Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I made these with ceramic tile(white) and slate tile using old 3"flexwatt and 1/2" cellotex and alum. tape. Used 1/2" X 3/4" strips of cellotex on each side to make a 1/2" airspace between the flexwatt and the tile(for fire safety). Alum. taped it all together. Takes just a few minutes to make one. I have been using these inside my snake tower for three years with no problem. I thought these up after I had newspaper on the top side of 3/4" melamine burn brown and almost burst into flames by using 3" flexwatt taped against the bottom of the 3/4" shelf with 1/2" cellotex taped tight against the flexwatt underneath.
I would appreciate any ideas and comments on safety and utility of these. Thanks,

Russ P

I think this is a very good idea. Anytime you provide an air space and thermal mass you are making flexwatt safer and more efficient.

One comment I do have with these is is the position of the air space. If it were me I would put the flexwatt in direct contact with the tile/slate and then have the air space between the backside of the flexwatt and the insulation. This should allow the flexwatt to operate at a lower temperature as the heat could move conductively through the tile more efficiently. So have the air space between the flexwatt and the insulation rather than between the flexwatt and the tile.

I would also use a foil faced insulation. I'm not sure if the cellotex product has a foil face or not.

If it only takes a minute maybe set up a two tests and see if you can measure the temperatures inside the air space while holding surface temps of the tile constant. You might see no difference, but if there is one I think it will be cooler with the heat tape in contact with the tile.
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Currently keeping a small collection of various Gonyosoma. Both G. janseni and G. oxycephala.

Now I have to look closer as I am not sure where I attached the flexwatt. I assumed it was on the cellotex(which is foil faced both sides). Thanks for the comments and ideas.

Russ Pascatore

I agree with Chris that the best course of action is to have the heater in direct contact with the tile. The tile will be your thermal mass, and it will be impossible to burn the tile if the heater was on full. Heat will be transferred right to the cage.

I dabble in this stuff all of the time and have found that it is best to have the heater attached to something that the heat energy can flow into, whether it be ceramic or metal. Aluminum works the best but is so expensive for 1/8" thick.

If you look at the original Sandmar racks - the racks that started the rack revolution on a commercial scale - they covered their heat cable with extruded aluminum. That is why those racks never got too hot under the boxes and radiated a large area of heat even with a 3/4" wide heater.
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Mark

It is best to have the heater attached to something that the heat energy can flow into, whether it be ceramic or metal. Aluminum works the best but is so expensive for 1/8" thick.

I agree that aluminum works well but I do want to make it clear to anyone reading that if aluminum is used it is necessary to have the heat source in direct contact. You can get away without it (direct contact) with slate or tile but with aluminum if there is an air space between it and the heat source it will just radiate right back and overheat. With direct contact the heat moves conductively and everything is fine, however.

I used galvanized flashing for thermal mass years ago but would actually avoid metal nowadays.
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Currently keeping a small collection of various Gonyosoma. Both G. janseni and G. oxycephala.

n/m
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Mark

is this your only heating for those cages or do you use something else as well?

these units look easy to make and they install right inside of the cage i need a simalliar thing. how do they hold up in high humidity or is additional watterproffing needed?
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-Stephen-

0.1 soon to be wifey (hopefully)
1.0 rotwiler/chow (Boomer-wifey's pooch)
1.0 norm corn (Jake aka grumpy old terdhead)
0.1 col redtail boa (Dixie-my baby girl)
0.1 ball python (Bella- wifey's baby girl)

hopeful for not to distant future:
--brazillian rainbow boas 1 female for sure
2 or 3? maybe a breeding pair?

more distant future hopefuls
1 or 2 of each maybe a breeding pair?
--anery boa (ooooh)
--jungle carpet python (love to have 1 or 2)
--dumeril boa (ahhhh)

slightly more wishful thinking
--hypo br rainbow boa (love em)
--anery br rainbow boa (oooh even better!!)
--motely boa (gorgeous!!)

I use only these for heat in these cages. They are not in high humidity but I have hosed them off and scrubbed them with a scrub brush and soap and water many times. They are not "waterproof" but are made of materials not affected by moisture. I wouldn't want the electrical connections to the Flexwatt to get wet especially when plugged in.