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Pipe Freeze Protection

Freeze protection for water supply and drain Pipes.

Self-regulating, cut-to-length, heat trace cable.

Frozen water pipesIf you’re looking for “heat tape” to protect your pipes, then you may keep coming across the wrong product for freeze protection. The correct term is heat trace cable, but we know what you’re looking for when you contact us for help.

Heat trace cable comes in two different styles; constant wattage and self regulating. You need self-regulating heat trace, and it comes in pre-cut cables with a end plug, or cut-to-length, which requires a power connection and end seal kit. If you’re not sure, give us a call for help choosing the correct heat trace system for your application.

Heat trace installed on water linesOur self-regulating heat trace cables are protected by a tinned copper braid and a polyolefin outer jacket to provide grounding and additional mechanical protection for the cable. An optional fluoropolymer outer jacket is available if additional environmental protection is required.

Electric heat tracing, heat tape or surface heating, is a system used to maintain or raise the temperature of pipes and vessels. Trace heating takes the form of an electrical heating element run in physical contact along the length of a pipe. The pipe must then be covered with thermal insulation to retain heat losses from the pipe.

Heat trace adSpecifications

  • Continuous maintenance temperature: 150°F (66°C) maximum
  • Intermittent exposure temperature: 185°F (85°C) maximum;  -20°F (-29°C) minimum
  • 3, 5, 8, or 10 watts/ft (10, 16, 26, or 33 watts/m)
  • Supply voltages: 110 – 120VAC or 208 – 277VAC
  • Moisture, chemical, and flame resistant
  • 16AWG bus wires
  • Braid resistance:
    • Tinned copper: 0.003 ohms/ft (0.009 ohms/m)
    • Stainless steel: 0.125 ohms/ft (0.410 ohms/m)
  • T-Rating**
    • -T6: 3, 5, and 8 watts/ft (10, 16, and 26 watts/m)
    • -T5: 10 watts/ft (33 watts/m)

** Electrical equipment T-rating codes define the maximum surface temperature that equipment will reach. It is used in hazardous (classified) area applications.

Outer Layer Options
Product Type Description Dimensions Shipping weight per 500-foot (152m) spool Purpose
SLCAB-B Tinned Copper Metal Braid 0.2″ x 0.4″
(6mm x 11mm)		 40 lb. (18kg) Ordinary applications
SLCAB-BP Tinned Copper Metal Braid with Thermoplastic Elastomer Overjacket 0.3″ x 0.6″
(7mm x 15mm)		 48 lb. (22kg) For use in weak chemical environments (i.e. weak acids)
SLCAB-BF Tinned Copper Metal Braid with Fluoropolymer Overjacket 0.3″ x 0.6″
(7mm x 15mm)		 48 lb. (22kg) For use in strong chemical environments (i.e. strong acids)
SLCAB-SS Stainless Steel Metal Braid 0.2″ x 0.4″
(6mm x 11mm)		 40 lb. (18kg) More resistant to rusting and corrosion than SL-B
Maximum Circuit Length in Feet per Circuit Breaker Size
Heat Cable Type Circuit Breaker Size Start-up Temperature
50oF (10oC) 0oF (-20oC) -20oF (-29oC)
SLCAB3120 15 amp
20 amp
30 amp		 300
–
–		 200
270
330		 180
230
330
SLCAB3240 15 amp
20 amp
30 amp		 660
–
–		 410
560
660		 360
480
660
SLCAB5120 15 amp
20 amp
30 amp		 230
270
–		 150
200
270		 130
175
260
SLCAB5240 15 amp
20 amp
30 amp		 460
540
–		 300
400
540		 260
345
520
SLCAB8120 15 amp
20 amp
30 amp
40 amp		 150
200
210
–		 95
125
190
210		 85
100
170
210
SLCAB8240 15 amp
20 amp
30 amp
40 amp		 295
390
420
–		 195
250
375
420		 170
225
340
420
SLCAB10120 15 amp
20 amp
30 amp
40 amp		 115
150
180
–		 70
95
145
180		 60
85
120
165
SLCAB10240 15 amp
20 amp
30 amp
40 amp		 230
305
360
–		 150
200
300
360		 130
175
260
360

Note: Special consideration must be given for the circuit breaker due to the high initial in-rush currents.

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