Flexwatt Heat Tape was invented over 30 years ago in Massachusetts. It is 100% American made and utilizes the American supply chain. It is an amazing invention that is used to heat homes, commercial & industrial applications and our animal caging worldwide. Close to two decades ago specific wattages and sizes were specifically developed for our reptiles and H**ps especially. They continually get m
ore advanced as new technology becomes available. H**petoculturists have relied on and trusted Flexwatt for over two decades now and it is the most widely used heat tape in the H**p community/industry. Today we have even more wattages and sizes available to us. Calorique (The maker of Flexwatt) has always had to keep their edge over companies that imitate the Flexwatt invention. Being the world leader in radiant heat, Calorique continually makes advances to keep safety as its primary focus and that competitive edge. The most important edge is the UL Listing that Calorique holds for a radiant heat film product and they are the Only radiant heat film manufacturer with a UL listing. In order to obtain that UL Listing CaloriQue’s products must undergo rigorous product safety and quality control checks periodically. This is the main factor that separates Flexwatt from imitations. Imitations will not pass those safety and quality control checks or else they would also carry a UL Listing. We in the H**p community get all the benefits off that UL Listing because we use the very same products that undergo these inspections. A UL listing like that costs over $40,000.00. Unfortunately the reptile industry has no set standard with UL at this time so there is no actual listing for it. If there was Flexwatt would still be the safest and best choice because it has already obtained that listing for human construction applications and would certainly be able to acquire the listing where cheap imitations would not. Manufacturers of imitation heat tapes will not spend $40,000 on a UL listing because they know their products will not pass those rigorous safety and quality control checks. Now, many imitators will be able to obtain a UR stamp (The R is backward in the symbol) and Calorique has obtained that as well for Flexwatt Reptile Heat Tape. A UR stamp means that a company sent off its best working model to UL for testing for a cost of about $5000. After that stamp is given there are No further safety and quality control checks and basically the products manufacturer can cut corners and do as they wish with their product. This is concerning because especially with an electrical product we should only accept the highest standard for our pets and our homes. That is the most important reason why Flexwatt is the safest and best choice for us. It’s that UL Listing. That UL listing is proof that Flexwatt is the safest and best. Again, Calorique is the Only manufacturer in the world with that UL listing for a heat tape product. Calorique also offers a 20 year warranty for their radiant heat tape/film products when used in industrial and construction applications such as homes and buildings. Again being that there is no set standard in the reptile industry we get a 5 year manufacturer warranty from Calorique. It is the same great, safe product that gets the 20 year warranty in other applications. CaloriQue also has a host of other safety certifications that are proof of it being the safest and best choice for us. The other important benefit to using Flexwatt over imitations is Flexwatt’s advanced construction. It is the safest, most advanced and most energy efficient heat tape in the world. One of the first things you will notice about Flexwatt is its appearance. The buss bars on either edge are chrome in color. These are made from tin plated copper which gives the Flexwatt buss bar a streamlined more durable and more energy efficient buss bar. Compare Flexwatt’s buss bars to imitations still using wide, bulky plain copper buss bars. These advanced buss bars were developed partly because Calorique determined that were high humidity was present (IE our reptile rooms) there was the possibility of oxidation at the connection points over time. The tin plating eliminates that from ever happening. These slimmer buss bars are also the most energy efficient on the market. Flexwatt’s laminate is crystal clear. That’s because it is made out of 100% pure polyester laminate. Compare to imitations that use laminate that is opaque and has an off white color. This is because those laminates are cheaper and have impurities in them. One imitation in particular using a cheaper less pure laminate claims theirs is far thicker than Flexwatt and therefore far more durable. When tested with a micrometer they are exactly the same in thickness. Flexwatt is also more flexible and able to be snaked through our racks and caging systems more easily. Flexwatt’s crimp connectors are the safest and most efficient means to make electric wire connections besides a quality skilled soldering system. The Flexwatt AMP crimp connector have seven grabbing teeth and if applied correctly (and with the specialized crimp tool) will Never come loose. Never use rivet or grommet connectors with Flexwatt Reptile heat Tape. Rivet or Grommet connectors are not as safe for our applications and can potentially wiggle loose over time creating conditions where arcing and sparking could occur. Skilled soldering and the Flexwatt crimp connector are the safest, best and most efficient ways to make connections with the product. Flexwatt’s ink mixture is a closely guarded patented secret. The process that applies it so precisely is patented. Calorique is the Only manufacturer with a patented ink process. The ink is the black horizontal lines that warm up in the film. This ink mixture is Flexwatt’s secret sauce. It is the most stable, energy efficient ink for this type of application. In home heating applications it is warrantied for 20 years. Imitators have tried to copy Flexwatt’s ink over the years. Some copy it better than others. None have been able to duplicate it to this day. It is the most stable in the world. That means that over time it will not degrade causing hot or cool spots and resistance changes. Flexwatt’s ink is the most consistent in the world as well. That means the temperatures in the runs of Flexwatt will be more consistent than imitators even after many years of use. Beware of sellers promoting cheaper imitations as more advanced than Flexwatt. Flexwatt Reptile Heat Tape is still the Safest, Most Advanced, Most Durable and Most Energy Efficient radiant heat film in the world. Visit the Calorique website at www.calorique.com. Or email me at [email protected]