Flexwatt

[rabernet]

i'm just saying....as an admin of a much larger forum board, the rules r a little ridiculous...not tryin to start beef..just a little curious as to how it's being run

The Terms of Service posted in Site Info will answer all the questions that you have about how this forum is run. Cheers!

[Shin86]

thnx bro....glad we're friends agian...

[JeffJ]

thnx bro....glad we're friends agian...

you mean sister

[rabernet]

you mean sister

[Shin86]

ohhhhhhhhhhh gotcha

[Wh00h0069]

Until something cost effective and safer makes it to the market, most of us are limited to flexwatt or heating cable. Used properly with a thermostat, risk should be minimal. UTHs will fail, too. Nothing is 100% safe.

My sentiments exactly.

[promist]

Anyone can obviously use what he or she wants. My only reason I replied on this thread was someone asked me to provide some factual information (specifically about using flexwatt as a radiant panel element) that most people in our industry are not aware of. Although using this element in a radiant panel is definitely asking for problems, the overall risks associated with this element are not well known.

As I said in my post, unfortunately there are very few alternatives available, especially for a rack or similar setup. Does this mean that one should completely throw caution to the wind and use something that can potentially burn their house down? Where is the logic in that?

Using a thermostat or dimmer will not eliminate the risk of the product failing as it can fail regardless of the amount of power being applied, so even if it is not operating at full power, the risk is still there. It’s all about resistance and overheating and the two “feeding” on each other causing the material to short, the same problem another product in our industry has.

Although harder to install, heat cables can be used in most applications and do not pose the same risk. Take a look, they are UL listed for the use, where the other is not.

At the present time, there is no great alternative, but flexwatt shouldn't be given a rave endorsement either. How do those of you feel about any manufacture that knows (proven over time) that their product poses a risk of shorting out and possibly causing a fire when operated in the manner our industry does. On one hand they sell the product and like the money they make from us, but then place all kinds of disclaimers to distance themselves when a problem occurs.

Somewhere in this thread was a post to a link on the Bean Farm. Read the beginning of the instruction sheet and look at how strong a disclaimer they clearly spell out should the product fail. Now find any electrical appliance, approved heater, TV and so on and see if these products have to place such a disclaimer with their products.

I didn't reply to this thread to try and recommend a specific product, because unfortunately, there are no great products that are designed for this use. On the other hand, if I knew that a product I was using, or was thinking of using, had the potential and track record to be potentially catastrophic, I would certainly try to find an alternative that wouldn't create the same risk, no matter how small.

One last example of an actual situation, I received a call a while back from a woman in CA. She stated that she came home from work one day to find an 18” hole in the bottom of her cage, the carpet and the sub floor of her home. She told me that she had “Thanked the Lord” that the fire extinguished itself and didn’t continue to burn her entire house. This is not a unique experience and just one of many instances where this product has failed, in our industry as well as many others.

Again, anyone can use whatever they want, but despite any argument, the facts regarding this product can’t be disputed. I for one have always opted for a heat cable over any other unapproved element or heating device in my racks.

Bob Pound
Pro Products