flexwatt melting

[gbrys122]

about 2 months ago I got a wiff of burning plastic in my herp room,sniffed around a bit didn't smell it anymore,figured I''d see smoke if there was a real problem,I know what a bonehead!!!!!That's why I"m telling this story.Anyhow a day or so later I was rearrange some tanks on a bottom shelf and when I picked up one of the glass tanks I saw little sparks coming from the flexwatt ,a melted and burnt spot about 3 in. long and a little smoke.It even left a burn spot on the wood shelf.WAIT I was a bonehead again.I figured something happened to the flexwatt that caused a break or puncture which caused a short.SOOOOOOO the rest of the flxwatt must be still good.The burnt part was near the one end.I still had 3ft. of good flexwatt.I used it again and this time I didn't smell burnt plastic but did find 2 spots this time like the 1st time.For some reason all 3 spots were lying directly center of a glass tank.Anyone experience this?

[mykee]

Sounds like it was installed/in use incorrectly. Do you have your flexwatt on a thermostat or rheostat? Did you have an air gap between flexwatt and tank?

[Justcage]

If you did not have a thermo on the flexwatt it will reach temps that are way past the manufacture recommendations.. In a sense it would get so hot it would try and consume itself. This is the case with all thin heating elements... Be careful!

[Stockwell]

And let me guess. It was 3 inch 10 watts per foot heat tape, right?? If used with full power(no dimmer) on wood with no gap, it will burn wood. I've had it happen as well many years ago.
Herpers should not be using 10watt 3 inch heat tape
Use the 5watt 3 inch or the 8watt 4 inch,(the 11 inch is fine too) as both of these run cooler. Not all suppliers sell 5 watt 3 inch so beware.

[Justcage]

They do not make a 5 watt 3" flexwatt. They make a 6 watt.. 10 watt is perfectly safe if used as the manufacre suggests. Any heating element can and will over heat if not controlled with some type of inline controls....

[gbrys122]

10 watts per foot is correct,I did not know they made 10 watt.Not to blame anyone else but myself,I really wasn't aware when I bought it at a show.Hey if everyone wants to make an example out of me feel free,because I started the thread to make people aware basically,I'm learning too.Thanks for your responses.

[mykee]

Gbrys; that's great, but what was the setup that caused this 'malfunction'?

[gbrys122]

3" 10 watt flexwatt without a thermostat.

[Kyle Barker]

i threw all my 3" out. not worth the risk. this stuff is ****, no wonder its ilelgal in canada....thermostats can fail. anyway, i dont like having easily possible fire hazards around. i went through the same deal, with thermos. raises teh stress level up 10 notches.

[mykee]

Gbrys; Yup, that would do it.
Kyle: Heat tape is not illegal in Canada.

[Justcage]

Nope not illeagl at all. All elitrical devices can fail! It depends on the quality of the unit you are using! Flexwatt is awseom stuff when used as per the manufactures directions. 99.5 of the prefab undertank heater are made by the same company that makes flexwatt! So Kyle how do you heat your reptiles? You are afraid of a fire right? I am curious as to this answer...

[paulsreef]

Yah Kyle,

What are you using?

[Justcage]

Hello?
lol

[Kyle Barker]

flexwatt is not csa....its not legal to sell in canada, i dont *think*. and if used in homes it will void your insurance. so ya not illegal, but ya. shouldnt of said that. right now i am using the 4". i have also looked into water heating, which depending what friends can get it for i may switch to that.

[Shad0w]

This is exactly why I use RHPs for my large enclosures, and for my rubbermaids, I use exoterra heat pads (as they are legal in canada)... I know some might think Im nuts, but this way my home insurance remains intact :)

[Justcage]

Hey you have to protect your home thats for sure... Water heating huh.. Id like to hear more on this.. Kyle if you have any info or links about this you r can shoot me an email to justcage@yahoo.com Thanks,
-matt

[paulsreef]

Water heating would be an economical and stable form of heating. It would take a lot of planning and work to get it running properly, it's going to be a permanent setup. But once it's up and running it would be a reliable and safe source of heat.
Paul.

[marisa]

Heat tape is not illegal "exactly" This is a good thread on the topic.

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56160&highlight=heat+tape+illegal

In my opinion, when it's wired correctly, heat tape seems just as dangerous or not dangerous as any other heat element.

Marisa

[mykee]

Kyle; wrong yet again.

[Kyle Barker]

well then give me somthing so i can know im wrong. if its about hte house insurance i asked the lady i get my car insurance from. i explained the setup and right away said they will not cover it. maybe its solme kind of reptile conspiracy, dunno dont care. she says they wont cover you in case of fire if i have that in my home.



for water heating google "Radiant Floor Heating" and branch off that. its kinda similar to heat tape. but it uses a hot tank of water and pumps that through pipes and you can get ones with fins and such, similar to teh heat tape, that disperse teh heat evenly. im still very undecided as the number of animals i keep it may not be worth spending that kind of money. might be better having another form of reptile/animal specific thing heating the rubbermaids.

[paulsreef]

I was thinking of having a heated tank of water slowly pumped thru a zig zag of tubing that the rubbermaids would sit on.

Paul.

[mykee]

Kyle, there are a few threads on just that topic, do a search. I would not be able to do the 'heat tape legality' topic justice if I were to try to regurg the info.

[Justcage]

Mykee there will be not regurging.. Id hate to turn your heat up.....

[Kyle Barker]

To a large extent, the entire discussion about Heat tape approval is moot.
Like you say, if you have a fire, due to faulty home brew wiring of any type, that wasn't performed by or at least inspected by a licensed electrician or municiple inspector, there's a possibility you're going to be held liable anyway, whether its herp related or otherwise.
It would all depend on the Insurance company, the post fire forensic evidence, and their level of desire to litigate rather than accept the claim.
In other words, when you have self done wiring, or especially wiring not done to code, that results in a catastrophe you really won't know if your policy is worth the paper it's written on, until the claim is processed. At least that's the way I see it.

Ken,you're correct its not banned or illegal, but it can't be legally sold at the retail level, such as out of petstores. In Canada this would be a violation of an old statute called the Candian Power Act, which dictates that all electrical appliances be agency approved.


from MR. Roy. http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56160&highlight=heat+tape+illegal

even with a home builders permit (which allows you to do your own electrical work) they said they would not cover it. but im sure they would if i got an inspection passed. i have never bothered to go that far.

so by roy's post it is illegal at the retail level. and it was teh ceiling heating i had in my head, my bad. i had a very lenghty conversations with one of my dads electician friends about this a few years back. anyway there we have it.

[mykee]

Matt, huh?

[paulsreef]

Shadow,

Do you peel and stick your exoterra heat pads to the rubbermaids? Do you control them with a thermostat?

Paul.