DIY heat mat.

[J-A-X]

Given the size of the average tile though Snow, it would still work out financially viable. Most of the tiles I use are 33cm square (I don't have a calculator handy but I'm sure someone can figure it out) plus you have the advantage of being able to make it any shape you want. Why do I always see these threads two days too late. !

 

[Tiliqua]

I still can't see why you guys are getting so excited over this? How is this any different to taping the heat cord to a board using insulating tape? Or better yet, a lot of you are scurrying to find a supplier of corrugated board and buy heat cords when the combined price is probably more expensive than a heat mat in the first place! Sorry, I love DIY hero stuff, but this one is underwhelming....

 

[user 16324]

I still can't see why you guys are getting so excited over this? How is this any different to taping the heat cord to a board using insulating tape? Or better yet, a lot of you are scurrying to find a supplier of corrugated board and buy heat cords when the combined price is probably more expensive than a heat mat in the first place! Sorry, I love DIY hero stuff, but this one is underwhelming....

heat mats are a massive rip. a 9m heat cord could do like 5 of these designs in a good size and they cost like 36 dollars. a small 5w heat mat is about that. hmmm seems cheaper to me. free offcuts from a sign shop should do the trick.

 

[Snowman]

I still can't see why you guys are getting so excited over this? How is this any different to taping the heat cord to a board using insulating tape? Or better yet, a lot of you are scurrying to find a supplier of corrugated board and buy heat cords when the combined price is probably more expensive than a heat mat in the first place! Sorry, I love DIY hero stuff, but this one is underwhelming....

Fixing cord with tape is lame at best. Its so messy looking and unprofessional. Routing grooves in wood is the only way to go. (or was). Especially if you want to put the heat cord inside the enclosure. Tape And snakes do not mix! It's way cheaper than a heat mat and heat mats are just plain dangerous.
Once you've routed a heap of enclosures and silliconed a tile over the top, you would understand that this is way quicker and easier. The fact you can get a 38 degree basking spot from a 15w heat cord is fantastic. Chuck a thermostat in and dial the cord back to 32 degrees and your electricity bills will plummet. When I changed all my enclosures over tho heat cord my electricity bill went from $580 to $270. The amount of power needed to heat up the coreflute compared to heating a tile is massive.
For DIY enclosure builds this is really awesome. For people still using heat lamps and ceramics I can understand the lack of enthusiasm. Its obviously the same princaple as a nocturnal reptile getting belly heat off a rock or warm road. Its easy to clean so you won't need a tile. The only thing I will do is make a wooden fram to sit around it and hide the loops.

I'm still in the trial stage of core flute but it I'm very excited about how well it works compared to routing and a ceramic tile.

Given the size of the average tile though Snow, it would still work out financially viable. Most of the tiles I use are 33cm square (I don't have a calculator handy but I'm sure someone can figure it out) plus you have the advantage of being able to make it any shape you want. Why do I always see these threads two days too late. !

Yep I'll have enough to build 100 enclosures lol. I've got a few going flat out to test them. One is 450mmx450mm with a 50 watt heat cord, threaded evert third hole. Flat out no thermostat I'm getting 46 degrees in a 22 degree room. The 15 watt is in a 300x 150 and is getting 38 degrees no thermostat in the same room, threaded every second hole. Both sitting on a laminated table. The temps inside the coreflute are about 6 degrees hotter. I will keep an eye on them over the next few days and see what max temps I get inside the coreflute and the surface temp.

 

[mudgudgeon]

Nifty idea, I can definitely see uses for this idea.

Another product that is basically the same as this is " double walled poly carbonate" roof sheeting.
It is used for outdoor verandah/patio/living area roofs. You may find it at bunnings? Or roofing supplies etc, it comes in clear, smokey grey etc.

I threw a few sheets of it out at work recently, could have cut it up and sold it to APS members :lol:

 

[J-A-X]

The polycarbonate sheeting could be useful for basking shelves, it would be strong enough to support a decent size python if you framed it properly and would let light through but what would you use to cut it though ? Fine toothed circular saw blade or Angle grinder?

 

[Snowman]

Even the coreflute on a frame would be strong enough to support a 5 kilo python. The 10mm thick stuff is surprisingly strong and doesnt bend or flex.

 

[RSPcrazy]

I just found a full polycarbonate 10mm sheet (clear) behind the garage, I cut a peace to size with "old reliable" (Angle grinder), inserted the heat cord and I'm testing it right now. This stuff is pretty strong. I would have preferred white, but it was free, so I'm not complaining.

Ok, I just checked the temperature, it got to 38 degrees with a 15W heat cord, but I had it sitting on some foam and when I lifted the heat panel to checked the temperature under the heat panel, it was 48 degrees, so I would imagine a snake sitting on it would get quite hot.

I also cut (with small scissors) out some of the inside end spacers, to submerge the heat cord into the panel, so the cord doesn't hang out at all. It tidies it up pretty well.

I'm also going to stick insulation tape to one side (opposite to the side facing the snake), hopefully this should help focus the heat down more, like a heat panel on the top of the enclosure.

 

[mudgudgeon]

The poly carbonate sheeting is quite thin, though also quite rigid. It's thin enough to be able to be cut with a sharp Stanley knife.

I see no reason you couldn't give one of these heat mats the fake rock treatment by coating it with PVA then cement or tile grout etc

 

[RSPcrazy]

I tried to cut the polycarbonate sheet with a Stanley knife, all that did was scratch it, it's very strong stuff, I can hardly bend it. I could cut the coreflute with a Stanley knife a lot easier.

 

[user 16324]

RSPcrazy, try spacing the heat cord out more that way the surface temp wont get as hot.

 

[RSPcrazy]

I put this heat matt on a peace of foam, then put it under a glass tank last night. I checked the tank today and I noticed the snake was on the cool end of the tank, I pulled the heat matt out and it burnt my hand, it had also melted into the foam, I checked the temperature and it was 73 degrees. I would highly recommend using a thermostat, even when using a 15W heat cord like me.

 

[Snowman]

I put this heat matt on a peace of foam, then put it under a glass tank last night. I checked the tank today and I noticed the snake was on the cool end of the tank, I pulled the heat matt out and it burnt my hand, it had also melted into the foam, I checked the temperature and it was 73 degrees. I would highly recommend using a thermostat, even when using a 15W heat cord like me.

Foam and heat sources do not mix well...

 

[J-A-X]

That's why I don't like enclosing heat cords/ mats. If the heat can't escape then of course it's going to build up and I'm also surprised that with the heat you're producing you didn't crack the glass.
I wouldn't have put it into an occupied tank without some exhaustive testing.

Snow, I know you've been experimenting, how are the trials going?

 

[mudgudgeon]

wow! I've been running a 15watt heat cord sandwiched between a piece of Melamine board and a slate tile, all sides have been sealed with foil tape. it has been running 24hrs a day for about a week and even under a ceramic heat lamp it has maxed out at 37degrees. I tested it for 4-5days before putting into an enclosure.

it has been set up with cord spaced at about 15-20mm intervals too.

 

[Snowman]

Snow, I know you've been experimenting, how are the trials going?

I'd like a 450x450 basking spot / heat mat. The problem I'm having is 15w is not long enough and 50w is too long (25w isn't much longer than 15W). I'm trying different distances of heat cord runs in the coreflute to obtain a max of 38 degrees in a 22 degree room with no thermostat. in an actual application I'd want the max temp if my thermostat failed to be 45 degrees. I will probably have to use the 50w and leave the excess outside.
Small runs in a smaller piece of coreflute with a 15w cord are very sucessful and it generates and disperses heat well. You could easily make a 250x250 for an adult stimi.

 

[saximus]

Small runs in a smaller piece of coreflute with a 15w cord are very sucessful and it generates and disperses heat well. You could easily make a 250x250 for an adult stimi.

That's close to what I made today. I have two 150x150 ceramic tiles on top and a 300x300 ceramic tile on the bottom to help dissipate the heat underneath. Sitting on my kitchen bench it's reaching about 40. I'm gonna leave it overnight and see how it goes.
I guess with this setup it's virtually the same as a routed bit of wood but so much easier/quicker to make and you get perfectly straight, parallel rows with it.

 

[Snowman]

That's close to what I made today. I have two 150x150 ceramic tiles on top and a 300x300 ceramic tile on the bottom to help dissipate the heat underneath. Sitting on my kitchen bench it's reaching about 40. I'm gonna leave it overnight and see how it goes.
I guess with this setup it's virtually the same as a routed bit of wood but so much easier/quicker to make and you get perfectly straight, parallel rows with it.

Are you putting a tile on the coreflute?

 

[saximus]

Yeah. I didn't see what temps I'd get straight off the corflute. Maybe I'll test that as well next but I just like the idea of tiles to help stabilise the temp

 

[Snowman]

Yeah. I didn't see what temps I'd get straight off the corflute. Maybe I'll test that as well next but I just like the idea of tiles to help stabilise the temp

Stick a thermometer probe into the coreflute. Sandwiched between the tiles you will find it gets really hot. I did the same thing too. The bottom tile was too hot to touch. I think the heat needs a chance to disapate from somewhere.