Heat tape is making my fingers tingle. Question!

[Montypython696]

I see what I did. I put the foil tape to far up the heat, and it was touching the copper plating resulting in me getting a nice jolt. RBI emailed me back confirming it too. Now comes the fun part of re-taping shelves with less than a foot of work room! I'm going to insulate it first with electrical tape and then go over that with the foil tape, making sure its not touching anything. God I feel so dumb right now!

[mackynz]

So does anyone have any suggestions to make it stop?

Yeah, stop touching it!

But like they said up there, tape off the exposed bits and make sure the foil tape isn't touching any of the metal. I've never tried touching mine.... Now I have something to do tonight!

[Kaorte]

Glad you figured it out!

[Montypython696]

Well thanks for the amazing advice mackynz.... To the rest of you guys thank you very much. My (hopefully) last question if I just tape it down with the electrical tape, do I really have to go back over it with the foil tape? Or can I just let it go with the electrical?

[SnowShredder]

I've never tried touching mine.... Now I have something to do tonight!

A few years ago I got my first strips of flexwatt. I had my step dad help me wire it (I knew nothing). He soldered the clips/wires etc. Before putting electrical tape down he dared me to touch one alligator clip. I was very suspicious but thought I could handle it. Touched it, and nothing happened! He then dared me to touch both clips at the same time, and me thinking pshh it's not gonna do anything to me, I did it. Felt like both my arms got shot! I could feel that electricity in my BONES. Definitely no little tingle that time


Haha OP, don't feel dumb. We've all had a blond moment once or twice...

[Kaorte]

My only problem with taping it down with electrical tape is that it doesn't stay in place very well. The foil tape does a much better job in my opinion. Its a bit of a pain to re tape it all.. :/

[Andys-Python]

last question if I just tape it down with the electrical tape, do I really have to go back over it with the foil tape? Or can I just let it go with the electrical?

Personally, I've never understood the use of aluminum tape. As previously stated, it conducts electric! The idea of the aluminum tape is to hold the THG heat tape down, so you can slide your snake boxes over it or just hold the THG heat tape to the surface you are attaching it to (ie in the case where the THG heat tape is on the back wall of your racks). I covered my THG heat tape entirely with the aluminum tape. Thinking the heat would be better distributed - aluminum conducts heat as well as electric. Next time, I’m just usng gorilla tape.

As long as your tape - be it frog tape, electrical tape or aluminum tape - holds your THG heat tape in place, it should be fine. IMO.
Andy-

[mackynz]

My only problem with taping it down with electrical tape is that it doesn't stay in place very well. The foil tape does a much better job in my opinion. Its a bit of a pain to re tape it all.. :/

I agree, in my experience electrical tape doesn't adhere for crap.

Well thanks for the amazing advice mackynz....

I even posted it right after you posted your solution Some other tips: If it's hot, don't touch it. If it looks broken, don't touch it. If it hurts, don't touch it.

I'm pretty much an endless fountain of wisdom.*




*This sentence is obese with sarcasm.

[Robyn@SYR]

Flexwatt = heat tape. Same stuff

Just to be clear, this would be incorrect. "Flexwatt" is a brand name. So is "THG".

"Heat tape" would be the common term for the product itself. Both are heat tape, but THG tape is not flexwatt, and vice versa : )

[Kaorte]

Just to be clear, this would be incorrect. "Flexwatt" is a brand name. So is "THG".

"Heat tape" would be the common term for the product itself. Both are heat tape, but THG tape is not flexwatt, and vice versa : )

So then.. it is correct. Flexwatt is a brand name for heat tape.... so fexwatt = heat tape, THG = heat tape