a guide to building your own rack

geck

African Gecko Keeper
Messages
22
Location
South Africa
Do you think its necessary to route the wood for the heat cable or just put the cable down and cover it with that aluminum tape?
 

paulnj

New Member
Messages
10,508
Location
NJ USA
cable should be routed in for best results and as to not wear through it. Heat tape can be taped down though.
 

paulnj

New Member
Messages
10,508
Location
NJ USA
the friction from moving the tub in and out can wear through a cable. I am not saying it will, but I would personally remove that variable if I was using heat cable myself.
 

Kaspar825

New Member
Messages
82
Location
Illinois
This is what im going to use except i woud like to go lidless so do i just add a centimeter or 2 to the measurments for each level
 

Pokersnake

Member
Messages
252
Location
Chicagoland IL
I have a question about your tubs: Do you all prefer using lids or no lids?

If I were to start using a rack system, I think I would use lids. I like the idea of that added layer of security.

Also: taping down the heat tape: does the foil tape intensify the direction the heat travels? I think I heard of someone using it to sandwhich their heat tape to the bottom of a tank to direct the heat flow upward. And what other types of tape can you use? Electrical? Duct?
 

theCREECH

New Member
Messages
171
Location
Aurora, Colorado
I understand the concept of the tape. and I'm sorry if this is a stupid question...

I'm wondering about the wiring of the tape..not how to, but which way. let me explain if I can:
Do you snake all the tape back and forth down the rack from shelf to shelf and then only wire once with one dimmer and one thermostat??? if so does the tape stay at a consistent heat throughout the whole length?

Or do you wire each shelf seperately with it's own dimmer and outlet plug, and maybe even thermostat?

I would like to think there is a way to do it without snaking the tape back and forth through each shelf (only because it gets more expensive). But I also don't want an electrical cord hanging down the back from each shelf.??

Sorry. for being this confused some one please help with this question.

nevermind.. I just found this:
http://www.herpcenter.com/wiring-heat-tape.html
towards the end of the instalation guide there's a section on wiring in parralel. Thanks
 
Last edited:

contracteryin

Shakawkawkaw
Messages
229
Location
USA
How does heat tape work exactly? That's something that's been confusing me for a while. I don't plan on making a rack anytime soon but I think knowing this beforehand is a very good idea.
 

Shadraak

New Member
Messages
526
Location
Indiahoma, Oklahoma
How does heat tape work exactly? That's something that's been confusing me for a while. I don't plan on making a rack anytime soon but I think knowing this beforehand is a very good idea.

Heat tape. Is a thick plastic film that has 2 metal strips (one on each side ) and connections going back and forth. When electricity is applied it heats up. Hence why u always want to regulate it with a dimmer (limits the amount of electricity going thru hence less heat) or with a thermostat (on/off) that will only let it get to a certain temp and then stop all electricity or a proportional thermostat which essentially self regulates the amount going to it , in essence am automatic dimmer switch.
 

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