Laying a heating cable for heating pipes: selection, installation, connection

Before the advent of heating cable systems, ice on the roof or, for example, on the porch was a serious problem.

Now you can forget about it, if only the system is installed according to all the rules.

How to connect a heating cable - this is described in this article.

Price overview

You can buy a heating heating cable in any electrical store; sales are carried out in all cities of Russia and Ukraine, and the price (price) is presented in open sources. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with it (review per meter):

City	Cost, rubles	City	Cost, rubles
Moscow	450	Kiev	430
Minsk	430	Rostov-on-Don	400
Voronezh	420	Volgograd	400
Almaty	430	Izhevsk	420
Donetsk	430	Yekaterinburg	430
Krasnodar	420	Kazan	420
Nizhny Novgorod	420	Novosibirsk	430
Ufa	400	Samara	420
Saratov	400	St. Petersburg	450
Omsk	430	Odessa	430

We recommend choosing heating cables made in Italy, Korea or Russia (BSX, BT, BTV, Deviflex, DPH, DSIG, FSLE, GWS, HTP, Lavita, Pipe, SRL, TXLP). But be sure to check the quality certificate, not only personal safety, but also heating capacity depends on the correctness of the data.

Pipe installation

Heating cable for water supply
Directly during the laying of the pipeline, it is preferable for it to install the cable through the pipe. There are two ways to do this at once - around the highway or along it. Let's get acquainted with the features of each of them in more detail.

Option number 1. Along the highway

It is quite obvious that the cable is easiest to install along the pipes in one line. In this case, the conductor must be fixed exactly under the pipe, due to which the heating element will be reliably protected from above from all kinds of mechanical damage. In addition, the liquid, as you know, freezes from below, and therefore such an arrangement of the cable will allow you to quickly cope with the freezing of the line (if this happens).

But if you intend to lay several lines along one pipeline at once, then do it in strict accordance with the diagrams below.

If we talk about how to fix the heating cable for the water supply, then we recommend using aluminum tape for this - it will not only securely fix the product, but also significantly increase its heat transfer. Alternatively, you can use adhesive tape for fixing, wrapping it around the water pipe as shown in the image below.

Particular attention must be paid to the installation of the cable in the corner sections of the trunk! To ensure that the bend of the product is not too large, try to place it along the outer radius of the line. A more detailed view of this mounting option is shown in the diagram below.

Option number 2. In a spiral

If the temperature in your area is low enough during the cold season, it is advisable to completely wrap the heating cable around the water supply. Thanks to this, the heating efficiency will noticeably increase, since the pitch of the coil will be approximately 5 centimeters (if you want, you can take a larger step). Characteristically, the length of the cable with such a winding scheme will be approximately 1.7 times greater than that of the pipeline.

If you have to lay the product in a spiral in a hard-to-reach place, follow the diagram below.

In this case, the cable must first be wrapped with an allowance, and then the loops must be wrapped in the opposite direction. As a result, there are fewer steps to be taken when comparing the procedure with step-by-step winding of the pipeline.

Option number 3.How to wrap individual elements

Individual elements of this kind (and these include various taps, supports, flanges, etc.) must be wrapped with a large amount of heating cable, since the heat dissipation in such nodes is much greater. You can find all the necessary installation schemes in the image below.

In addition, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the thematic video material below, illustrating the laying of a cable through a pipeline.

Note! Separately, it is worth talking about the installation of the temperature sensor. For uninterrupted heating of the line and to avoid overheating of the cable, the temperature sensor should be located at the coldest point of the line at the greatest distance from the line itself.

In addition, the place where the sensor will be located must be glued in advance with aluminum tape. We advise you to familiarize yourself with the basic options for the location of such a sensor.

Outdoor cable manufacturing

When laying the cable over the pipe, no unraveling of the “field worker” is required, you just need to connect the wires on the back of the heated section of the line. All connections are carefully insulated.

Important! The cable must be fixed to the surface as tightly as possible.

Everything happens as follows:

the pipe with the cable is wrapped in foil;
scotch tape is wound on top - it will press the cable to the surface;
then everything is wrapped in mineral wool.

This technology allows you to heat not only water pipes, but also sewer pipes.

Important! The maximum current passing through the "field" should be no more than 9A.

Cable installation

Types of heating cables

How to connect a heating cable to the network

Tubular heating cables are resistive and self-regulating. The first type of products is single-core and two-core, located in a pipe and divided into:

Linear.

Products also consist of one or more spiral strands of a metal conductor, emit thermal energy passing through the conductors of electric current.

Zonal.

The self-regulating cable is similar in principle to the resistive type. It is located inside or outside the pipes. A distinctive feature of the product is its ability to independently reduce the power of thermal energy. It also lacks an insulating coating. It can be installed on any pipe system, including small areas. Self-regulation of heat generation in different sections of the cable structure eliminates combustion or overheating of the installation.

IMPORTANT! Resistive cables cannot be cut; it is advisable to purchase them ready-made (in size). Self-regulating products can be cut to the size required.

How to connect the product to the network

Heating cable for plastic pipes and its installation

In view of the fact that now you are only studying the use of a heating cable, we have to get acquainted with another important point of work - the insulation of the end of the product. For this purpose, a special heat-shrinkable tube is used that can reliably protect the conductors from the harmful effects of moisture. In addition, for the device to work, its heating part must be connected to the "cold" part, as it is called. You will learn about all stages of this procedure from the videos below.

To make the heating of the pipeline as safe and economical as possible, it is recommended to additionally install a thermostat and an RCD. Thanks to the first device, you can regulate the heating temperature by means of a temperature sensor, and thanks to the second, you can protect the heating line from electric current leaks.At the same time, it should be remembered, when connecting the sensor to the thermostat, that the correct functioning of most of the models is possible only with a total length of the pipeline no more than fifty meters (at the moment it is recommended to clarify it at the time of purchase).

conclusions

Heating downpipes

As you can see, there is a fairly simple way to protect the pipeline from freezing - this is a heating cable. It is sold in many specialty stores, but you can make it yourself if you want.

Roof de-icing

Self-regulating cable

It is used to protect the water supply system from freezing and to maintain the temperature in the hot water system. It can also be used to thaw snow or ice in gutters when building storm sewers.

How does it work

The cable has two copper conductors with a carbon dust polymer resistor in between.

When a voltage of 220 volts is connected, the current passing through this resistor heats it to a certain temperature.

When heated, coal dust expands and its resistance increases. As a result, the load current decreases and the heating power decreases.

The constantly repeating heating-cooling cycle creates a self-regulating effect.

The total load varies along its entire length, depending on the ambient temperature for each section of the cable. That is, if the temperature of the medium increases, then the released power decreases, and vice versa.

Thus, self-regulation prevents overheating of warmer areas. It can be lengthened or shortened anywhere along the route, since the voltage is applied to it in parallel. This capability simplifies on-site cable design and installation.

During installation, do not exceed the maximum power for different temperatures during cable operation. It can be bent with a radius of at least 25 mm and only along the flat side.

The use of a heating cable for any water supply that runs down the street is necessary. But there are many problems associated with this, one of which is fragility. Therefore, very often, when laying pipes in the ground shallowly, they use a gasket inside the pipes.

Very often a cable of this type performs its functions in a very narrow range, and therefore you have to turn it on / off manually.

If you do not connect temperature sensors, then you can do with manual switching on and off of the heating system. And the energy savings with this method of heating control will still be tangible.

The only problem is knowing when to plug in the cable. To do this, there is the simplest way - you need to measure the temperature of the pipe and water in the water supply system or in the well during the onset of cold weather. If both indicators are approximately equal, then the pipe does not need to be heated.

When to turn on the heating is up to you, but it is advisable to do this if there is a large difference in the measurement results, based on the outside temperature.

Heating device application

A special water pipe protector aims to maintain the same temperature in the pipeline.

As a result, the water supply system does not fail for a long time, because it is protected from the formation of drops on the surface of all structures.

The device that does not allow this problem to appear has been used for a long time, and it has already been appreciated from the positive side.

The heating cable, which is installed inside the pipeline, is very similar to a standard cable, but a special device is connected to it to control the heating of the water.

Such a device can be connected to the water supply system when the outside air temperature drops to -5 degrees Celsius.

It will get even colder later, which means that the self-regulating cable will protect the pipes from the appearance of ice plugs.

If the installation of the water supply heating device came at a time when the temperature dropped to -6 - -10 degrees, then the normalization of the water supply system will not occur immediately.

It will take time for the frozen pipes to warm up and thaw out. Only then will the connected heating cable start heating the water, preventing it from freezing.

The device for heating the water supply system is produced in 3 varieties. They are distinguished from each other by the heat release scheme.

Depending on it, the devices that protect the pipes from freezing are resistive, self-regulating and with mineral insulation.

Resistive heating cable can be zone or line type. In the latter, heat is generated as a result of the conduction of charged particles through the heating conductor.

Additionally, it is divided into a single-core and two-core device. Moreover, some of the veins inside it are made in a spiral or linear form.

A self-regulating cable for heating a pipe is similar in its internal organization to a resistive device. It is also created on the basis of two conductors that conduct an electric current through themselves.

But a self-regulating cable is different from any other in that its structure is not insulated and controls the heat generation along the entire length of the pipe.

If the temperature outside the water supply system rises, the resistance of the polymer increases, resulting in less heat being generated.

Thanks to this function, the self-regulating cable protects the pipes from overheating, which can ruin their plastic coating.

Another advantage of such a protector is that it can be cut into separate pieces of 20 cm or a maximum of 1 meter.

Thermal insulation of heating cables

Regardless of the type of cable required. Thermal insulation is installed over the heating system and the water pipe. If the water supply system, together with the heating cable, is not placed in a sealed "cocoon", heating will go in all directions, that is, mostly into the air.

The thickness of the insulating layer is chosen depending on external factors. Suppose that for installation in the ground, a 20-30 mm layer is sufficient, while for above-ground execution, insulation is required at least 50 mm in thickness

Expanded polystyrene or foamed polyethylene are used as reliable and effective insulation materials. They are moisture resistant and provide some protective cushioning for the pipe, but they also need protection.

For this reason, a pipe-in-pipe design is often used, when water pipes located in the ground or in the air, together with a heater, are placed inside another pipe of a larger diameter.

Manufacturers

The most famous manufacturer of heating cables on the domestic market is Ensto, which manufactures a wide range of products of various sizes (from 2 to 25 m) and modifications. Cutting by meter is also possible.

Еnsto

A budget option, practically not inferior in quality, can be considered as water supply heating cables from Devі, which are also often found in hardware stores.

Devі

Where are heating systems used?

The scope of application of heating cables for pipes (and not only) is quite large. They are installed in places where controlled heating of adjacent (surrounding) surfaces or materials is required.

Some types of cable are specially designed for the equipment of "warm floor" systems. They are laid under ceramic tiles, boards, laminate, carpet, and sometimes they are poured with concrete screed.

The last option is the least effective, since the screed "steals" heat, and only a part of it passes through the topcoat.

The layout of the heating cable in the bathroom according to the "warm floor" system.The wire is placed with a "snake" over the entire area of the room so that the two ends are in opposite corners

Heating of cables is common in plumbing and sewerage systems. Communications buried in the ground or passing above the ground in the northern regions of Russia are at risk of complete freezing for six months - from October to April.

If the pipeline is laid above the level of soil freezing and is not sufficiently insulated, it will quickly lose its performance. Therefore, we recommend that you learn more about the types of heating cables for heating water supply systems.

The heating cable fixed to the pipe will help to replace the heat-insulating "cocoon". There are different mounting methods, the most common being linear and spiral. The second covers a large area of the pipe

If the pipes are already buried in trenches and dismantling is impossible or undesirable, the cable is installed inside the water (sewer) pipe through a tee cut in the most convenient place.

The next application of self-regulating cable is and gutters.

The wires are fixed in a special way at the edges of the roof, in trays and gutters, in downpipes. They prevent the formation of ice that destroys drainage systems

Under the influence of high temperature, snow and ice gradually turn into water, which flows down through trays and pipes. Roofs become safe for people and vehicles in the yard.

The practical use of heating cables for those who do not like foggy glasses and mirrors is to mount the samreg on the back of the mirror, after which condensation will no longer bother.

In manufacturing and during construction work, heating is often needed to aid in the “maturation” of concrete slurries.

In order for the characteristics of the finished material to meet the standards, it is necessary to create a special temperature regime. For this purpose, self-regulating cables are evenly placed in the place where the solution will be poured, and fittings are used to fix them. After hardening, they remain inside the structure.

A similar situation is with liquids, for maintaining a certain temperature of which samregs are also used. Instead of heating a tank with a technical liquid in the traditional way, a cable is lowered into it, as a result, the characteristics of chemical or food solutions do not change for some time.

Heating systems have not bypassed the agricultural industry either. The cable is placed directly into the ground, under the upper nutrient layer, which protects the roots of crops from freezing.

What sewer pipes need to be heated

External sewerage pipes leading to a VOC or septic tank.
Pipes leading from the septic tank to the drainage system or filter well.
Pipes used to drain flushing water from the filter.

Often these pipes are heated in one of two ways:

using pipes with a built-in heating system;
using a heating cable.

You already know about the cable, it remains to talk only about thermally insulated pipes. They are a sandwich system consisting of a plastic pipe, a self-regulating cable, as well as hydro and thermal insulation. Such pipes make it possible to do without cable installation, but they are quite expensive.

The main types of heating cables for water supply systems

These seemingly ordinary cables, through which pipes are heated, are also distinguished by their insulating structure mentioned above, which differs depending on what kind of heating cable is in question. First of all, we note that at the present time, such cables can be used not only for heating water pipes with the onset of cold weather, but also in order to heat drainage systems, melt snow and ice,which tend to accumulate in the gutters. This prevents their destruction.

Modern industry, as we managed to find out, produces two varieties of this cable at once. Despite the fact that their function is practically the same, the heat release scheme and device are different for them, which means that they should be treated in a special way during installation.

But, which is characteristic, all resistive cables are also divided into:

linear and zonal options;
two- and single-core.

Application for heating pipes

Thermostatic cable is used to heat pipes with a diameter of more than 40 mm.

Features of the installation of the heating system inside the pipeline

The heating cable is placed inside the pipe if external installation is not possible. It is pushed inside the pipe and connected to the electrical network using a special heat-shrink sleeve.

Heating cable laying inside the pipe

It is highly desirable that this work be carried out by a qualified electrician, since work on the installation of electrical equipment inside the water supply system is characterized by increased danger in the event of installation errors.

The heating system does not require additional service and maintenance.

How to fix it over the pipe?

There are two main ways to secure the cable. Parallel (linear) and circular.

With parallel (linear) installation, it is fixed over the pipe. The length of the cable in this case is equal to the length of the heated section.

Parallel installation of the heating cable outside the pipe

The possibility of self-regulation of the cable allows the use of an overlap when heating external locking structures is required. Cranes, valves, meters, tie-ins.

It is necessary to ensure its tight fit to the heated surface. To do this, it is imperative to clean the pipe surface.

With circular fastening, the cable wraps around the pipe with a turn pitch as per specification.

After completing the work, you should wrap the resulting system with aluminum tape for fixing and shielding. In order to reduce heat loss, it is recommended to add thermal insulation.

When installing, it is strictly forbidden to use plastic tape instead of aluminum.

Installation features

The cable should be laid in a favorable thermal zone.

At temperatures below -5 degrees, installation is prohibited. This limitation is due to the structure of the polymer within it.

If laid in low temperatures, it can be damaged.

How to lay the wire if it loses its flexibility at 0 degrees?

Having carefully unwound the bay, it is connected to the network for about a minute. The cable will regain flexibility. After that, you can carry out the installation.

It is highly discouraged to connect an uncoiled wire to the network.

Installation diagrams

The decision on how to properly lay the cable in the pipeline is based on its purpose, heater power, and location. When laying, use a spiral, linear or internal installation.

Linear mounting

The main type of connection between the heater and the pipeline, in which the wire is placed on the surface and fixed with adhesive tape.

Linear mounting

The installation process is as follows:

A strip of aluminum foil is glued along the entire length of the pipeline to increase heat transfer to polymer pipes.
The cable is wound with transverse tape segments with a pitch of 300 mm.
An aluminum tape is glued on top along the entire length, ensuring its tight contact with the surface of the heat conductor.
Additionally secured with nylon ties.
Upon completion of the work, put on a heat insulator, fix it with ties or glue.

Spiral mounting

This type of installation allows you to increase the heating power along the entire length or in certain sections of the pipes.

Spiral winding

Winding on an underground plastic pipeline is carried out in the following order:

Wrap the pipe along its entire length with foil tape.
The cable is spirally wound and secured with adhesive tape along its entire length. If necessary, you can additionally fix it with plastic ties with a step of 300 mm.
They put on the insulation upstairs, connecting its segments with a spike in a groove.
From above, the entire structure is fixed with tape.

It will be interesting for you Description of speaker cable

Internal installation

Internal laying in pipelines is an economical and effective way to prevent frost penetration. For installation, use only a self-regulating cable that does not have a temperature sensor that interferes with the flow of liquid in the pipes; it is lowered inside without fixing in a free position. The cable can only be placed in pipelines with a diameter of 1 ”and above in short sections in the direction of flow.

Installing the wire inside the pipe

For entry into the pipeline, fittings with sealed gaskets are used through which the wire is passed.

The use of a heating cable is the most effective method of anti-icing, because any other thermal insulation will not heat the pipeline, but will only increase its freezing time.

Roof heating cable

Careful installation of the heating cable will keep the gutters and pipes open, but they will not freeze when the temperature drops. This is often necessary when using a metal roof without filling or insulation foil.

Electric sets of a heating cable for a gutter and protection of a gutter system are available in a wide range of lengths, usually cables such as tcoe (armored flexible wire for underfloor heating), brands and types of engl, fsm, engkeh (for heating the roof of hazardous industrial premises) and others.

Photo - Roof cable

Connection diagram: step by step instructions on how to connect heating tape or armored cable:

For a typical installation, leave about 2-4 meters of cable unused, ideally hanging from the roof;
Be sure to ground all metal gutters and pipes;
It is much more convenient to control the cable connection if you use a special switch to it, it can be connected in the same way as an RCD;
Make sure the switch and other cable joints are well insulated and sealed;
Installation is carried out "snake" - it is not too economical, but quite effective.

DIY heating cable: manufacturing instructions

Factory models are quite expensive, so with minimal skills and dexterity, you can make a homemade cable using alternative materials.

DIY heating cable

Stage 1. First you need to find this very alternative. Experts advise replacing the heating cable with a "field worker" - a military field telephone cable with the official marking P274-M. Its advantages include small diameter, rigidity, strength and good insulation (it is thanks to the latter that the cable can be used in a humid environment).

Of course, such a cable will not be able to compare with store counterparts. For example, it will not have the function of self-regulation or food isolation. But if the cable will be used only occasionally (say, at the dacha, where they rarely come in winter) and will be laid not inside, but outside the pipeline, then the above qualities can be completely dispensed with.

Stage 2. When installing a "polevik", it should be dissolved into a pair of separate wires. One of the wires is bent in half and twisted back in half. At the open ends, it is necessary to provide a sealed cable entry, for which it is better to use a flange from the water supply hose. To ensure the tightness of the input, a fitting with wires threaded inside is used.

Stage 3. The fitting is filled with epoxy glue and slightly flattened. For a stronger connection, a union nut is used.