Introduction to Heating Tape

Heating tape is the term traditionally used to describe a common heat tracing cable or heating cable. The limited flexibility of “traditional” heating tape can make applying to small diameters of pipework or complex shapes difficult. Introducing, Dpstar’s Heating Tapes. These trace heating cables are truly flexible and can be easily wrap around objects as small as a pencil. Unlike “traditional” heat trace tape, heating tapes can be easily removed and re-installed in a variety of applications. These re-usable heating tapes are the perfect tool for unexpected maintenance, where quick heat is needed. These heating tapes can be used as an efficient solution for your freeze protection, viscosity control, or process maintenance problems.

How does it work

The idea behind heat tape is the same as the idea behind standard resistor heaters and electric stoves. When electricity flows through a conductor, the conductor’s resistance, known as its resistivity, produces heat. This is why the surface of the resistive heater element and electric stove glows when there is power. Heat tape typically produces temperatures in the range of 450 to 500°F, but some products can have temperatures as high as 1,400°.

Installing Heat Tape on Pipes

Heat tape is the go-to product for preventing exposed pipes in your crawl space or on the outside of your house from bursting in the winter. You should never install it on pipes behind walls or hidden in walls or ceilings. Choose the right kind of tape for your pipes — tape intended for metal pipes could melt PVC. Once you have the right tape, installing it is easy:

1. Clean the pipe
2. Wrap the tape
3. Insulate the pipe
4. Plug in the tape

Heat tape provides enough heat to start fires and should never be used in the vicinity of flammable objects or near gas appliances. In addition, do not install it on pipes that touch the ground, since this could cause grounding of the conductor in the tape and a potentially dangerous power surge. Always make sure the pipes have water in them before you turn on the tape and always read the manufacturer’s recommendations to ensure proper installation.

Benefits of Heating Tape

• Flexibility: Easily installs directly to a wide variety of surfaces and geometries (i.e. 1/4” diameter or larger piping, glassware, valves, reactors, chambers, etc.)
• Rapid and uniform heat-up due to high watt densities and configurationism installations
• High-temperature ranges
• Easily controlled with standard temperature controlling devices
• Variety of sizes, wattages, temperature ranges, and styles available to meet your exact heating requirements

Application

Complete heating tapes are designed to optimize each individual application and feature Dpstar’s extensive line of heat tracing cables, control panels, and monitoring equipment. Count on us for your most demanding applications including:

• Temperature Maintenance (for process, pipes
• Freeze Protection (for Pipes, Tanks, Valves & Instrumentation)
• Foundation Heating (of tanks or process)
• Long Pipeline Heating
• Snow & Ice Prevention
• Floor & Handrail Heating

Dpstar Group
No 35, Jalan OP ½, Pusat Perdagangan One Puchong,
Off Jalan Puchong, 47160 Puchong,
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
Tel: +603-8071 6322
Email: [email protected]