| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| GAZ37 |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 11:43:59
Hi guys , im looking at building my own racking system. And have a few questions I was hoping someone might help me with.
1 Should I use heat mats or tape?
2 Where do I put the thermostat probe?
3 Would it be cheaper to purchase a manufactured racking unit?
I am new to this forum so hope this is the right section to post in. Thank you for looking.
Gaz  |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| GAZ37 |
Posted - 21/07/2011 : 08:22:23
Hey thanks for the replys they have really helped a lot! I am going to make my own and probably going to pinch your design hodgie looks real neat and will be exact same size I will need, I plan on having four females two normal two morphs and two morph males and eventually when I sold my kidneys lol a male and female high contrast albinos. Going to take time but will post pics as I go and will probably have a few more pics.
Thanks gaz |
| anatess |
Posted - 20/07/2011 : 23:00:41
This is the one I use (VE-200):
http://www.reptilebasics.com/ve-200
and it's rated at 700w.
I used this one before (ReptiTemp 500R):
http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=75
and it's rated at 500w.
I think most of the thermostats sold at reptile stores are rated 500w and above.
I don't think I'll ever come to a point where I'll need to go beyond 700 watts. If I do, knock me upside the head coz I must've gone crazy already. |
| hodgie |
Posted - 20/07/2011 : 20:52:45
My stat is 600w, you can see it in the 1st picture stuck to the outside beneath the roll of tissue. |
| anatess |
Posted - 20/07/2011 : 14:54:23
quote:
Originally posted by reptilemadd
Edit just checked and PP stats have a max load of 600w :)
It's not the same for all brands. Just check the specs on the stat you got. It should tell you the max load. You should go 10% lower than max load so that you have a buffer if power spikes. |
| reptilemadd |
Posted - 20/07/2011 : 10:30:31
Hi Gaz don't know about PP stats but dimmer stats are rated at 600w so assuming that PP stats are the same you could use a few heat mats on the one stat, I'd use the same size mats that Hodgie is using that way you can use one mat per two RUBS saves money and you could have upto ten mats on one stat (assuming the stat is rated at 600w).
Habistat do two different ranges a heat mat and also a heat strip both are the same set lengths upto 47 inches but the mat is 11 inches wide and the strip is 6 inches wide, the biggest mat 47x11 is 60w and the biggest strip 47x6 is 47w hope that helps :)
Edit just checked and PP stats have a max load of 600w :) |
| anatess |
Posted - 20/07/2011 : 01:09:45
Also from experience, the tubs in the middle of the rack seem to have a slightly higher temperature than the top and the bottom. I'm not sure if this is true for all other racks. So, my stat probe is sitting on the heat tape of the middle rack.
My stat is controlled by a temperature setting (I set what probe temperature I need it to maintain) so I got the stat set at 95F with the probe right on the heat tape which ends up as a steady 93F inside the middle tub graduating to about 90F on the top and bottom tubs.
I'm using the Vivarium Electronics prop pulse stat (VE-200) which is rated up to 700 watts. My heat tape rates at 10watts per foot so I can't use more than 70 feet of heat on one stat... which, is a LOT. I mean, I only have 16 feet I'm using right now.
I can't show you pictures because the rack is very temporary. I've been trying to convert all my vivs... it's been almost a year and I'm still not done. Sigh. |
| GAZ37 |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 21:55:51
Hodgie that's awesome thanks mate! |
| hodgie |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 21:49:28
No probs, i use 1 pulse proportional stat. On the stat is says its power output in watts, and the mats have info on them for how much they need. So as long as the mats are lower than the stat figure your fine. Im not at home at the moment so i cant give you the figures but will do tomorrow evening. |
| GAZ37 |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 20:25:55
Hey guys thanks for the replys, think I will make my own to save money and keep the boss happy. It's taken three years to let me keep snakes again had to sell my collection when the baby was born!
So do you use one thermostat for the entire rack or do you need one per mat? I use to have individual vivs so rack system new to me but seems much better IMO .
I have looked at the DIY section like you suggested and they use heat cable but I don't understand where the thermostat goes? Think I will go for heat mats I really like your pics of your rack thanks for the probe pic too!
Thanks gaz |
| anatess |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 18:25:30
quote:
Originally posted by hodgie
@ Anatess, im a hetrosexual male so there is no hubby
First i stuck it down with abit of cellotape (that didnt last long) so it help in place with small tacks, the thermostat probe is still taped in place though.
@Laws, 33ltr tubs. The bottom shelf can accomodate 2x 50ltr tubs though.
WHAT? How is that possible? Men are usually not as neat and tidy as that!
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| hodgie |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 18:24:33
@ Anatess its a Habistat vivarium heat mat (35inches by 11 inches) |
| hodgie |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 18:19:46
@ Anatess, im a hetrosexual male so there is no hubby
First i stuck it down with abit of cellotape (that didnt last long) so it help in place with small tacks, the thermostat probe is still taped in place though.
@Laws, 33ltr tubs. The bottom shelf can accomodate 2x 50ltr tubs though. |
| Laws |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 18:14:18
hodgie , what size rubs are they ? love it , hopefully we will make one of these early next year ;) |
| anatess |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 18:04:31
quote:
Originally posted by hodgie
By the way, i told my other half that the top shelf is just there to store equipement, the fact that i could fit 2 more Rubs is totally irrelevent
Hey hodgie... is that a heat tape you're using? It doesn't look like flexwatt - what brand is it?
By the way, I notice you got the heat taped down with some kind of packaging tape - you might want to try aluminum tape instead, it is rated for high temperatures so it's got a lot lower risk of melting and wrecking havoc with the heat source.
In any case, your set-up looks brilliant! And yes, I'm sure your hubby won't be surprised to find 2 new RUBs in there. |
| hodgie |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 17:51:30
By the way, i told my other half that the top shelf is just there to store equipement, the fact that i could fit 2 more Rubs is totally irrelevent |
| anatess |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 17:46:42
quote:
Originally posted by D3lboys-Morphs
That's very kind of you but us over the pond use 3 pins plugs and run on 240v ;)
The flexwatt doesn't come with plugs - you attach that yourself or ask the seller to attach it for you (only some sellers would do this for you though - like if you get it from Reptile Basics they will do it free of charge). Flexwatt is designed to be customized, so you can get it at 1 foot or 500 foot lengths or any foot lengths in between. You can buy 20 feet of flexwatt then cut it up into 20 1-foot pieces if you like. So it doesn't come wired with plugs.
What we usually do (because we're super cheapo) is grab one of those extension chords, cut out the hole part, strip the cut end and clip it with conductor clips to the flexwatt then tape it up with electrical tape or put a non-conductor clip cover. The metal clips and clip covers can be purchased separately - really easy to attach if you want to do it yourself. Really, super easy.
And... since you shouldn't use any heat source without a thermostat then you are good with voltage - because you can plug a flexwatt directly to a 230-240V thermostat and the thermostat will control the heat output. So you don't even require a transformer. And with each foot rated at only 6 watts or 10 watts per foot it is economical to boot.
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| hodgie |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 17:46:03
I built my own with MDF from B&Q,not sure of the exact price but i dont think it cost more than £50. Plus you have the satisfaction from knowing you`ve done it yourself. I use heat mats and just put the probe on top of one, you can see it in the picture.
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| Evolution Morphs |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 16:37:24
That's very kind of you but us over the pond use 3 pins plugs and run on 240v ;) |
| anatess |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 16:33:21
Is flexwatt heat tape not common in the UK?
Everybody I know in the US who has racks use flexwatt. It is super cheap (around $2 a foot for a 3" wide strip), fits perfectly under rack tubs, and quite reliable.
My cousin is now in some town or such close to Manchester. I can send some flexwatt over to her if anyone of you wants one. Hmm... she is currently looking for a job - maybe she can sell flexwatt for some quids!
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| n/a |
Posted - 19/07/2011 : 14:38:46
Hi, and welcome to the forum!
There's a good thread about building your own rub rack on the DIY section, but this section is fine to post this query in.
I once enquired about costs for a custom-built rub rack, just out of curiosity (prefer vivs and can't really have a rep room with the right ambient temps in this house.) I'd say that if you have any carpentry skills at all you'd save a lot of dough building your own, as opposed to flatpack vivs, which imo are as cheap as starting from scratch unless you need a custom built size or viv stack.
Someone out there could make a killing, marketing flatpack rub racks.
Good luck with the rack - and we want pics! |
