It is that time again

[ronhalling]

Ok Guys and Gals, it is time for another build, this time for my 2 spotties, this build will be 2 story so i can have 1 on top and the other down the bottom, as they are Spotties i will not need a CHE, spotlights or UV lights, so i am going to use under tile Heat Cord, now before i go getting too far ahead of myself i need a bit of assistance with the way to approach this. My idea is to route a groove a little bigger and deeper than the diameter of the heat cord then lay the cord in the routed groove and place a 30cm x 30cm tile over the top of it, my quandrey is this.... "i want to use the 1 heat cord for both levels and only use the 1 thermostat and probe", is it better to have the probe at the top level where the heat cord will start or at the bottom level where the heat cord will finish ??, i will be using silicon to attach the probe to the tile and covering the probe with some render. also where the cord from the top level to the bottom level will be running the cord will be exposed so is there something i can use to cover this exposed cord or will it be fine to leave uncovered ??. A couple of degrees difference from the top to the bottom should not make a real big difference, i just don't want to lose too much heat via the exposed section of cord. I have included a rough drawing of how i will be setting it up so any suggestions or help will be happily received as i have not used cord previously and don't want to muck it up. ..........................................Ron

 

[greenhorn]

hi, I don't have much experience with this sort of stuff but IMO I don't think it would really make too much difference where you put the thermostat probe. but if it were my enclosure I would put the probe on the top level simply because of the fact that heat rises so I would think it would keep a more constant temp if it had any effect at all anyway.

Also with your query as to the exposed piece of cord I also don't think that would have much of an effect and I cant see that covering with anything would really be necessary.
But hopefully someone else would have an opinion and help you out if they think this answer is giving false info

 

[OldestMagician]

If the tiles heat to the temp you want then that exposed bit of cable will make zero difference. Nor will it affect when the thermostat turns on or off as the probe will be on the tile.

You won't be using it as efficiently as possible, but it'll only be the tiniest difference.

I wouldn't cover it either. The surface of my heat cord doesn't get very warm at all.

Sent from my HTC_PN071 using Tapatalk 4

 

[Skitzmixer]

i have my probe on the tile, but the BHP keeps moving the probe then the tile gets quite warm. My job this weekend is to work out how to secure it properly to stop the BHP moving it around.

 

[Pythoninfinite]

You'll need to be careful about the amount of heat generated in the bottom enclosure - even though it won't seem much, it will make a big difference to the temp in the top enclosure if you can't insulate one from the other. The air in the lower enc will warm the floor in the top, which in warmer weather may get too warm, and because it will be across the entire floor, you will lose a significant amount of "gradient." Double-deckers are OK but need careful management.

Jamie

 

[ronhalling]

Thank you very much Jamie and all others that gave me food for thought, as i said this is the first time venturing into heat cord and don't want to muck it up, sounds to me from what Jamie and Greenhorn have said that the probe will be best on the top level. It is for this reason and a multitude of others that i prefer to ask my questions here well before the build time to make sure i get it right first time without causing discomfort to my Reps by getting it wrong and then having to ask questions to then get it right. There are people here such as Jamie and Blue who can be relied upon to give great advice to people who are willing to ask sensible questions at the start and i will always defer to them on all subjects Rep, they have never steered me wrong in the past. ...................................Ron

 

[campbell72010]

I have the same sort of set up with two level enclosures and using the same heat cord for both tiles.. I have noticed a small variation in temperature with the top enclosure sometimes reaching one degree hotter but for most months they sit within one degree and during the winter months they are pretty much the same temp...

I just leave my excess cord exposed at the back of the enclosure and it doesn't seem to have much affect on the temps of the enclosures