Heat cable??

[mrcsk8ter44445]

ne one use these??? im thinking about trying them instead of using haetmats. Can i just put them under my tank?? because i think it would be very lopsided. Also im thinking about upgrading to visionarims so do u think i could wire them throgh that??

 

[ReptileMan27]

I actually just ordered my first one, I have been hearing great things about them. They can be wrapped around stuff or put under tanks,rubbermaids etc.. The one I got is 14ft, not sure if they come any smaller then that but they are ment for mulitiple cages, rather then just one like a heat mat.

 

[mrcsk8ter44445]

first off thanx for replying ive been waiting all dayy,, but yess i amm using it for multiple cages im eithr going to go with glass cages stackables or visionariums

 

[acpart]

I use heat cables in about 2/3 of my tanks. The smallest size is 11 feet, but remember that's just the total length of the cable. You really only get about 6 heated feet. To install it, I usually run it back and forth on the bottom of half the tank in waves like sine curves. One problem I have had is that often the electrical or duct tape that I use starts to come off so the cable sags and then doesn't heat as well. I have been solving this by taping the cable down to a piece of plexiglass and then putting the plexiglass under the tank (so the cable is sandwiched between the plexiglass and the tank bottom --I have not had any trouble with the heat being trapped there). One really nice thing about the heat cable is that I can change the heat configuration of my cages depending on what I'm using them for. So if I have adults in the whole cage I can run the heat cable under half the tank but if I have hatchlings, I can partition the tank into 3 and run the cable along the length of the tank in the back so each section has heat in the back.

Aliza

 

[justin-branam]

i also bought my first one a while back when my flexwatt went haywire. it is great as far as im concerned. you can actually sandwich it in bwetween 2 pieces of aluminum tape, and make your own heat tape, but it is insulated. much safer in my opinion.

 

[Brian O]

I staple it(staple gun) down to a peice of plywood. Just make sure it's on a thermastat or reostat. It gets hot!!!

 

[lizard-king]

ive also just fitted a heat cable to my new hatchling rack..
I routered a groove in the wood (sits nice and flush so the tubs dont sit lop sided) and covered the cable with a strip of alluminium tape.. Heats the entire tape just like a heat mat.. I was having problems keeping the temps consistant though! I used a pulse proportional thermostat and this works a treat...

 

[ReptileMan27]

I was told they dont get that hot, the people I talked to , use them for herps and scorps, say they dont get to hot. But I will test it out first, I hear people saying you must have a thermostat for UTH or heat mats and in 12+ years of using them and currently have over a dozen im using, never once had any got hot enough to burn herps.

 

[boutiquegecko]

What wattage are you guys using for these? I keep seeing like 15wt, 25wt etc.

 

[ReptileMan27]

The one I just ordered is 25 watt, they had ones that were 100 watt, that probly to hot and would be a danger without a thermostat I would think. 15-25 watts shouldnt be to warm.

 

[boutiquegecko]

Where did you guys order from.

 

[justin-branam]

i got mine from big apple herp

 

[ReptileMan27]

Where did you guys order from.

foster and smiths