Sticking a UTH onto my tub?

[Mary_Rose]

I have a ZooMed 10-20 gal uth, the adhesive doesn't do well with the plastic sterilite tub, is it ok to use normal duct tub since I have that already? Have you done it successfully? also if i use duct tape should I leave the adhesive film on the uth or take it off anyway? Thanks for any help! ~Mary

[NH93]

ALUMINUM FOIL TAPE!! No duct tape!! Foil tape is fire-proof. You can find it in any hardware store near the heating and cooling section!

- - - Updated - - -
Also, take the adhesive wrap off, tape foil tape (sticky side to sticky side) to cover the entire back of the UTH. So, the side that will stick to the bottom of the vive will be covered in foil tape (with the non-sticky side out). Then, attached the UTH to the vive with the foil tape around the outside edges. This way you can reuse the UTH in the future as well.

[Pyrate81]

^^ this or AC aluminum duct tape which is used in HVAC applications.


What you'll do is adhere the UTH to the enclosure and tape around the edges much how a painter would tape around a window. OR what I do is put a layer of foil tape on the enclosure, then the UTH, then tape around the edges of the UTH so it will come off easier if I want to pull off the UTH.

[Mary_Rose]

ALUMINUM FOIL TAPE!! No duct tape!! Foil tape is fire-proof. You can find it in any hardware store near the heating and cooling section!

- - - Updated - - -
Also, take the adhesive wrap off, tape foil tape (sticky side to sticky side) to cover the entire back of the UTH. So, the side that will stick to the bottom of the vive will be covered in foil tape (with the non-sticky side out). Then, attached the UTH to the vive with the foil tape around the outside edges. This way you can reuse the UTH in the future as well.

Thanks, this was really helpful, also that's a really genius way to reuse the uth when I size him up so i don't have to buy a new one, Perfect!

[steve_r34]

I never stuck it at all I just put it under the tub and it always worked fine for me

[GeekAndDestroy]

ALUMINUM FOIL TAPE!! No duct tape!! Foil tape is fire-proof. You can find it in any hardware store near the heating and cooling section!

From what I've read, Flexwatt recommends duct tape over foil due to the risk of foil creating a short. Properly functioning heat tape should never come even close to hot enough to ignite duct tape. If so, any duct tape left in the sun would combust, and I'm pretty sure we'd hear about that on the news.

I'm not recommending one over the other, though. As long as the heat tape is regularly inspected and free of damages, there shouldn't be any risk with either.

[PitOnTheProwl]

From what I've read, Flexwatt recommends duct tape over foil due to the risk of foil creating a short

Uhm yeah no, not IF it is properly insulated at the cut and soldered ends.

Properly functioning heat tape should never come even close to hot enough to ignite duct tape.

Its actually a proper thermostat that prevents the heat source from getting hot enough to do any type of damage. I have seen everything from minor burns on snakes to melted tubs and cooked snakes.

[runintoluck]

This is how I ran most of my setups before my rack. I didn't remove the white piece of paper to expose the sticky side. Instead, I kept it on and just taped it onto the sterilite container with aluminium tape and that's worked for me ever since.

[GeekAndDestroy]

Uhm yeah no, not IF it is properly insulated at the cut and soldered ends.



Its actually a proper thermostat that prevents the heat source from getting hot enough to do any type of damage. I have seen everything from minor burns on snakes to melted tubs and cooked snakes.

A poorly cared for stretch of heat tape (e.g. one that has been folded accidentally) can have a break in the laminate, which could cause a short with the foil nowhere near the the connections. And yes, the thermostat is the important part, but if such a break occurred, there could be a localized heat spike at the short ten inches away from the probe, which the thermostat won't be able to prevent. My point is, as long as everything else is set up and cared for properly, the difference in safety risk between duct tape and foil tape is nominal at best.

[GeekAndDestroy]

I just did a little further research. Duct tape has been rated for safe use at tempuratures up to 200°F, at which point it will start to melt and won't ignite until 550°F. This is well within the perimeters of a properly functioning UTH+Thermostat combo.