Heating sterilite tubs

[mattciupak]

I was just wondering, how would you heat these without making the plastic melt or will it melt at 90 degrees?

[Lorelei]

You can use heat tape or heat cable on a thermostat or rheostat.

[derekdehaas]

i have done that. i have used a exo-terra heat pad and set the tub on it (one side). i don't peel the paper off the heat pad and stick it on the tub. or your best bet is either using a flexwatt or a cobra heat mat.

[mattciupak]

yea the cobra heat mat made by T-Rex work's awesome on my vision cage. Would the heat pad, controlled with a t-stat, at 95 degrees, burn or do anything to the sterilite tub?

[derekdehaas]

why do you want it at 95? if it for a snake then at 95 may be too warm. but no it most likely won't burn the tub if using t-stat and you'll be fine. why not set it at high 80ish. what are you putting in a tub?
yes cobra heat mat are awsome and they are my back up heat.

[The Snake Guru]

why do you want it at 95? if it for a snake then at 95 may be too warm. but no it most likely won't burn the tub if using t-stat and you'll be fine. why not set it at high 80ish. what are you putting in a tub?
yes cobra heat mat are awsome and they are my back up heat.

I believe he's trying to create the hotspot with the mat which should be around 90 to 95. Personally though I would shoot for 90.

Shouldn't burn or melt anything at that temperature.

~B~

[mattciupak]

well, there's no chance of adding a heat lamp anywhere, and if i use substrate, it won't get through easily, plus, the heat mat really doesn't heat much, i can touch it with my bare hand when it's at 90 and won't get burned. so still, 90-95. Um what about how to ventilate it, i saw some people on the Morelia Pythons saying to burn holes? i have no clue what he meant. I think i could just drill in holes, not too big though. Any other ideas would be appreciated.
Thanks.

[ffollett]

You can drill holes but there is a risk of cracking the tubs. We used a soldering iron to burn holes in tubs when we build our own rack.

[The Snake Guru]

The soldering Iron works really well....get the "pen" styled Iron though.

Heat mats aren't supposed to heat that much. They are built for creating the hotspot not for heating an entire enclosure. You should be able to hold you hand on it indefinitely...if you can't then it's running too hot. Also the heat will make it through the substrate after a few hours it radiates through....works well since heat rises..LOL As long as you don't have like 6 inches of dirt of top of it or something along those lines it will make it through the substrate.

~B~

[ffollett]

The soldering Iron works really well....get the "pen" styled Iron though.

See your no fun. I was hoping that he would get one of those cold irons that they sell how.

[mattciupak]

LOL As long as you don't have like 6 inches of dirt of top of it or something along those lines it will make it through the substrate.


hehe dirt? lol that's funny

[The Snake Guru]

See your no fun. I was hoping that he would get one of those cold irons that they sell how.

RFLOL....hmmmmmm:nerd:

~B~

[The Snake Guru]

hehe dirt? lol that's funny

What's so funny about that?
~B~

[mattciupak]

i don't know i just started laughing and my girlfriend comes over and she says, "why in the world are you laughing" and then we all started laughing it was funny. thanks brad lmfao i needed that.

[The Snake Guru]

Well okaaaaaaay then, I still don't get the joke, but hey if it helps....there ya go! LOL

~B~

[ffollett]

Me thinks there may be some extra smoke in the air.

[The Snake Guru]

Me thinks there may be some extra smoke in the air.

:hat::hippie:

[BnC Snakes]

I use a rack system with 10 sterlite tubs and flexwatt with t-stats on each side to control hot and cool sides. I put holes in key places to control humidity. It took awhile to see how many holes were needed for proper humidity. Here is a pic of the hole placement, there are also 4 large holes in the lid of the tub. I have it down to a science now but it took some time.
http://www.repticzone.net/images/26891/holes.jpg

[Ionlylookinnocent]

ive been using a human heatpad..the older kind non auto shut off... keeps em warm enough. plus the room is heated.

Works until i can get my rack and my flexwatt!

[bebo]

Yup, heat pads/tape will work well. A t-stat was mentioned and is very important to use(anytime) especially in heating an individual tub(s). The stories you hear of burns or melting is typically associated with improper probe placement or set-up. And everyonce in a while a failed t-stat. Which sometimes a failed t-stat can be attributed to improper probe placement and the stat working to hard and long to try and heat as desired. :)

[tim8dena]

yes make sure if using a probe that it is placed correctly..i use a pro system and 11 inch tape..if room air temp etc gets to the probe it will cause it to over heat the other strips as it thinks temp has dropped..i have tested some strips and found temps above 106..to avoid this i use thermal tape and tape probe down securely on last heat strip per run..

tim