I know all the companies warn that it is not safe to reuse a UTH if you remove it once attached. Does anyone do this? I ask because I'm wondering if it is safe and they are just saying that to make money or to protect themselves, or is it truly not safe? I have one stuck to an unused tank that I would like to remove and reuse. But not if it is not safe.
Removing and reusing undertank heat pads
- Thread starter lisa127
- Start date
The risk is that you'll break the connection(s) inside the pad when peeling it off the tank, and if it's then reused it can start a fire. Considering how devastating a house fire can be, well, it's just not recommended.
One thing I've done is to apply a NEW heating pad to aluminum foil instead of directly to the glass, then tape it on the underside of a tank with heat-resistant aluminum foil tape. That way it can be moved/reused as needed without the risk of fire. You just have to make sure the aluminum foil is smoothed down with no air pockets when you apply it (tedious, but important) and that when you tape it on to a tank it's completely flush with the glass (for the same reason a directly applied heat pad needs to be flush -- air pockets can cause overheating/cracking of the glass!)
One thing I've done is to apply a NEW heating pad to aluminum foil instead of directly to the glass, then tape it on the underside of a tank with heat-resistant aluminum foil tape. That way it can be moved/reused as needed without the risk of fire. You just have to make sure the aluminum foil is smoothed down with no air pockets when you apply it (tedious, but important) and that when you tape it on to a tank it's completely flush with the glass (for the same reason a directly applied heat pad needs to be flush -- air pockets can cause overheating/cracking of the glass!)
Dinosaur!
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definitely do what favrielle said! I reused an old heating pad on my new gecko tank, but there must have been some air bubbles or something, and about a week later I was changing the bedding, and the heating pad had overheated and cracked the bottom of the tank! not to mention the big charred spot on the top of my shelf! its scary to think of what would've happened if I didn't notice sooner, as the pad was still on and reading super high temps even though it had burned through its adhesive and was laying crispy and shriveled under the tank!
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