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Flex watt questions

hosstheman

hosstheman

I need more space
Is it better to use the clips or solder the wires. What is the best anchor duct tape or alum. tape etc. Can you cut the tape somewhere besides the line and how do you do it. How much heat will 11 in. put off. Going to try to install this weekend just want to do it it right. what is the best thermostat to use.:confused:
 
Personally I use the clips to attach, but would prefer to solder. I'm just not confident in my soldering skills. I use a dab of silicone and black electric tape to secure the points of contact after pinching the clips shut, and then use aluminum tape to secure the heat tape to the back or bottom of my shelves. I have used both methods of placement, and the benefit of putting it on the back of the unit is that the containers don't rough up the tape if it's on the bottome of the shelf. As for output, I have two sections of 11" x 4' heat tape on a 4' x 2' shelf unit. I have a dimmer inline to control heat with digital indoor/outdoor thermometers and an ALife thermostat. I don't have any major problems that I have experienced with this setup other than the initial temperature setting.

Hope this helps.
D80
 
Rack systems and heat tape info thread answers some of your questions.

I personally solder everything. The clips are bulky and can present a problem if you are placing tape inside the back of a rack system. I actually anchor the tape using small tacks, ensuring that I keep them in the clear edge of the tape. This lasts much longer than sticky tape and looks better IMO.

I prefer the 4" versus the 11" tape. The 4" heats everything well and the bigger the tape, the less you can use on a single thermostat. I have been extremely pleased with the Helix thermostats and highly recommend them. They are a bit more expensive but pay for themselves in the long run.
 
Can anyone answer this question for me. Can you cut the heat tape somewhere besides the line and how do you do it.
 
It depends on the size of the tape. The 3" and 4" tape can be cut to any length. The 11" must be cut on the dotted line.
 
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