How to: Wire your heat tape.

[sSNAKESs.com]

*****ATTENTION - Heat tape is not approved for use in Canada, I will not be held responsible for anything resulting in the use of any information provided in this thread. ****** Read / Use at your own risk!!

Here is one way to wire your heat tape using the flexwatt or mylar clip sets.

First take the metal connector provided and fold it over the end of the end of the heat tape where the metal is and use a pair or plyers to crimp it on really good so the plastic is broken and the metal is touching the metal on both sides.

Strip the plastic off a half inch on the ends of your cord set.



As you can see in this picture, fold the stripped end of the wire over and insert it into the loop on the metal connectors so that it is in there snug and wont just fall out.

Put the plastic covers on over the connectors once everything is done and use electrical tape and tape the end of the plastic so that the wire wont move and fall out and just to be safe

When you are finished you should have something that looks like this



I am not resposible for anyone or anything that may happen as a result of following these instructions for connecting your tape.. this is just how i do it and i havent had any problems thus far. So use this guide at your own discretion and always remember to be responsible.

[sSNAKESs.com]

as you can see in the picture the heat tape is also coming out of a hole which is there because the floors of the rack have a recessed area for the heat tape to sit in... you should ALWAYS be leaving room for air to flow between the heat tape and anything that will be sitting above it.. never sandwitch the heat tape between things.. it might work for a while for you but it is highly unsafe.

[Bryan Self]

Looks good. I must say that I started with the plastic protectors. I now think they are a waste of money. The tape does just fine.

[Lisa]

Looks good Jeff, we might have to build a new cage for our burms this week as we are moving and i'm not sure we want to carry the 100G up to the 4th floor.

[Tim_Cranwill]

I ordered the plastic protectors last time and won't do it again. If you use electrical tape properly, you shoul'd be fine.

I also cover the other end of the heat tape where my cut was made where the copper band is exposed. Just in case.

[sSNAKESs.com]

yeah i do that also :P cover the end bit :P hehe i made this thread for a buddy instead of sending him a email i thought i midaswell make a thread, since its gonna take the same ammount of time to type! so sorry if its vague on most of my stuff i solder the wire right onto the tape but since most first timers order the clips and everything i thought it would be best to show how your "supposed" to do it

[Matt_K]

heh, thanks Jeff.. Very helpful.. I'll let you know how it ends up..

[Tim_Cranwill]

Well, we can all benefit from any hints and tips. I'll have to try soldering right to the tape. I'm assuming you peel back the plastic first. I've used a similar technique where I made a hole in the copper strip, peeled back the plastic and then thread the stripped wire through and soldered that. I have quite a bit of experience with soldering so this method might not be for the novice...

[sSNAKESs.com]

LOL yeah i usually just take the soldering gun tip and melt a line off the plastic as thick as the wire, then just put the wire on the metal and solder over it works like a charm.. then i just electrical tape over the soldered mess works good, havent had any problems yet :P

[lance]

cool thanks for the tip
now if we can find the damn heat tape here in canada instead of ordering it that will make things much better

[Edwin]

Thanks for the instructions Jeff. By the way, what size heat tape is that in the picture?

[Syst3m]

I cut the mylar off of the flex watt and solder the connection right to it. I feel more confident in my soldering then I do in a crimp connector.

[Tim_Cranwill]

I second that syst3m. I had only one out of 8 crimps in my order that I would have let leave my shop. Not a very good record in my books...

[Bryan Self]

I am not Jeff. But it is 3 or 4 in. 8 wt. ft. tape.

[lance]

oh hey Jeff does that heat tape heat up through the wood or do you have something different inside
sorry to bother you but i've never used it and thinking of ordering some