Heat Tape FAQ's

Do I really need to use a thermostat or rheostat?

In a word, YES! Heat tape will last much longer and be much safer for you and your animals if it is used properly and safely. The manufacturer of Flexwatt heat tape indicates it should never be used without a thermostat or rheostat to control its temperature. My own experiences over the years also support this. While some will tell you it can be used "as is" in some widths and wattages, I have had it fail when used this way. Flexwatt can get quite a bit warmer than you want it to if left uncontrolled regardless of the width or wattage which WILL lead to premature product failure. A relatively small investment in the right thermostat can save you quite a bit over the longer term. Other reasons to use a thermostat will be discussed later in this section.

There is no top or bottom with heat tape. Either side up works equally well.

Can you assemble my heat tape for me?

Absolutely. To really mash (technical term) the metal clips on there good, and correctly, you need the special crimping tool sold by the manufacturer. Can this be done at home without this tool? Yes. We have found a vise works the best if you do not have the tool because you can get the entire clip in it and smushed evenly. But why would you when we will do it to your specs- Just use the comments section when checking out to let us know what you need OR give us a call/email and we can discuss it.

How does heat tape work?

Virtually all the heat tape you currently see on the USA market, regardless of who is selling it, comes from one manufacturer. Basically Flexwatt is a brand name of heating element originally designed to warm floors and other flat surfaces. Along each side of the heat tape is a nickel plated copper foil strip that conducts electricity to the black lines in the tape that make up the heating element. Heat tape is very thin and made of a durable plastic film which makes it ideal for heating reptiles. I have been using heat tape on various racks and cages for over 15 years now with no significant incident. When used properly with a thermostat/rheostat it is a very useful and long lived product.

Why different sizes?

You will want to select the size tape you will use based on your application. A couple of things to keep in mind:

1) You want to create a basking area for your reptile, not a hot plate to sit on. I like to have the tape cover no more than roughly 1/3 of the floor surface area when it is used for belly heat. This will provide your animals with a nice thermal gradient so they can decide how warm they need to be.

2) Like about anything else in life, heat tape and thermostats CAN AND DO fail! You want to use enough heat tape width and wattage to do the job you need done and still maintain a safe environment should it fail and get hotter than it is supposed to. Your animals MUST be able to get away from the heat should it become too much. This is another very important reason not to cover more than about 1/3 of the floor area with the heat tape when using it for belly heat. Ideally you should select the appropriate wattage/width so that you will only run the heat tape at about 50-75% capacity. For belly heat rack applications you MUST set up the thermostat probe on the heat tape itself for best results and highest safety. We can not stress this enough. DO NOT place your thermostat probe inside one of the tubs or off of the heat tape. The most foolproof, consistent method is to place and secure the thermostat probe directly on the heat tape itself. It is a very good idea to check your thermostat probe periodically as part of your regular maintenance to make sure it is securely in place.

In most small to medium shoe and sweater boxes the 3 inch or 4 inch tape will do the job. Unless your room temperature is unusually cool you should get good results. For larger sweater or blanket box applications you would probably go with the 11" wide tape.

But if I place the probe on the heat tape with my belly heat rack I won't know the temp in the tub, Right?

Yes and no. True, your thermostat will not know the temp in the tub over the heat tape (basking area) but you will. Generally the heat tape will be warmer than the temperature in the tub. This is due to the air gap between the bottom of the tub and the heat tape as well as the thickness of the tub floor. I like to start with the thermostat setting about 5 degrees warmer than my desired basking temp. Let the system warm up for a couple of hours (this is important!) and check the results. If you are 2 degrees lower in the tub then raise the thermostat temp by 2 degrees. Wait about a half hour. Test again. Once you have the difference figured out it will remain pretty consistent.

Why go through this trouble when you can move the probe off the heat tape an inch or so and get consistent readings between the thermostat and the tub? Because you are not really sure how hot your heat tape is really getting, especially in a cooler room. With the probe on the heat tape you KNOW that your heat tapes actual temp is controlled. If you still can't get up to temperature then you need to consider a warmer room.

Ok, so how come 3"/10 watt gets hotter than 11" heat tape? Which is "safer"?

The maximum surface temperature of heat tape is determined by something called "wattage density", not width. The wattage density is how many watts of power is consumed by a unit of heat tape (usually a square foot or square inch). The higher the wattage density, the higher the potential heat output. With the heat tape widths generally used in reptile applications square inches makes the math a little easier.

For instance-

3"/6watt= .17 watts/sq.in.
3"/10watt= .27 watts/sq.in.
4"/8watt= .17 watts/sq.in.
11"/20watt= .15 watts/sq.in

You might see something interesting here. The 3"/6watt and the 4"/8watt are essentially identical in output. You may also notice that the 11"/20 watt actually has the lowest wattage density of the group! There are a lot of misconceptions about heat tape out there, especially in forums, about which is "safer" or "hotter" and so on. Here are the facts.

What is a rheostat?

A rheostat is basically a light dimmer. It does not adjust the output based on the temperature it just maintains a steady output. Rheostats work well if you have an extremely stable room temperature. Once you have it adjusted to the temperature you like it will stay pretty close to that point all the time. HOWEVER, should the room temperature fluctuate up or down significantly the tape temperature will follow it. This may lead to dangerously high or low temps for your animals. We recommend a thermostat for most applications for this reason. This is another good reason heat tape SHOULD NOT be used without a rheostat or thermostat.

How much of this heat tape can I hook up to a thermostat?

It is recommended you keep your heat tape runs at a maximum length of under 50 feet in length for the 3" and 4" heat tape and under 25 feet when using the 11" heat tape.

Most thermostats used for reptiles are rated for 500-1500 watts. The 11" tape is 20 watts per foot and a 500 watt thermostat will safely run around 20-25 feet total, a 1000 watt thermostat around 50 feet total. The 3" tape at 10 watts per foot and that same 500 watt thermostat will run 45-50 feet, a 1000 watt thermostat about 100 feet total. The 4" tape is 8 watts per foot and we recommend you follow the same guidelines as the 3" tape. I typically choose not to run thermostats at their absolute maximum rating, it can lead to a shorter lifespan, just like keeping your gas pedal on the floor all the time when you drive your car will shorten engine life.