that a failsafe on a second spot is a needed bit of safety gear.

Generally a room temp should be 79-81 I would say 80ºF personally.

what?
A dimmer regulates the tape to only receive a certain amount of power PERIOD. POWER = temp. If you set the dimmer properly, they work right. If you think you will use the dimmer as a thermostat, you are asking for troubles. The dimmer is used to keep the temp from running at max power. The thermostat should be used to keep the tape itself from continuously running. In a proper setup, the tape should be turning on an off many times an hour and not in a continuous "on" position.

It sounds like suzuki4life is saying to use the dimmer like a backup thermostat. If the primary stat fails, the dimmer would limit how how that tape can get without the stat. Kitedemon is also right in saying that a dimmer without a thermostat would be highly unstable in a room with varying temps.