Can I heat trace plastic tubing?

Status
Not open for further replies.
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Has anyone tried heat tracing plastic tubing?

I am going to check manufactures web sites just curios if any one here has done it. I have some food grade flexible tubing that keeps freezing up and I want to heat trace it.
 
iwire said:
Has anyone tried heat tracing plastic tubing?

I am going to check manufactures web sites just curios if any one here has done it. I have some food grade flexible tubing that keeps freezing up and I want to heat trace it.
Click to expand...
I have heat traced PVC piping but not plastic tubing. It should not be an issue as long as you use self-regulating heat trace and the maximum temperature of the heat trace is less than the maximum permitted temperature of the plastic tubing.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
I have heat traced PVC piping but not plastic tubing. It should not be an issue as long as you use self-regulating heat trace and the maximum temperature of the heat trace is less than the maximum permitted temperature of the plastic tubing.
Click to expand...


That is pretty much what I was thinking and so far I have not found instructions prohibiting it.


K8MHZ said:
I have seen heat trace melt plastic pipe.
Click to expand...

That is my fear, if this was to melt / drip / smoke / that would be bad. $$$$
 
I've had good luck with Raychem/Tyco products. They make industrial custom cut self regulating cables - 6 or 12 watts per foot. Specified for direct placement on rubber roof membranes among other applications so I wouldn't think melting a PVC pipe would be a concern.
 
I'm thinking sonic, seems like the source would need to be sealed, later ... :)


Put an I-pod head phone in there...Let it rip... I know of your choice of music!
 
A lot of the Raychem products have a maximum uncontrolled temperature of 150?F. I would think that heat trace with a maximum temperature of 150?F should be suitable for this application.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
A lot of the Raychem products have a maximum uncontrolled temperature of 150?F. I would think that heat trace with a maximum temperature of 150?F should be suitable for this application.
Click to expand...


The only Raychem brand products I have used - winterguard and Icestop series both use a self regulating design that goes down to 2 watts per foot.

Do you consider these as being uncontrolled temperature designs? :confused:

Just curious.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
I have heat traced PVC piping but not plastic tubing. It should not be an issue as long as you use self-regulating heat trace and the maximum temperature of the heat trace is less than the maximum permitted temperature of the plastic tubing.
Click to expand...

Same here - I've heat traced PVC water lines and caustic lines with self-regulating heat trace and it's worked fine. We are standardized on Thermon heat tracing, but it's very similar to the Raychem/Tyco product others have recommended.

Your heat trace sales rep should be able engineer this job for you. I provide information like: 100 ft of 2" galvanized line carrying clean water, looking for freeze protection only, insulated with 1" thick calcium silicate. If you can provide the ambient temperature of air that's blowing by the line all the time they should be able to do the heat transfer calclations and determine how many watts/ft you need.
 
TwinCitySparky said:
The only Raychem brand products I have used - winterguard and Icestop series both use a self regulating design that goes down to 2 watts per foot.

Do you consider these as being uncontrolled temperature designs? :confused:

Just curious.
Click to expand...
Unregulated means that you are not using a temperature sensor on the piping to control the power to the trace.

The temperature I am referring to is the maximum temperature that the self regulating heat trace can reach. If the pipe being traced does not have flow and is well insulated, it is possible for the trace to reach this temperature. If there is flow, less insulation and lower temperatures the heat loss may prevent the trace from ever reaching this temperature...the maximum is a worst case number.

I looked a bit last night for that temperature for the winterguard trace, but did not find it. The 150 came from some of their other lines of self regulating trace. In any case, to be sure if the trace it suitable for the application, you need to find the maximum uncontrolled temperature that the trace can reach and compare that to the maximum permitted temperature for the item being traced.

The first sentence should read: Uncontrolled means .....
 
Last edited:
TwinCitySparky said:
OK. So in effect, even though the product employs a "heat regulated design" it cannot be considered as such unless an additional sensor is used to perform this function... :confused:


Jus learnin. :)
Click to expand...
I used the incorrect word in the previous post. The first word should have been "uncontrolled" and not "unregulated".
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top