Hi Suzy, Liz and others. Here' a quick recap on how I did mine. You will need the following.
- Nichrome wire (comes in 4m) (Jaycar)
- Controller Kit KC5225 (Jaycar) - optional
- Electrical tape 50mm wide (Bunnings)
- Velcro Hook & Loop tape 25mm (Bunnings)
- Weather strip rubber foam 25mm (Bunnings)
First you need to cut a length of nichrome wire. I use about 40-50cm for my ED80. That gives me the right temperature when I plug it in a 12V power pack or battery. Might want shorter length if you want it hotter.
Bend the wire in a square wave form to match the surface you want to warm up making sure you don't cross wires or short circuit the length.
Lay your electrical tape flat on the table and position your bent nichrome pattern. Then stick a layer of foam on top. You then stick the velcro (loop) on top of the foam so you end up with layers like the two illustrations. Just stick some extra velcro (hook) on the end to make an extra length to close the strap et voila!
I find the square patterns best because it springs when you bend the strap into various radii, it's not stiff and it doesn't short. Trust me it goes red in no time when it shorts and gets into one's finger like butter.
The controller is a straight kit from Jaycar. You only need it if you want some kind of regulation (i.e. it's too hot and you want to bring the voltage down).
This is a very easy way of treating dew problems. It's not expensive and it is quite efficient. Hope this helps.
