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Worse nightmare...

phoenix-cry

phoenix-cry

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I came home and smelled a slight 'hot plastic' and ran into the snake room.

Everyone was fine. However one of my heat tape strips burned out. The temp was 130 on the tape and 120 at the hot end of the tub.

This was not the tub that had the thermo sensor in it so the thermostat didn't shut off.

I'm not sure how this happened.

What can I do to make my snakes safer? I've always been afraid of a flexiwatt burn out.

For right now I've unplugged my whole system while I get the new tape (it's coming tomorrow).

7072202687_fec12880c7_b.jpg
 
I too would like to know what to do. I had one do the same thing a couple months ago. Luckily I caught it pretty quickly. Would foil tape across the whole strip help any?
 
This is always a huge fear of mine, and one of the biggest parts of me deciding to avoid belly heat as much as I can. I have one more rack to replace, but dual side heat and back heat are so much safer in a situation like this.
 
The Bean Farm recommends that you regulate your heat tape to stay under 95 degrees for good reason.....

A thermostat does not regulate this.

If you get a voltage spike, resistance based items like heat tape absorb the load quickly and will cause burn spots...

over time, you get what you see here.

Run a dimmer switch to regulate the flex watt to under 95 degrees

then run a thermostat in the tub.

Allowing airflow+ regulating voltage + replacing flexwatt as it ages= safe usage.
 
I'm trying to picture how you'd run a dimmer and a thermostat at the same time. Do you plug the dimmer into the thermostat so that it will shut the dimmer down if the temp goes up due to the dimmer failing?
 
Excellent post Gary!

Lauren, to regulate using the dimmer switch and the thermostat, simply install the dimmer switch on the heat tape's electrical cable, then using a thermometer, change the position of the dimmer switch until you get the desired temperature. You can then use the thermostat to more thoroughly regulate the temperature, like normal. This gives you somewhat of double protection.

For those referring to thermal conductivity and hot spots, refer to some of mine and other's posts in this thread.

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=304298
 
phoenix-cry said:
But do you plug the dimmer into the thermostat?
Click to expand...

Yeah, you install the dimmer in-line with the cable on the heat tape. you can even buy electrical cables with the dimmer installed offline to make it easier. I will try to find you a link to one. You hook that cable, with the dimmer installed, up to your heat tape, then simply plug it into your thermostat like usual.
 
phoenix-cry said:
Dude with 6,000 dollars worth of snake on the line I think I can swing an 8 dollar dimmer! Giggle.
Click to expand...

hahahahahahaha. That's the ticket. Anyhow, yeah you want to use one of those on every cable that you have hooked up to heat tape. That is where it gets a little more costly. you figure if you have like 20 separate slabs of heat tape, the bill can get a bit pricey. then you are looking at 160 bucks, in comparison to just the 8 bucks. If you have your heat tape run to where you have it all on one plug, it would be extremely cheap.
 
This could have been so much worse which is why now I'm on HIGH ALERT and willing to spend whatever it takes to make it better. I thought my nice thermostat was the ticket, now I'm going to double up with this dimmer.

I only have two cables for my heat tape so that's 16 bucks worth of investment...yup, think my guys are worth it. Giggle.
 
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