How to Properly Install Heat Cable

[@mick5740]

Nice video. We have a easy heat orange cable. Working well for years. Froze up this year. I went down to test. Cant tell if the cable is on or not. I get a voltage reading on the cord it’s plugged into but no reading on the actual braided cable. Yet it is about ten degrees warmer Wondering if there is a fuse in the east heat box that’s plugged into power. It has a few screws.

[@Ambientes]

Why is everything in a question format ending with an up ⬆️ inflection to the voice?

[@TalonID]

Heat Trace should be applied with Fiber Glass tape (not electrician's tape). On Plastic Pipe, it should be applied with Aluminum tape - lengthwise. Much easier to use Elastomeric insulation than FG. I've been in the HT biz for 20 years working as an application engineer for two of the three majors.

[@jamessawyer6891]

Great video but that type of fiberglass insulation isn't going to work if its compressed. Fiberglass insulation has to be installed loose.

[@theshop5331]

usual culprit is cables are always the wrong length, impossible to cover correctly

[@chucksgarage7165]

As you said, the instructions say to put this in-line down the length of the pipe and you can run up to 3 feet of it back down the other side of the pipe to use up any excess length. What do you do if there is more than 3 feet of excess length?

[@JamesGlassJamesGlass]

You can get different lengths and even custom lengths.

[@theshop5331]

@@JamesGlassJamesGlass where do you get custom lengths, do you have a link

[@ubacow7109]

I have a 3-6" gap between 3 pipes, can I jump from one pipe to the next and leave a gap using the heat cable so I have one continuous run for 3 pipes?

[@ab-qh6ip]

you have electrical tape holding the heat trace to the pex tubing? you might want to look in to that if this is permanent. Something about the adhesive leaching into the pex.

[@timslim1529]

Had not heard of that before.

[@chucksgarage7165]

They probably don't want it on drain pipes because they can be empty and there is no mass to absorb the heat and it could over heat.

[@golfmatic7553]

For 90%+ efficient gas furnaces in attic applications where the vents are ran in pvc and takes the heat out and turns it into water which ties into A/C condensate lines which are pvc you can run heat cable on it as far as I know

[@stephenburdess2914]

Is the insulation a must after the heat tape is applied?

[@Off-Grid]

Yes, you'll want to insulate it.

[@JamesGlassJamesGlass]

Yes

[@alexpenner2396]

why no dangly bits. The instructions don't say why.

[@tropicalfoliage]

Could you use this to keep palm trees warm? I feel like there has to be a type of heating cable out there that you can wrap around…

[@crashinc06]

So you can basically heat both pipes up as long as they're insulated together?

[@Off-Grid]

We have and it works fine.

[@gotmymojoworking2010]

😮some one told me not to use on drain lines because they are not full of water?

[@anthonymartin2412]

PVC will melt and burn it turn brown or blk.

[@epoly]

Great instruction!

[@ebart1183]

The instructions on my cable say to NOT use it on two cables taped together as it can cause a fire.... I wanted to do what you are doing until I read that.

[@rickvenlo1362]

Cool beans Thx💯