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i am having a cable problem and trying to see if its my helix or the cable itself? i just replaced the cable now my helix too. im setting the helix to 100 and the probe right on the cable but when i take out a box and measure the heat cable im getting much higher temps? i had a cable a few weeks ago burn a hole into my tub so now im very concerned. i been speaking to ali and she is very very understanding and helpful but we are both confused over this. i just set my helix up and after 6 hours im still seeing higher temps under the tub and since i have the probe right on the cable im only getting readings of 80 in my tubs not good as you all know. i wanted to ask anyone with a AP cage and using heat cable if they can measure the temps on one or two higher shelves and tell me what the temps are? i would greatly appreciate it as im going nuts with this. thanks again!!

please take the tub out and measure directly on the cable thanks again.

I actually had a similar question about heat tape. when I measure the side of the tape towards back of rack it's like 120-125 but at the front end of the heat tape only 88-90. Should there be so much variance( it's only like 3 or 4", is the heat tape bad or could the clip not be connected properly on the one side of the tape. it hasn't burned through the tub and the snakes are still staying on top of the heat tape but I'm starting to get worried cause you can feel that the tub isn't so smooth on the part over the heat tape

I'm using heat cable not tape. Are you using
a helix? What temp do you have it set to ?
Animal plastics rack? What are your room temps?

it's the animal plastics iris juvenile/adult rack. I have the heat tape they sent with it. I'm using a herpstat. right now I have the probe supposedly in the wrong place but it's where it works for me to regulate the tub temps. Herpstat is at 87.5 room is prob 70. tub temps are 86-89 in the back and 76-77 at the front. afraid to turn it up more cause I don't want to burn the tubs since the side of the heat tape toward the back is peaking at 124 and the end towards the front is 95-99.

your sure its tape and not cable? where do you have the probe? im starting to think its normal for the higher temps when you do a check on the tape itself in my situation the cable.

flexwatt is what they use and last I checked flexwatt was heat tape not cable

yes flexwatt is heat tape. how old is the rack?

just got it a week ago

wow! just give it time im sure you will be fine and animal plastics is one of the best racks out there and the service is the best! do you have the probe on the tape itself or next to it? what did they suggest?

I'm waiting for a response from Ali now. I have it hovering about a half inch above the tape right now cause of the fluctuation on the tape itself. Hopefully it's just an issue with the heat tape thats causing the fluctuation on the 2 metal strips in it.

We have 2 AP racks with heat cable (iris 375) and we use helix's. The temp probe is where its supposed to be. Our helix is set at 86 and the tubs are a consistant 89 (all 10 rows). The racks are well built and hold heat great.Plus the iris tubs have "feet" on them so the tub is never in contact with the heat cable. We have never had an issue with burning. I would suggust you get a temp gun and start low and work you way up.I hope this helps.

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Wayne and Ryan
Dark Continent Reptiles
www.darkcontinentreptiles.com