Contents
- Editor’s Choice
- Top 7 Best Plumbing Heating Cables According to KP
- How to choose a heating cable for plumbing
- Popular questions and answers
In winter, owners of private houses, cottages and summer cottages are faced with the fact that water supply and sewage systems freeze. The main trouble lies in the fact that you can be left without water supply for a long time. Not only because the water has frozen: the pipe can burst under the pressure of the expanded ice. This can be prevented by laying pipes below the freezing level of the soil, and maintaining constant heating in the house. But if it is no longer possible to change the location of existing communications or it is impossible to lay a pipe below the freezing depth, it remains to buy a heating cable.
Ideally, lay the heating cable immediately when installing home plumbing, or at least do an “upgrade” of the system in advance of the onset of cold weather. But even if it happens that the pipes are frozen, you can urgently warm them up with a cable. You can mount the cable around the pipe, or you can put it inside the communications. Please note that Not all cables are suitable for indoor installation – read the manufacturer’s label carefully.
Heating cables are resistive и self-regulating. First you need an additional thermostat. Inside they have one or two cores (single-core are cheap, but both ends need to be connected to a current source, so for ease of installation, two-core ones are often chosen). When the thermostat supplies voltage, the conductors heat up. Resistive cables are heated along the entire length equally.
Self-regulating cables heat up more in areas where the temperature is lower. In such a cable, a matrix of graphite and polymer is hidden under the braid. It has a high temperature coefficient of resistance. The warmer the environment, the less power the cable cores emit. When it gets cold, the matrix, on the contrary, reduces the resistance, and the power increases. Technically, they do not need a thermostat, however, if you want to extend the life of the cable and save electricity, then it is better to purchase a thermostat.
Editor’s Choice
“Teplolux” SHTL / SHTL-LT / SHTL-HT
SHTL, SHTL-LT and SHTL-HT are a family of general purpose resistive cables. They are supplied as cut cables and prefabricated cable sections. All variants are two-core, with enhanced mechanical strength. The braid protects not only from mechanical damage, but also from ultraviolet radiation. This means that such a cable can also be used in open areas.
There is a huge range of cable cross-sections to choose from, which are designed for different power density: both for pipes of small diameter and for wide ones.
Modification SHTL protected by a sheath made of thermoplastic elastomer, the ground braid is made of copper wire. Version SHTL-LT reinforced with an aluminum protective screen. This is an additional safety for both the person and the cable itself. In this modification, the grounding is made with a copper core. At SHTL-HT the shell is made of PTFE. This polymer is very durable, is not afraid of acids and alkalis, and has excellent insulation. HT has Teflon insulation and tinned copper braid.
The scope of the range is wide: external and internal heating of the water supply, the cables are suitable for sidewalks, stairs, as well as for installation directly into the ground. For example, gardeners often purchase these cables for heating greenhouses.
All cables are made in Our Country according to international standards. The production is completely localized, therefore it does not depend on foreign suppliers of raw materials.
Features
| View | resistive |
| appointment | installation outside the pipe |
| Specific power | 5, 10, 20, 25, 30, 40 W/m |
Advantages and disadvantages
Top 7 Best Plumbing Heating Cables According to KP
1. Varmel Freeze Guard
There are four main products in the Freeze Guard range that are suitable for heating water pipes. Mostly, they are sold with a connection kit, that is, a socket plug is already connected to the cable. Ready-made cable assemblies are supplied in lengths from 2 to 20 meters in 2 meter increments. That is, 2, 4, 6, 8, etc. And from dealers you can buy only a cable – as many meters as you need, without a mounting kit and a connection device.
From each other, the models differ in scope. The braid of some is made of safe “food” material. That is, this can be laid inside the pipe and not be afraid of toxic emissions. Others are only suitable for laying outside. There is a version specifically for sewers.
Features
| View | self-regulating |
| appointment | installation outside and inside the pipe |
| Specific power | 16, 30, 32, 48, 50, 60 W/m |
Advantages and disadvantages
2. “Tapliner” KSN / KSP
On sale are two lines of cables with their models. The first is called KSN and is designed to protect pipes in winter. The KSN Profi model is distinguished by the presence of shielding (an additional layer on top of the insulation, which serves as additional protection for the cores).
The second line is KSP. It is designed to insulate drinking water pipes. It is subdivided into KSP models (without prefixes), Praktik and Profi. “Practician” – without a sealed entry (needed for hermetic installation of a cable inside a pipe, it is also called a sleeve or gland), “Profi” – insulated with a fluoropolymer, it is more durable, it has a three-year warranty, against one year for other products. And just a PCB – with a sealed input, but with a more budget-friendly braid than that of Profi. All cables are sold by dealers in the length required by the customer – from 1 to 50 m.
Features
| View | self-regulating |
| appointment | installation outside and inside the pipe |
| Specific power | 10, 15, 16 W/m |
Advantages and disadvantages
3. Raychem FroStop / FrostGuard
US cable supplier. A very wide range, which can be confusing. You should know that most of its products are intended for industrial facilities. The FroStop line (Green and Black – for pipes up to 50 and up to 100 mm, respectively) are best suited for heating home plumbing. Cables with markings will be cheaper: R-ETL-A, FS-A-2X, FS-B-2X, HWAT-M.
They differ from each other in the permissible bending radius – how much the cable can be bent during installation without damaging it. They also have different specific power. The manufacturer indicates which cable will be best for a particular pipe material: carbon steel, stainless steel, painted and unpainted metal, plastic.
Please note that all of these cables are sold without a connection kit. That is, you will have to buy at least an outlet and a power cable. If you need a finished product, then see the FrostGuard model.
Features
| View | self-regulating |
| appointment | installation outside and inside the pipe |
| Specific power | 9, 10, 20, 26 W/m |
Advantages and disadvantages
4. Nunicho
A company that buys cables in South Korea, gives them a marketable appearance and sells them in the Federation. The approach of the company can only be applauded, because they are almost the only ones on the market who have made understandable designations for cables and write the field of application on the packaging.
There are only two types of plumbing cables on the market. SRL (for the outer part of the pipe) and micro10-2CR with a PTFE sheath (for the inner part).
On sale cable assemblies from 3 to 30 meters. Sealed entry for installation inside the pipe is already included. However, before buying, specify what diameter the part is – ½ or ¾, as the manufacturer completes the kits with different oil seals.
Features
| View | self-regulating |
| appointment | installation outside and inside the pipe |
| Specific power | 10, 16, 24, 30 W/m |
Advantages and disadvantages
5. IQWATT CLIMAT IQ PIPE / IQ PIPE
Canadian cables, two types are sold in Our Country. First CLIMAT IQ PIPE. It is self-adjusting, suitable for outdoor or indoor installation. Power for outdoor installation 10 W / m, when laying inside the pipe – 20 W / m.
The second model IQ PIPE is a resistive cable, suitable for outdoor installation only, power 15 W/m. Cable assemblies are sold in ready-made lengths, with a socket included.
Fittings for laying inside must be purchased separately. You can find a self-regulating cable cut to the length you need from dealers. It will require a power cord and a set of heat shrinks.
Features
| View | self-regulating and resistive |
| appointment | installation outside and inside the pipe |
| Specific power | 10, 15, 20 W/m |
Advantages and disadvantages
6. Grand Meyer LTC-16 SRL16-2
For pipe heating, one model is LTC-16 SRL16-2. It is not shielded, that is, this heating cable should not interact with other cables and electrical appliances. Otherwise, interference is possible, the cable will not work well. However, the likelihood that your plumbing system is covered with other wires is low, so this is not such a clear minus. Also, special attention should be paid to the thermal insulation of the cable and pipe in order to minimize the likelihood of contact with moisture from the outside.
The cable is sold in assemblies of different lengths up to 100 meters. The first start is recommended at a temperature not lower than +10 degrees Celsius. That is, it is not safe to throw it in severe frost, when the pipes are already frozen.
Features
| View | self-adjusting |
| appointment | installation outside the pipe |
| Specific power | 16 W/m |
Advantages and disadvantages
7. REXANT SRLx-2CR / MSR-PB / HTM2-CT
If you like to do everything yourself, assemble kits for your tasks and want to save money, you need the SRLx-2CR cable. In place of x – the cable power is indicated 16 or 30 W / m. If you want a ready-made assembly already with a socket for connection and a protective braid at the end, then MSR-PB or HTM2-CT. They are both self-regulating. But the first is for outdoor installation, and the second is for indoor. On sale assemblies from 2 to 25 meters long.
Features
| View | self-adjusting |
| appointment | installation outside the pipe or in the pipe |
| Specific power | 15, 16, 30 W/m |
Advantages and disadvantages
How to choose a heating cable for plumbing
A small memo from KP will help you decide on the best cable for your tasks.
Ready set or cut
There are kits ready for installation: a plug is already connected to them, which is plugged into an outlet. There are reels (bays) per footage – that is, only the cable of the required length, which is laid and connected as the buyer needs.
Remember that cables are still sectional и zonal. It is impossible to cut off the excess from the sectional one (otherwise the resistance of the wire will change, which means there is a risk of fire), and the zonal one has marks on which it can be cut.
When buying a kit for a cut, do not forget to buy heat shrinks. As a rule, each manufacturer sells them, but in general they are universal, you can take another company.
Choose the power according to the diameter of the pipe
It is recommended to adhere to the following values:
| Pipe diameter | Power |
| 32 mm | 16 W/m |
| from 32 to 50 mm | 20 W/m |
| from 50 mm | 24 W/m |
| from 60 | 30 W/m |
At the same time, for pipes made of plastics and polymers, it is impossible to take a power higher than 24 W / m, since the heating may be excessive.
Thermostat
Resistive and self-regulating cables should ideally be connected through thermostats or through two-pole switches. In the long term, this will reduce electricity bills, since in warm weather it will be possible to turn off the heating. Self-regulating cables are never completely disconnected. Although the owner, of course, can constantly run around and pull it out of the socket. But this is troublesome, plus no one has canceled the human factor, so you can forget it.
The thermostatic regulator helps out here, because when the set temperature is reached, it turns off the electricity supply. It is guaranteed that the power part of the cable can be turned off in the warm season, when the earth has warmed up and frosts are no longer expected.
Cable sheath
The cable sheath is selected based on the purpose: for external or internal laying. Polyolefin is laid only outside and in places where sunlight does not reach. The fact is that this shell is sensitive to ultraviolet (UV). Therefore, if you need to lay them in an area where the sun shines most of the day, look for the UV (UV) protection mark.
Fluoropolymer cables can be run into the pipe. They are almost twice as expensive. If this pipe is with drinking water, then make sure that the packaging or product certificate contains a note that the cable is acceptable for use in “drinking” water pipes.
Minimum bending radius
An important parameter. Imagine that the cable has to go through the corner of the plumbing system. For example, this corner is 90 degrees. Not every cable has enough elasticity for such a bend. If you just can’t do it, that’s half the trouble. What if the cable sheath breaks? Therefore, when choosing a cable, study the bending radius parameter and correlate it with your communications.
Popular questions and answers
The master for the repair and maintenance of engineering systems answers the questions of readers of the KP Artur Taranyan.
Do I need to additionally insulate the heating cable?
Ideally, a layer of waterproofing should be fixed on top. What I do not recommend is the use of roll insulation and laminate underlays for thermal insulation. Sometimes they are taken to save money. It is not safe, they are inconvenient to mount and they are not practical.
Can the heating cable damage the pipe?
Do you need a thermostat for a heating cable?
This type of cable during heating significantly reduces electricity consumption, but it is still always energized, which means that the electric meter will “wind” without stopping. In addition, non-stop operation negatively affects the durability of the cable.
Although you can always just unplug the power plug from the outlet and the cable will disconnect. But if you are not at home, the thermostat will do everything by itself.