how to "stick" heat tape in incubator?

Bristen · 03-15-05, 10:52 AM

just wondering what people normally use to stick normal heat tape in incubators? I could use the aluminum duct tape stuff, but it sticks so hard that if I ever have to take the heat tape out, that duct tape will probably tear some paint off from my incubator.. I also have some wires that I want to tape in there as well...

any suggestions/help will be much appreciated!

Thanks,
Bristen.

Invictus · 03-15-05, 11:49 AM

I use the foil tape, and with good reason. It's the best tool for the job. If your enclosure is properly sealed with polyeurethane or epoxy for moisture resistance, you won't have to worry about paint peeling.

Bristen · 03-15-05, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Invictus
I use the foil tape, and with good reason. It's the best tool for the job. If your enclosure is properly sealed with polyeurethane or epoxy for moisture resistance, you won't have to worry about paint peeling.

what I meant by "paint peeling" is if I ever have to take the heat tape out for some reason or another, the glue on that foil tape is so strong, it will certainly make a mess by either peeling some paint or leaving some glue on the paint (that's my guess, but I could be wrong on that)...

I was hoping for something semi-permanent so that if I have to take something out, it's not a disaster... the foil tape is currently the only option I can think of.. masking tape was used temporarily for testing, verifying that everything will fit, etc but I do not want to use that permanently as that will not keep things in place as the glue is not strong enough.. I guess I'd need something in between somewheres??

Thanks for your comments,
Bristen.

Up_North · 03-15-05, 12:47 PM

I use the foil tape one my racks. It actualy peels of of smooth serfices quite easaly! With little to no mess at all.
John

Invictus · 03-15-05, 12:53 PM

You have to consider also, the tape's resistance to heat. Masking tape won't cut it - in fact, that could be outright dangerous. Foil tape is used on heating ducts, so it's probably not only the best, but safest option.

Bristen · 03-15-05, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Invictus
You have to consider also, the tape's resistance to heat. Masking tape won't cut it - in fact, that could be outright dangerous. Foil tape is used on heating ducts, so it's probably not only the best, but safest option.

dangerous alright.. doesn't look like something that's very fire-resistant to me hehe... masking tape was not on the list of options

Unless somebody comes up with something better, foil tape it will be then...

Thanks,
Bristen.

Bristen · 03-15-05, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Up_North
I use the foil tape one my racks. It actualy peels of of smooth serfices quite easaly! With little to no mess at all.
John

excellent, well I hope you are right!! I've seen it peal off nicely off melamine but I somehow didn't think it would of been that great on paint.. looks like I may not have a choice anyways, so unless I figure out something else, foil tape it will be..

Thanks,
Bristen.

mykee · 03-15-05, 08:45 PM

Foil tape it is. I use it, it works.

Stockwell · 03-15-05, 09:04 PM

I'm not sure what this paint is you're trying to protect, or exactly what its on.. Is this a wooden cage?
For what it's worth, I staple gun all my heat tape onto anything wooden, including racks and incubators. It's fast, and staples pull out if you need to ever remove it. They do leave tiny holes but its not significant damage. I staple along the outside clear plastic.
One danger of the foil tape is that if any strands of wire from the connections touch it, the whole thing can become live, so make sure your foil tape doesn't come in contact with the end of the tape, the wired connectors or any other live part.
Also make sure nothing metalic ever pierces it, or rubs through it, or the same thing can result.

There is also a strange capacitive phenomenon that can happen and sometimes people get minor shocks off the tape, even if its not making a real electrical contact to the heat tape.
The closeness of the hold down foil to the conductor underneath, can actually result in the thin mylar insulation layer of the heat tape becoming a dielectric, and I believe a small current can flow through the plastic insulator of the heat tape... I dielectric insulator between two metalic plates is in fact a capacitor.
More than one person has experienced a bit of a buzz when touching metalic objects laying on heat tape.
in my case I had one of those nice old aquariums with a chrome rim... The chrome rim was laying on the heat tape directly over the live internal buss conductor(the silver part). Everytime I touched the aquarium rim with socken feet on the basement floor I got a bit of a zap.
The heat tape had not been punctured, nor was there any actual contact with the conductors.

I solved the problem by jacking the tank up with a couple strips of wood...
So be aware of that with conductive tape holding down heat tape. Your making a capacitor by placing a parallel conductor on the opposite side of the mylar...A small AC current may flow if your body gets between the tape and ground.
You can avoid this by making sure the aluminum tape only contacts the clear plastic edge and doesn't overlap the silver part.

I have also used silicone and 3M spray on adhesive
for holding down heat tape, but these are very difficult to remove.

Bristen · 03-16-05, 06:48 AM

interesting stuff Roy!! I'm currently working on an incubator (have been on this thing on and off for months now hehe)... I'm close to being done now, just need to assemble the whole thing...

the incubator is lined with gryproc which is painted.. I may not ever remove the heat tape, so there may not be any problems.. I'll probably go with the foil tape as it seems to be simplest solution for me and I've got a roll sitting on the floor right next to my incubator...

as far as the capacitor thing, I'll try to keep the foil on the clear area :-) However, it being in the incubator, I would very likely never be touching the tape anyways... I'll post pictures of the whole thing once I'm done as I've been trying to take pictures as I go...

ps: Roy, I purchased two of those Newark(sp?) fans that you recommended for incubators... man do they ever push a lot of air!! I bought two, but I'm pretty sure I'll only need one... I think I've figured out a way to kill the layering problem rather easily in all vertical incubators, but I'll confirm if it works before I post my solution to that problem

Thanks for all the help everybody!

Bristen.

Invictus · 03-16-05, 09:01 AM

Roy, that is super interesting information, and is leading me to reconsider my use of foil tape.

Mykee, have you ever experienced the shock Roy described from touching the foil tape?

mykee · 03-16-05, 10:54 AM

No, never been forutunate enough to get electrocuted, thanks Ken. This is actually the first I've heard of the current travelling to the foil tape, adn I guess if anyone is going to teach us about it, it's Roy.

greenman1867 · 03-20-05, 06:31 AM

I think they answer here to any bleed off electricity is to make sure the entire enclosure is properly grounded. Which is a safe practice with any electrical set up.

Bristen · 03-20-05, 08:18 PM

well folks, I used the foil tape and the whole thing fell apart LOL!! The foil tape actually doesn't stick good enough and the heat tape fell off the back wall of the incubator... I'm thinking of using thumb-tacks instead or maybe a combination of both.. will be experimenting with that in a couple of days...

Bristen.

mykee · 03-22-05, 07:31 PM

Bristen, that's surprising. I don't know your particular setup but once I got mine on, they ain't nothin' getting it off short.