What is electrical heat trace?
A heat trace system is a set of paths lined along pipes or vessels. These paths are made up of a resistive element that heats up when electricity passes through it. You can design a customized heat trace system for a specific process application by selecting the right type of cables for the traces.
How much electricity does a heat trace use?
Invest in a heat tape timer to minimize energy use Typical heat tape burns electricity at six to nine watts per foot per hour. That means each 100 feet of heat tape operating 24/7 can translate to an added monthly cost of $41 to $62 to operate heat tape, says Eileen Wysocki, energy auditor for Holy Cross Energy.
What is a good Megger reading for heat trace?
The minimum acceptable level for the megger reading for any polymer-insulated heat tracing cable is 20 megohms. This test should be re- peated after the thermal insulation and weather barrier have been installed. Connect the positive lead of the megger to the cable bus wires and the negative lead to the metallic braid.
How many amps does a heat tape draw?
All of the Automatic Electric Heat Cable Kits (3 feet through 30 feet) carry a rating of 120V, 7 Watts per foot with a maximum draw of 15 Amps.
How do I know if my heat Tracker is working?
Switch the power source back on to the heat tape. Feel along the length of the heat tape. It should be getting warm. If the heat tape fails to warm up, after 10 minutes, the thermostat or the heat tape itself is bad.
Does electric heat trace require GFCI protection?
The NEC requires all heat tracing to be protected against ground faults with a couple of exceptions noted in Sec. 427.22. There is big a difference between the ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) that are used for personnel and equipment protection.
Can heat trace start a fire?
Sadly, heat tape has the potential to cause fires in homes and businesses. Many of these products consist only of non-regulating tape which plugs into a wall outlet. If the heat tape remains activated for long periods of time – especially if temperatures rise and/or the tape is well-insulated – it can spark a fire.
Why is my heat trace not working?
When circuit temperatures are too high and cause problems in your heat tracing system, consider these possible causes: incorrect setpoint on the thermostat or process controller. incorrect location of the temperature sensor. incorrect wiring of the temperature sensor.
How hot does self regulating heat trace get?
How hot does heat trace get? Just how hot does heat trace get? MI Cable can maintain close to 1000 F, while constant wattage cables can normally maintain temperatures over 400F. Self regulating cable will normally have 2 different offerings, ranging from 150 F to over 400 F maintain temperatures.
What is series resistance trace heating?
Series resistance trace heating is usually applied when there is a need for long pipe line process heating, such as the quay side of load pipes on oil refineries and along oil pipe lines. A constant wattage trace heating cable design consists of a heating element wrapped around two parallel wires that are insulated.
What is electrical trace heating?
Electrical trace heating, or as it is often called – heat tracing, refers to the process of maintaining or raising the temperature of instrument impulse lines, pipes, and even vessels through specially designed cables. In simple terms it the application of a compensating heat source. When to Use Trace Heating?
What is the insulation resistance (IR) test for a trace heater?
The insulation resistance (IR) test establishes the electrical integrity of the trace heater. For the flexible trace heaters covered in this document, the IR test should be performed with a megger capable of delivering a voltage of at least 500 Vdc. It is strongly recommended that polymeric insulated trace heaters should be tested at 2500 Vdc.
What are the electrical requirements for heat tracing?
Electrical heat tracing systems may be required to have earth leakage (ground fault or RCD) devices for personnel and equipment protection. The system design must minimize leakage current to prevent nuisance tripping; this may limit the length of any individual heating circuit.