Wiring Flexwatt to a Dimmer DIY

Ok so with the price of Thermostats some people are reluctant to use flexwatt. Flexwatt is cheap, efficient and can be used in almost every Under Tank Heat application. I wanted to share with everyone a SAFE, cheap and simple way to hook up your flexwatt tape to a dial dimmer which can be found at any Home Depot or Lowe's for less than $5. Beats the heck out of $80 for a thermostat.

Step 1. Ok so you got your flexwatt in the mail or from a vendor at a show. If you buy online they wont attach the wires to the tape for you so you will have to do this first. If you buy from the Bean Farm they send you an instruction pamphlet which shows you how to do so with the given materials.
What you should have to hook up the wire to your heat tape:

a. Flexwatt heat tape. 3", 4" or 11"


b. Electrical Chord with Male end only


c. Clip Set for Heat tape


d. Crimping tool or Pliers


e. Electrical Tape
Now that you have all the necessary equipment you can put the flexwatt together. Here is a video on how to do so:
Flexwatt Wiring

Now that you have that complete and have tested it to make sure it warms up you can move on to adding the dimmer switch. I use a "Levition Push On/Off Dimmer Single Pole Catalog # 6681" from Home Depot.


There is a good video for this part as well:
Wiring to a Dimmer

Then you can mount the tape:
Mounting Flexwatt

***Disclaimer: You are working with electric, do not do any wire cutting or wire connecting while the chord is plugged in!!! Secondly, MAKE SURE YOU TEST AND STABILIZE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE ENCLOSURE YOU ARE HEATING WITH THE FLEXWATT BEFORE YOU PUT AN ANIMAL IN THERE!!!!

And there you have it! Put it in an insulator box, and you are good to go.

Your friendly neighborhood handyman,
LooseAFur

nice info, thanks for sharing