Flex Watt, thermostas and adhesives

[HeKai]

Yeahhhhhh! My heat tape arrived today, and two proportional thermostats (one for my leo, lucky spoiled little boy!!!!). Unfortunately my non-proportional Hydrofram thermostats fell through. Apparently US customs was having a BAD day and told the friend of a friend crossing with my order that the package looked like hydroponics equipment (duh? Really?). Unfortunately this person did no know its intended use. Sigh.

The upshot is you can get Hydrofarm here and I am wondering if it is safe to use a non-proportional thermostat with heat tape (Flex Watt). Technically you can use it with a rheostat but I am not willing to-I will set up the heat tape but not plug it in until I have thermostats.

Also, what do I use to attached/adhere the Flex Watt to the underside of the tanks?

Thanks!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Perhaps the wide aluminum tape you can buy in a hardware store is rated high enough heat-wise? Here in the USA we can also get a heat resistant tape marketed by 3M.

 

[HeKai]

thanks-I did look around a fair amount. Apparently there is some concern over aluminum tape being conductive and shorting out the heat tape.

I have to say, my initial try out with the heat tape and thermostat was AMAZING. Put it on my ball python's wooden enclosure and the heat conducted quite nicely. Had it set at 85F and the temp on the probe ranged from 84.4-84.9 so if you someone asks about Herpstats, now you know

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

About your import difficulties with the Hydrofarms: Customs would not want to enable you growing illicit weeds up "north". ;-)

 

[HeKai]

that is stupid-I realize that but hydroponics are used for things other than weed. It is legal in Washington and we are big producers of it here It is technically illegal but there is many a blind eye turned. Anyway, what is done is done.