heat belt burning

[thisispants]

Hey, this obviously sounds bad, but I just noticed that the heat belt I have hanging in my fridge looks like its being burnt in a few different areas..... Or to be more specific, the rubber on the outside of the belt looks like its being burnt. Anyone else come across this?

 

[manticle]

Happened on a kmart cheapie a while ago. Bin, get a new one.

 

[Feldon]

Its probably Ok, the problem is how you are using it (or mis-using it).

The heat belt needs to be in contact with something that will take the heat out of it (ie. it needs a heat sink) or it will get too hot. Normally that would be something like a fermentor that you wrap the heat belt around. But if you have it just hanging inside your fridge the heat generated by the belt has nowhere to go (air is a lousy heat sink), so it starts to burn. And if the rubber burns through and exposes the wires inside you could get electrocuted.

 

[Danwood]

Hey, this obviously sounds bad, but I just noticed that the heat belt I have hanging in my fridge looks like its being burnt in a few different areas..... Or to be more specific, the rubber on the outside of the belt looks like its being burnt. Anyone else come across this?

Yes, it sounds potentially dangerous now...get rid.

Have a look at reptile enclosure heater cords (terrarium?) on ebay. Very good option, IMO. Others blokes on here would concur.

 

[blotto]

Yeah I had one do that, it was in my fridge loose on the bottom. It got really hot, melted the plastic wall of the fridge and went black in a spot. As Feldon said I think they need to be on the fermenter so they don't get too hot.

 

[thisispants]

Is this the thing you're talking about?

https://www.petstock.com.au/products/171712000021/reptile_one_waterproof_terraheat_cables_-_15w_2_meters

Can they be left coiled in the fridge? Not sure how I would rig it up.

 

[TheWiggman]

I have one of those, 25W version. Fine to coil on the bottom of the fridge or wrap around the fermenter. Slow steady heat.

 

[Brew Forky]

A heat belt needs something to disperse the heat into. Fermenter no issues, but hanging around is asking for trouble.

 

[Danwood]

Is this the thing you're talking about?

https://www.petstock.com.au/products/171712000021/reptile_one_waterproof_terraheat_cables_-_15w_2_meters

Can they be left coiled in the fridge? Not sure how I would rig it up.

Yep, as mentioned, string it up however you want.

Mine was supplied with 10 or so little suction cups along the length, so I run it around the walls of my ferm. fridge. They're rated to achieve a certain temp. per metre sq.
Mine will easily get to 30C in a single FV sized fridge...more than enough for brewing needs. If you run a large fridge, you might want to look at the longer/higher watt cords.

 

[Brew Forky]

So, suctioned cuppped modern day heat belts. Time I got out more.

 

[Tex N Oz]

Heating belts or heat tape is a resistive type element inside a teflon or silicone insulation. The expensive ones can be nichrome (nickel chromium alloy) but the cheaper ones are kanthal (iron, chrome, aluminium).
Kanthal has a tendency to work (heat) harden and microscopically crack where it's flexed or where the wire is the thinnest (cheap grades). This will create highest resistance at the cracks therefore create more heat in those areas giving you hotspots.
I would replace it because the dielectric strength of that insulation has surely broken down and you risk electrocution.

 

[Danwood]

Tex stating what I'm sure we were all thinking...I know I was. I WAS !!

I just put it in layman's by saying 'It brokened', that's all !

 

[jyo]

Yep, I had one burn a hole through the inside of my fridge and into the insulation.

 

[Tex N Oz]

Tex stating what I'm sure we were all thinking...I know I was. I WAS !!

I just put it in layman's by saying 'It brokened', that's all !

Hahaha!! I can't help it!! I'm a nerd.....

It's unfortunate the manufacturers of these devices are using cheap commercial grades of heat tape to build their products. It's not designed to be installed and removed time and again. It's only designed to be installed once and left there. It's usually for wrapping pipe to keep from freezing at low temperature and never removed. Once it heats up a time or two and is disturbed, you can get these fractures.
We are using this stuff at a much higher temperature which increases the heater wire temperature and thus increasing work hardening.
Our family company used to buy the mil-spec stuff for the military bases and it was nichrome and very expensive. The absolute best **** and it never got hotspots, but at $200+ a metre in bulk, it's not home-brewer friendly.
Because I'm a broke *******, I just use an electric blanket and cheap Chinese controller. Not attractive but good enough for the girls I go with..

Edit: ****.. Check this stuff out.. You can boil a kettle with it..
http://heatingtapes.com/collections/flat-heating-blankets

 

[Danwood]

eating-blankets[/url]

Edible too ! Technology today, eh ?

 

[breakbeer]

Yep, as mentioned, string it up however you want.

Mine was supplied with 10 or so little suction cups along the length, so I run it around the walls of my ferm. fridge. They're rated to achieve a certain temp. per metre sq.
Mine will easily get to 30C in a single FV sized fridge...more than enough for brewing needs. If you run a large fridge, you might want to look at the longer/higher watt cords.

I've been looking into these reptile heating chords for my fridge but haven't seen any with suction cups, that would be perfect. I was wondering how I was gonna wrap it around the fridge

Where'd you get yours from Danwood?

 

[Tex N Oz]

Edible too ! Technology today, eh ?

They taste a bit **** and you wanna unplug em or that first bite is shocking.

 

[Tex N Oz]

I've been looking into these reptile heating chords for my fridge but haven't seen any with suction cups, that would be perfect. I was wondering how I was gonna wrap it around the fridge

Where'd you get yours from Danwood?

If you're just heating a confined space, wouldn't one of these be better?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Zoo-Reptile-Ceramic-Heat-Emitter-Infrared-Heater-150W-AC-220-240V-E27-/301687021983?hash=item463df2a19f

 

[breakbeer]

It's a pretty decent sized fridge & I wanted even heat distribution instead of the heat coming from one small source

 

[Danwood]

I've been looking into these reptile heating chords for my fridge but haven't seen any with suction cups, that would be perfect. I was wondering how I was gonna wrap it around the fridge
Where'd you get yours from Danwood?

Mine was from a seller on Ebay, which I can't find anymore, but this is the model I have -

http://www.guppysaquariumproducts.com.au/reptile-heat-cable-15-watt-3m-for-20-50l-terrarium.html

It's been perfect for 2-3yrs now, no complaints.