flexwatt help

[geckobeginner22]

Hi everyone, I am thinking about going to my local home depot and buying some plywood and building a rack. I have one gecko now but im planning on going to the next reptile show in white plains and picking up a few new geckos for breeding sometime. My question was. when i build the rack do i have to build one with no back on it? or drill holes in the back for the flexwatt? and how do you know what inch flexwatt you need? i cant find a pic or how to on putting flexwatt on the rack to see how it should look. Thanks alot guys, im planning on building it asap. I thought of doing maybe a 12 tubs, 16 qt each rack. let me know if that is to small for a adult rack. Thanks again

 

[steve905]

3" flexiwatt is fine. My suggestion is to use peg board on the back to keep things square. Then put the flexiwatt on the shelves and you can cover it with the aluminum tape that they use in HVAC. Run pig tail out the back of the rack and daisey chain them all together on the back to the outlet.

 

[geckobeginner22]

so each flexwatt has its own plug, then i would plug all the plugs into like a surge protecter and then plug that into a herpstat when i get it? or is it one plug for all the parts of flexwatt? im just making sure i understand the rigth way. Dont want to cause a fire.lol

 

[steve905]

No you solider the wires to the flexi..(Use lamp cord) then fish it rhru and wire nut the entire line together to the one plug for the wall. If you look on Bean farms web site they show you how...Good Luck

 

[Imperial Geckos]

you can just snake the heat through the entire rack...in all my racks., i only have Half Side Walls...it doesnt cover the complete shelf...its wide enough just to let the rack be sturdy. I then just snake the heat tape through the rack and tape it on the wood...the way i build my racks...it take 34 1/2 Feet of heat tape for it to be able to cover all the shelves and give a little slack on the corners so it doesnt get pinched or anything..

 

[infamousJokeR]

here's what i did with mine if it helps.

i went to lowes and bought white melamine shelving. the shelves are 16" deep, but my sides are only 12" wide to leave 4" out the back for the flexwatt.

here's a pic before the flexwatt was added.

 

[geckobeginner22]

is melamine the best and cheapest to use? or should i go with plywood? is there any good videos of installing flexwatt? im still kinda confused lol.

 

[Imperial Geckos]

dont use plywood..it usually bows and your geckos will be running round loose..i learned that the hard way with ball pythons =p

Melamine is the cheapest...but not the best..
X-PVC is the best...but not the cheapest

If you are confused about wiring flexwatt you probably shouldnt wire it..if you order from Reptile Basics..they will wire it for you...as long as you buy the "wire, clip, and insulator kit" which is only $5...so its worth it..