How many racks can i run on one Thermostat?

[RetiredJedi]

Gonna have to disagree with that part. In my experience there's only 2 things that matter here:

1) The size and wattage of the flex watt.
2) How many watts the Tstat can support.

I have 3 racks hooked to one Tstat. All 3 are using 3 in flex watt at 10W per ft. 2 are identical AP racks. The other is a RB type rack. All are holding the same temps throughout. The total wattage for all 3 is around 350 watts which is well within the Tstat wattage limit.

So what you have then is a powerstrip plugged into the Tstat and the Tstat probe just placed on one of the stripes of flexwatt with the flexwatt of the two racks plugged into the strip?...Gotcha. I think the VE200 is 700w.

[Royal Hijinx]

It can be done, but the issue would be not catching a malfunction of one of the un-monitored strips. Not terribly likely but possible.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Gonna have to disagree with that part. In my experience there's only 2 things that matter here:

1) The size and wattage of the flex watt.
2) How many watts the Tstat can support.

I have 3 racks hooked to one Tstat. All 3 are using 3 in flex watt at 10W per ft. 2 are identical AP racks. The other is a RB type rack. All are holding the same temps throughout. The total wattage for all 3 is around 350 watts which is well within the Tstat wattage limit.

It CAN be done but it isn't the safest method of regulating flexwatt. 99% of the time you won't have an issue but if 1 of the runs of flexwatt shorts out and it isn't the run that has the thermostat probe, then you could have melted tubs, dead snakes, and even a fire...

[Mike41793]

It can be done, but the issue would be not catching a malfunction of one of the un-monitored strips. Not terribly likely but possible.

This is along the lines of what i was thinking. I guess the chances of that happening is fairly unlikely though. I would feel comfortable running that setup but once you save up the money you might wanna consider getting a few more VE-200s or just get a herpstat with multiple probes. I personally wouldnt wanna run that setup for too long bc it seems worth it to invest some extra money into safety for racks holding my snakes. Just how i feel about it...

[The Serpent Merchant]

It all comes back to this...

Considering the value of the animals you plan to fill these racks with, thermostats are not the place to start cutting cost. In fact, just the opposite is true...

[MasonC2K]

It CAN be done but it isn't the safest method of regulating flexwatt. 99% of the time you won't have an issue but if 1 of the runs of flexwatt shorts out and it isn't the run that has the thermostat probe, then you could have melted tubs, dead snakes, and even a fire...

I understand there's a risk, but it's negligible IMO. Although melted tubs would never happen. Flex watt can't get that hot unless there's a manufacturer defect. Anyways, tt would really be nice to have Tstat on every rack but I consider that a luxury not a necessity.

Also, many people daisy chain flex watt between shelves (which is a valid way to set it up - http://www.beanfarm.com/heating/Flexwatt_parallel.pdf). And going by that logic you have to have a Tstat for every level of a rack if you daisy chain.

[MasonC2K]

There's one more thing! Even if the FW is the same, the racks have to have the same setup in terms of where the tape is related to the tub.

Like you wouldn't have a rack with belly heat and another with back hear on the same Tstat.

You also wouldn't have a rack with recessed heat of the same Tstat as one with flat heat.

Etc. and so forth.

[The Serpent Merchant]

I understand there's a risk, but it's negligible IMO. Although melted tubs would never happen. Flex watt can't get that hot unless there's a manufacturer defect. Anyways, tt would really be nice to have Tstat on every rack but I consider that a luxury not a necessity.

Also, many people daisy chain flex watt between shelves (which is a valid way to set it up - http://www.beanfarm.com/heating/Flexwatt_parallel.pdf). And going by that logic you have to have a Tstat for every level of a rack if you daisy chain.

I understand, and as I said 99% of the time it is absolutely fine. I personally don't agree with the daisy chained flexwatt either.

Flex watt can't get that hot unless there's a manufacturer defect.

And this is the problem what if there is a defect? sure it is in the 01% but if it happens then things like the Pro Exotics fire can take place.

[MasonC2K]

And this is the problem what if there is a defect? sure it is in the 01% but if it happens then things like the Pro Exotics fire can take place.

Well, defects like that usually show right away not weeks or years later. I always test run a new racks for at least a day or two is feasible to make sure it's running as expected.

Pro Exotics fire was caused by something in the space next to it is you didn't know. So nothing related to rack set up or anything like that. Other fires I've read about were caused by cheap power strips not being able to handle the high wattage.

Anyways, I am pretty diligent about checking my rack temps. I think everyone should be really. So if there is a problem you can take care of it before it gets out of hand.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Well, defects like that usually show right away not weeks or years later. I always test run a new racks for at least a day or two is feasible to make sure it's running as expected.

Pro Exotics fire was caused by something in the space next to it is you didn't know. So nothing related to rack set up or anything like that. Other fires I've read about were caused by cheap power strips not being able to handle the high wattage.

Anyways, I am pretty diligent about checking my rack temps. I think everyone should be really. So if there is a problem you can take care of it before it gets out of hand.

Yes, I know that the pro exotics fire was caused by something else, I was just using it as an example of a fire in a reptile collection. I understand that many people have racks set up this way. I'm just saying that I personally don't agree with it and feel that it is a factor that should be considered.