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  1. #1
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    Need some Advice

    Ok well I'm building a small rack. I will be capable of holding 4 16 qt tubs. Will build another one once they can get to a 32 qt tub. Also it will be having a 6 inch gap to the bottom (floor) as to not let the last tub be at floor level and get to cold. Wood is going to be melamine wood 3/4" and heating is belly heat flexwatt. Also as a side note the shelves will have a groove in them for the flexwatt. Now my question is which way should I put the flexwatt. The flexwatt will be in a continious S shape to just run 1 strand for the whole rack. But I'm wondering when I wrap it around should the flexwatt be on the outside of the rack or inside.
    Original for reference:

    Examples:
    Outside


    Inside:


    If I run the outside no rubbing would occur but would look not so nice and might not warm as well.
    The inside will allow belly heat and heat in the section the tub is in but I will be covering it up with aluminum tape so the flexwatt doesn't get damaged. Or I could groove it like the shelves and tape it as well. This seems to be the better solutions to be b/c if I go outside I will need to saw a slit in the wood to allow it to go outside the rack and then come back in again.
    Thoughts?
    Also can flexwatt be bent at a 90 degree angle? This is another factor in which way I put the flexwatt.
    Last question, is there a prob with running the flexwatt like this instead of having 4 different belly heat spots?

    PS room is around 70 degrees, I don't have a space heater will be heating with a lamp for extra warmth to get above 75, another reason for the inside flexwatt plan.
    Last edited by MitsuMike; 01-01-2010 at 05:49 PM.

  2. #2
    BPnet Senior Member FatBoy's Avatar
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    Re: Need some Advice

    I just put together a rack simular to this and I used individual strips of flexwatt, ran all the plugs to a strip on the back.

  3. #3
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    Re: Need some Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by FatBoy View Post
    I just put together a rack simular to this and I used individual strips of flexwatt, ran all the plugs to a strip on the back.
    Yea I was thinking about adding a power strip the thermostat and doing doing that.
    Would I need to add 11 inch flexwatt to the cool side and keep it at 80?? Would that be a better solution? B/c my room isn't that hot....

  4. #4
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    Re: Need some Advice

    Well decided to switch it to 11" flexwatt that will be either 5 or 7" inches long. Will prob upgrade to medium hides from RBI when I upgrade to 16 qt tubs so heating the whole hide would be a good idea to me. Also with this the ambient temps will be higher

  5. #5
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    Re: Need some Advice

    I run all racks with each shelf on its own plug so i can unplug when not in use so not wasting power. I get all extension cords from dollar store.

  6. #6
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    Re: Need some Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by flameethrower View Post
    I run all racks with each shelf on its own plug so i can unplug when not in use so not wasting power. I get all extension cords from dollar store.
    Thanks. With responses from you and the fatboy i switched it to each rack having it's own belly heat all attached to a power strip to my reptitemp500R thermostat.
    Going with the 11" flexwatt and making it 7 inches long for the hot side/hide spot.

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