Reptile & Amphibian Forums

so I recently got about 12' of heat tape, I have put it all together and also got a thermostat to run it. I wrapped it around my 4' glass tank, and turned it on. The problem is it doesn't really get hot enough, it is warm to the touch but doesn't warm anything up. I even took it off the thermostat and plugged it right into the outlet and it put out the same heat. I have the 3" wide one.

so I guess my question is should it just be used in the rack system? maybe this tape is just too small to put out the heat I need, yet it also doesn't seem like it would put out enough for the rack system. what size heat tape is everyone else using?

I too am trying to move away from using lights, so any info would be great

If I remember right most heat tape gets around 12 to 15 degrees over the ambient temperature. I think the Flexwatt 3' was a little higher. The trick is to keep the heat tape contained to an extent so it raises the ambient temperature around it and allows it to heat up more. You don't want to completely smother the heat tape, allow some airflow but not have it completely out in the open.

In my rack systems I have 3" and 4" heat tape running along the back. When the boxes are pushed in there is not a lot of air flow in the back so it raises the temperate nicely without getting too hot. With all my cages I use the heat tape underneith and leave about 3/16" to 1/4" gap between the heat tape and the bottom of the cage, this allows it to get some airflow but not too much.

Hope this helps,
George

if it's glass i would go with a large heat pad big enough for 1/3 to 1/2 the length of the tank. i use heat tape for racks but i wouldnt for aquariums they just dont seem like it would be big enough to heat glass. i would either get the pad or try a wider heat tape. if you want to stray from heat lights and all that your room's ambient temperature needs to be in the ideal range for the snake. my room is 80 to 85 degrees in the day & 80 to 75 in the night.. the heat tape is just for purposes of a "hot spot" if you are trying to use it to creat the ambient heat in the tank I don't see it working well.

>>so I recently got about 12' of heat tape, I have put it all together and also got a thermostat to run it. I wrapped it around my 4' glass tank, and turned it on. The problem is it doesn't really get hot enough, it is warm to the touch but doesn't warm anything up. I even took it off the thermostat and plugged it right into the outlet and it put out the same heat. I have the 3" wide one.

I would bet that the crimps hooking it to the wire aren't tight. I really have to ream on them. (whimpy girl) Once you make contact the tape will get to 120 or so pretty fast.
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Sonya

Failure is not an option. It comes bundled with the software.

i agree i had a bad connection when i first wired mine up and it wasnt getting to warm. as soon as i fixed my connections my tape gets to 120 no problem. i put them on a rheostat dimmer and basically dail down and monitor the inside cage temp until it is right were i want it. mine actually got so hot that it melted the glue on the aluminum duct tape that i used to adhere it under my visions and the tape fell off. i since put more tape on and lowered the heat and all is well.

A bad connection would definitely cause a reduction in temp, but so will leaving the tape out in the open. A good way to get around a bad connection is to use a razor blade and peel off the plastic covering over on the leads where the connectors go. Just make sure you don't cut too deeply and cut through the metal. Since the metal is laminated it is easy to make light cuts along each side of the metal strip and about 1/2 inch up then peel that piece off. This leaves bare metal for a good connection.

Heat tape being what it is, is not designed to reach a specific temp. It will only rise a certain amount above the ambient temp. If enclosed it will raise the air temp around it and keep heating up. You can take that same piece of tape that was enclosed and felt hot to the touch hang it in an open room at 70 degrees and it will feel warm. To make the best use of it you really need to have it in a semi enclosed area. Again do not smother it, leave some space for it to breath. You will get much better results from placing it under a cage with a 1/4 inch gap then wrapping it aroung the outside.

George

I've had good results by soldering wires to the heat tape. I then insulate with electrical tape. I have a dozen or so strips wired in parallel with all strips maintaining the same temperature. Soldering guarantees a good electrical connection. Soldering iron and paste can be purchased at Radio Shack. Just make sure to scrape off the plastic immediately above the conducting strip on one end to solder. If done properly, the wire cannot be pulled from the heat tape even with great effort.