Heat tape

[Oliverian]

I've been considering getting a rack built, using heat tape to heat it. I'm still checking everything out, and i'm not sure yet if i'm going to build it this way.

If you have a couple strips of heat tape, all with their own cords, I understand you can plug them into those boxes with a lot of places for plugs. (I forgot what they're called. They're those white rectangular things that have a bunch of plug-holes, and a switch to turn them on/off.)

Now, with all the heat tape plugged into that thing, can 'that thing' be plugged into a rheostat (dimmer) to moderate the temperatures of the heat tapes? Or will this not work? I don't know if any of you have heard of it before, but if you have, please let me know. I don't know if it would work or be safe, so if anyone thinks this might work, let me know.

-Tammy R

[Oliverian]

I put a picture in my gallery to mabye help explain... The words are a bit small, but if you can't read it, it says:
Rack,
heat tape cords,
plug in... thing,
plug in thing's cord,
Rheostat,
Plug in the wall.

Here is the link to my gallery:

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=15128&password=&sort=1&cat=500&page=1

If anyone knows anything about this, please don't hesitate to reply!
-Tammy R

[Oliverian]

Oh, and one more question. How would you make some ventilation space between the heat tape and the rubbermaids? Would you cut out a long channel as wide as the heat tape and just tape it in there? (I'm asking because I hear it's good to have some airspace and not sandwich your heat tape in.)

Do any of you put heat tape at the back (inside) of your racks? (As opposed to having it on the bottom of the shelves, and the tubs just resting on it) And does this work efficiently for heating the tubs?

Thanks.
-Tammy R

[Oliverian]

Does anyone know?

[Matt_K]

hey Oliverian.. Im running single cords into a power bar now and thats into a dimmer and im not having any troubles holding temps. Also, your question about allowing space between the tape and the rubbermaid, i think your best bet would be to cut out a channel as wide as the tape for it to sit in.. It can be easily done with a table saw and a dado blade :) Hope this helped..

[Oliverian]

Yea, it helped. Thanks a lot Matt. :) I just didn't see it being very good for my wallet having to make one dimmer for each heat tape plug.

So, one more thing. Does it work well to have the heat tape at the back of the rack? (on the inside at the back) I don't know if the guy who's building it for me has the right tools to cut out a channel. If it doesn't work well, I'm sure we can work something out.
-TammyR

[joshm]

Hey you could have the heat tape wired to each other and then run the plug off it and you don't need to make a channel if you are using flex watt. I would use the belly heat method of having the heat tape under the rubbermaid. What I mean for the tape and dimmer is if you have 9 shelves then use 3 dimmers and each dimmer will heat 3 shelves because the haet tape is wired to each other and then back to the dimmer. Dimmers are only about $8.
Thanks Josh

[Matt_K]

I think having it run down the back of the rack all depends on the size of the rubbermaids you're using. I use that method for my hatchling racks and have no problems.. With bigger rubbermaids i have found that its hard to keep a good heat gradient. Im sure there's arguments both ways, but i think the belly heat is the best.. you can also run just one length of tape along the bottom of the rubbermaids and have only one cord to contend with. If you have a look at Mykee's post in the enclosure forum, you can see what i mean.. Routering out a channel is not a must, but you will need to find something to hold the tape down.. Otherwise you'll have a hard time pushing your rubbermaids back in when you slide it off the tape :)

[killer Cichlidz]

Just some thought on the Rheostat. People use them and to great advantage over Thermostats. Please just make sure you use them correclty and that the temperature in the room always remains the same, all the time. A sudden rise in temp can cause over heating, because althoug the heat tapes power is lowered it will not turn off. So if you have a situ where the temp in a room where you put the rack is 80 degrees and u are trying to attain a temp at 90 and then all of the sudden one day you get temps as high as 90 in the room, then ur rack and animals, even u house or wherever the rack is can be gone!

No matter how many people have used a rheostat for their racks they will always face the chance of this happening and should always be aware of this unless the room in which the rack is placed is ultimatly kept at a specific temp range which allowes for the temps to have a range egual to that of the animals preferance.

The best an only way to have a rack that will control its temp in a safe manner is to have a thermostat (some as little as 40.00). A Rheostat is the cheap way out of such a setup and if you prefer it then by all means use it, but be cautious and away of the things that can happen.

Best Wishes,

Lu

[joshm]

just use the aluminum tape to hold down the heat tape. works great, you should only cover the edges though not any of the heating stuff.
Thanks Josh