Thanks for the tag. Actually hubby is an electrician with fire control training. You’re right about not using an old pad. Here are some of the warnings I give people who want to do this:
Never use an old heating pad that has been rolled up and stuck in the back of a closet somewhere. As @Ridgerunner has said, the wires in an old pad can become brittle, and the rolling and unrolling can cause small cracks or even breaks in the tiny heating element wires that can short out.
Make sure that all connections are secure, and protect them! Where the cord plugs into the pad, tape it with electrical tape. Where it plugs into the outlet, make sure it's a covered outlet to keep moisture and dust out, and make sure it's rated for what you expect it to do.
If you have to use an extension cord, use a super heavy duty one rated for outdoor use and again, secure the connection. For our first outdoor raised chicks, we were stuck using one and Ken just hates the doggone things! But we got a clamshell protector that covers the connection and it worked just fine until he got the hardwiring done in the run and we could dispense with the dreaded extension cord.
Be absolutely certain that all cords are place in such a way to avoid running over them with lawn mowers, weed trimmers, wheelbarrow tires, etc.
At the end of the season, the pad I have is washable. I just have to take off the power cord then drop it into the washer - NO FABRIC SOFTENER, which can coat the tiny heating filaments and make them overheat - and then I dry and store flat.
Never use an old heating pad that has been rolled up and stuck in the back of a closet somewhere. As @Ridgerunner has said, the wires in an old pad can become brittle, and the rolling and unrolling can cause small cracks or even breaks in the tiny heating element wires that can short out.
Make sure that all connections are secure, and protect them! Where the cord plugs into the pad, tape it with electrical tape. Where it plugs into the outlet, make sure it's a covered outlet to keep moisture and dust out, and make sure it's rated for what you expect it to do.
If you have to use an extension cord, use a super heavy duty one rated for outdoor use and again, secure the connection. For our first outdoor raised chicks, we were stuck using one and Ken just hates the doggone things! But we got a clamshell protector that covers the connection and it worked just fine until he got the hardwiring done in the run and we could dispense with the dreaded extension cord.
Be absolutely certain that all cords are place in such a way to avoid running over them with lawn mowers, weed trimmers, wheelbarrow tires, etc.
At the end of the season, the pad I have is washable. I just have to take off the power cord then drop it into the washer - NO FABRIC SOFTENER, which can coat the tiny heating filaments and make them overheat - and then I dry and store flat.
