Rack not hot enough + baby sterilites

[snakelet]

Hi all,
I finally got my rack, built by my dad, and made from jwsporty's plans. I wasn't planning on using it much until all my babies graduate to their big containers, but since the small sterilte bins are the exact same height as the big ones, I bought some so I could put them in the rack. On each end of these bins, there is a small space where the lip of the top of the bin dips down a little, it's almost 2/8ths of an inch and quite wide. It doesn't seem like a baby snake would be able to get out, but I've been told that if you think it might be able to get out, it will. Does anyone have experience with these tubs? I currently have the spaces blocked off with rolled up tape (sticky side rolled in of course), but it's rather ugly.

Also, the rack doesn't seem as warm as I expected it to be. I don't even have it plugged into a dimmer, and the temperature reads just under 85 degrees most of the time. This is ok for the kings, but how to people keep ball pythons in these racks? Thanks

Leanne

[mykee]

Instead of trying to plug the gap, lift the sterlite off the floor a bit. That will virtually eliminate any chances of escape. What type of heat source are you using? From hwat I've heard, human heat pads and UTH's can get up to temp fast, and I know that heat tape can also get up there pretty quick. Sounds like a problem, unless you're just not giving it enough time to heat up..

[snakelet]

I'm using 11 inch flexwatt heat tape, soldered to an extension cord, insulated with silicon and electrical tape. It's been plugged in for weeks, so I don't think the warm-up time is an issue :)

As for the 'gap', it's actually lowered from the top of the bin.. here's a picture:

http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/3058thegap-med.jpg

As I said, it's about 2/8ths of an inch deep. Thanks for the input.

Leanne

[mykee]

Then there is something wrong with either the way the heat tape was installed, or it is just defective, as 11" heat tape gets up to well over 140 degrees in mere minutes.

[snakelet]

Do you know what, specifically would cause a problem like this? I ordered it with a bunch of MHS members, and I haven't heard any complaints about it yet.

[mykee]

If all the other tape worked well, the only thing that I can think of is that the connections weren't installed properly, or the end of the tape wasn't sealed, allowing heat to 'leak' out. Could it be possible that you punctured the aluminum seals around the side of the tape? That would also do it.

[Stockwell]

That tape should feel pretty hot when you touch it. Does it??? If it doesn't feel warm, it's not getting power.
It's either a wiring error or your dimmer might be defective.
I put little neon pilot lights across all of mine so I can tell they are on. Just parallel them across the opposite end of the tape, and the light brillience will go up and down with the dimmer. Makes it easy to see and set

[Auskan]

It looks to me like baby snakes would be able to get out of that gap. I use sterilites that are the same height all the way across and don't have that dip - I would worry all the time about mine getting out if they were in those tubs.

[pinnheadguy]

what about using some silicon in the gap? wouldnt that work?

[crazyboy]

if he used silicon how would he be able to get the bin out? anyways i would undo the heat tape and rewire it.