Flexwatt / hot side question

[bjthomps]

Soon all of our babies will be moving into their new sterilite tubs. That is, as soon as I get the flexwatt installed on the rack I built for them. My question is on the flexwatt....

The tubs we are using are 44 inches long. I have read that 11 inch flexwatt can only be cut in 12 inch intervals. This means if I put a 12 inch strip on each shelf in the rack...just over 1/4 of the tub will be directly over flexwatt. But, if I jump up to 24 inch strips, then over half the tub will have flexwatt under it...which seems a bit much to me...

Will a 12 inch strip of 11 inch flexwatt create a sufficient hot side in a 44 inch sterilite 1996?

Thanks for any input!

BT

[Nate]

I would think so. A lot of people (including myself) are using a 1.5 foot long 3" wide peice of flexwatt and it does the job quite well.

[ddbjdealer]

The Boaphile ballroom racks that have 41qt tubs use two strips of 4" flexwatt... I only use one row though. I would say, for that reason, that if an 8" strip can heat a 41qt tub, then an 11" strip should be able to.

[bjthomps]

The Boaphile ballroom racks that have 41qt tubs use two strips of 4" flexwatt... I only use one row though. I would say, for that reason, that if an 8" strip can heat a 41qt tub, then an 11" strip should be able to.

Yeah I saw the boaphile setup....only these tubs are 74qt (quite a bit bigger than the 41qt), that's the only reason I was worried. I will probably install the 1 foot strips and just see what happens. I plan to set the rack up and let in run for a couple days before moving any of the snakes in anyway....want to make sure the temps and humidity are dead on before taking them out of their existing enclosures.

Thanks!!

-BT

[hoo-t]

... I have read that 11 inch flexwatt can only be cut in 12 inch intervals. ...
BT

Actually, it doesn't HAVE to be cut on 12" intervals. It is spaced and marked that way, but it can be cut anywhere. BUT, if you do cut it elsewhere, realize that there will be some dead spots in the end due to the zig-zag path of the element, and the "tracks" that go from the source strips on the side to the cut end will be live. It will be necessary to electrically insulate the entire end of the tape. Another option would be to cut between the "tracks", following the zig-zag path to get the precise length you need. This would avoid the live elect in the ends (except for the feeds on each side). You would still have the same dead spots, but in this case, there is no flexwatt there, and you'll have less waste.

Steve

[rjks325]

So, would a 12 in strip of 11 in wide flex watt be enough for a 20 gal L reptile aquarium? I purchased a Repti Therm UTH (and a thermostat), but I've been reading about the flex watt.... I guess I'm just trying to figure out how much to buy.

[hoo-t]

Yes, 12" of 11" flexwatt should be sufficient to heat a 20gal tank. Thats exactly what I'm using on a 20gal, and 2 29gal tanks right now. Be sure to use a rheostat (lamp dimmer) or thermostat along with it though. What I did was sandwich the flexwatt between a piece of Reflectix (foil/bubble wrap insulation) and rubber tool box liner(open weave rubber mat). The reflectix protects the surface underneath, and reflects the heat upward. The rubber mat separates the heat tape from the glass surface to help prevent burns in case the rheostat fails.

Steve