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I am considering building a melamine rack. I was recently advised not to have the tubs slide directly over the heat tape. In this situation, would the heat tape be ok if I put a sheet of sheet-metal over the tape, so the heat conducts through the metal and the tub does not make contact with the tape? How well will the heat conduct, and is it ok for the tape to be sandwiched between the wood shelf and the sheet-metal?

Thanks,

Mat

That's a good question.Might heat up the entire piece of sheet metal.I was considering some type of contact paper,to cover flexwatt.Lar M

All the tubs in my racks slide over the heat tape, and the oldest is 6? years old, with the original heat tape. However, I do believe it to be a bad idea, and I've redesigned my new racks. Two thoughts come to mind: one, just take a router and recess the heat tape into the melamine, and two, use your heat tape as back heat ( provided your rack has a back to it ) and you won't be sliding tubs over it.

If you want belly heat most people go with recess using router or table saw to reach desired groove.Lar M

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Boas By Klevitz

Forgot to mention, but covering anything that creates heat comes with its own inherent risks and liabilities. Even though metal is a good conductor, it can work as a insulator and may cause the flex-watt to overheat/melt/burn ( harder for the heat to dissapate ). Just about anything else is flammable, and if the flex-watt overheats you'll have a fire on your hands. You are probably using a thermostat, but don't let that cloud your judgement. Electronics are sensitive, and can/do fail. Usually at the most in-opportune times, so I try not to leave any room for error when it comes to heat tape or any heating utensil.

Great point helps me with my contact paper idea.Lar M

Forgot to mention, but covering heat tape with anything comes with it's own risks and liabilities. If you use metal, which will conduct heat, but may also act as a insulator past a certain degree and may burn/melt your heat tape ( heat not dissapating fast enough ). Just about everything else is either flammable, or insulates good enough to be flammable, and may cause a fire if the heat tape were to over heat. I don't trust electronics, I've seen them do some goofed up things, so leave yourself some way for the heat to dissapate if your heat tape does overheat.

Sorry guys, but I thought Kingsnake ate the first reply to my post, hence me typing out another one and wasting 10 minutes of my day..............

I believe I read/heard somewhere flexwatt works better witha small airgap, so sandwiched would not be best. What of you added a relatively thin, 1/16 or 1/8 piece of materils from the front of the shelf ending at the flexwatt. The back of the tub would hang over the flexwatt and not make contact. Could even add another strip past the flexwatt to support the tub if need be. My racks are all routed. Just thinking of was around routing for those w/out the tools/capability to recess the flexwatt into the shelf. One additional benefit is leaving the melamine intact and not exposing the particle board underneath. I painted all my recessed areas....

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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

Great concept Mr. Colling! Yes, if you use the 20 Watt Flexwatt as heat mats, or the 3" or 4" Flexwatt, you need an air gap. All those materials have the potential to get quite hot. Also, it's just common sense NOT to place a conductor over Flexwatt. The very thin layer of plastic over the metal filaments is very very thin. I would never place anything that conducted electricity over a surface like that. But, what do I know?
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Boaphile Home
All Original/Boaphile Plastics
The Boa Network

Yes. I agree with Dave. Shim the non-Flexwat area to a thickness slightly thicker than the Flexwat area.
I sometimes get a tingle from the edges of my Flexwat. Any conductive material in contact with the Flexwat has a high potential for shorting or grounding out; especially if liquids may be spilled or come in contact creating a circuit between the two. Could cause fire or thermostat failure.
jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer