Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Attention Forum Users: On the 28th of December 2023 at 9:00am Central Time, we will be taking the forums down for maintenance while we prepare the new forums for your use. Please click here for more information.

Tool Talk Discussion Forum

OT - Heat Tape

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Peanut

10-04-2004 10:26:17




Report to Moderator

I am looking for some advice on the do's and don'ts with heat tape and copper water lines. I have hot and cold water lines (about 110 feet) exposed inside a barn. I really want to keep my water on this winter but I have never used heat tape before. Is it economical to run? Is it safe? Do I need to put foam insulation around a heat-wrapped pipe? It seems like it will be rather expensive for me to wrap 110 feet of copper lines. I poked around on the internet and can by the tape in bulk to save a few bucks. Those kits even have automatic thermometers that turn the tape on and off depending on the outside air temp. Any advice is welcome. Thanks.

[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
Dick2

10-05-2004 04:16:01




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Peanut, 10-04-2004 10:26:17  
I must have lucked out. I installed 1/2" copper water lines through the crawl space under my Mom's kitchen in 1968. Installed heat tape lengthwise, wrapped pipes in fiberglas insulation with the thermostat hanging out in the unheated crawl space. It stays plugged in all of the time and is still working today. I just installed it the way that I thought it should be and it worked.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Dean MINNESOTA

10-04-2004 18:08:41




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Peanut, 10-04-2004 10:26:17  
ITS A PAIN TO THAW OUT PIPES OR REPAIR THEM AFTER THE HEAT TAPE HAS SHORTED OUT AS IT WILL OCCASSIONALLY DO.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Leland

10-04-2004 17:38:01




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Peanut, 10-04-2004 10:26:17  
There used to be some blue cable heat tape was the best I ever used you could knot it wrap it around itself was the safest stuff out there. and you did not have to even wrap 1/2 in pipe but I always put insulation on just to conserve a little power. thermostat was in plug in



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Mark - IN.

10-04-2004 17:19:32




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Peanut, 10-04-2004 10:26:17  
Coming from what used to be a major area for mobile home manufacturing, and many people that buy as well, I've installed heat tape countless times. You spiral around the pipe to hold it in place against the pipe. Probably could put it in a straight length along the pipe, but probably wouldn't stay in place. You don't wrap (cover) the pipe entirely, you spiral it along the pipe, and one complete spiral could be a couple or few inches by the time it completes a revolution. You do insulate the pipe after you've added the heat tape so that the water in the pipe retains the warmth and the tape isn't working itself into the ground trying to keep up with heat dissapation. Heat tapes don't last forever (couple or few years), so when gets above freezing, unplug to save on.

Trailers with skirting to block the wind chill help a ton, so if the pipes are in your barn, that'll help a ton. If is an unheated bldg, take the tape out to your spigett(s).

It is a pain in the butt, but what's the cost of replacing split pipes and/or water damage? The alternative would be to drain them, which works too.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
James McCormac

11-26-2006 06:56:12




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Mark - IN., 10-04-2004 17:19:32  
I have been asked to install heat tape, on a double wide mobile home. I have never done this before, and I ws wondering if you might be able to give me an idea of how much I should chatge to install this. The home owner, will purchase the materials, and pay me to do the job. What should I charge? Thanks



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Weirsdale George

10-05-2004 03:57:55




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Mark - IN., 10-04-2004 17:19:32  
Seems like the biggest problem would be that you don't know the tape has failed untill your pipe is frozen. What about installing a recirculating line with a small water heater (turned down way low) attached and recirculating pump. Once both pipes are insulated, the recirculating warm water would keep everything from freezing. This way you have two easily isolateable points of failure (water heater and pump) versus a very long length of of heat tape buried under insulation. I would think this system would last for many years.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Mark - IN.

10-05-2004 18:06:20




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Weirsdale George, 10-05-2004 03:57:55  
George, you"re probably right, for efficiency. Heat tapes give absolutely no warning before they go bad, none at all. They"re cheap, and often are all that many can afford at the time, most times. And replacing a insulated one stinks.

The best plan if you ask me, in this situation, if aren"t going to use this building or facilities during the freezing season, then either drain the pipes, or some use some type of antifreeze. I"d just drain and blow them, then seal. Can"t go wrong there.

George, you"re right. Heat tapes are far from the most efficient, no doubt. But are cheap, overall.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Midwest redneck

10-04-2004 17:06:52




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Peanut, 10-04-2004 10:26:17  
A guy my wife works with had his house burn down because he had heat tape on the water pipes in his crawl space.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Mark - IN.

10-04-2004 17:27:44




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Midwest redneck, 10-04-2004 17:06:52  
Yep. Gotta be careful, that's for sure. Have seen a few mobile home fires too, most generally models that were made until govt. outlawed aluminum wiring in them (at least).

You're right, heat tapes certainly aren't perfect and have been known to cause fires on occasions. Not common through normal use though, has been my experiences. But not impossible, that's for sure.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bob

10-04-2004 10:34:15




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Peanut, 10-04-2004 10:26:17  
Some of the newer stuff you buy in bulk is encased in a metal braid for safety, and is self-regulating. The material in every inch of it is temperature sensistive, and will not heat over a certain temperature, so it is safer, and uses less power than the old-style heat tapes, since it uses only enough power at any given area to keep the pipe from freezing.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Allan in NE

10-04-2004 10:31:02




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Peanut, 10-04-2004 10:26:17  
Peanut,

Just don't cross that tape over itself, and you'll do fine. Yes, they work and aren't all that expensive to run.

Allan



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Wardner

10-04-2004 14:27:40




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Allan in NE, 10-04-2004 10:31:02  
Some tape (it is called heat trace) can be crossed on itself. It is self regulating. This means that the spots where it gets too hot for the insulation, it will lower the resistance of the circuit in segments that are around 12' in lenght.

Heat trace comes in different wattages per foot. The lowest might be around 2 watts/foot. Twelve watts is probably around the high end. Chromalox is one mfg. I forgot the other major mfg but you should be able to find them with google. The mfg's have very good websites.

They can be thermostatically regulated from either pipe temp or ambient temp.

I have several hundred feet of eight watt per foot left over from a job. Email me for a price. You should be able to find a number of offerings on eBay.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Peanut

10-04-2004 14:36:44




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Wardner , 10-04-2004 14:27:40  
Wardner:
What temp does 8-watt trace/tape rate to on 1/2" or 3/4" copper? My winter temps usually hover in the teens but it has been known to get to -10 on occasion (for short periods of time).



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Wardner

10-04-2004 15:07:50




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Peanut, 10-04-2004 14:36:44  
I couldn't tell you without doing a little engineering. Watts would have to be converted to BTU's and the volume of the pipe calulated. You have to factor in the heat loss as well. I am guessing that the web sites have tables to help you design an application. If you contact a distributor, they will have staff that will do the calulations and recommend product. I am guessing that you probably don't want to do that.

The 8 watt that I used was placed on 12" ductile iron water pipe on a public construction contract. Everything was engineered. I recall that we used about 100 feet on one 16 foot section that had an elbow, reducer, and gate valve. Everything was insulated with 1" ridgid fiberglass and protected with a vinyl wrapper.

You probably do not need the 8 watt. I am guessing that both pipes could be bundled with the trace and held together with spun fiberglass insulation designed to wrap around pipe. Home Depot will have it. Wattage will depend on how much insulation you wrap around the pipe and expected low ambient temps.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
lucas123

10-04-2004 10:59:11




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to Allan in NE, 10-04-2004 10:31:02  

i use it under an exposed mobile home.i wrapped it arond the length of the pipe in a spiral and it works well.i wondered if i could just lay it in a staight line on the pipe ,,but all others ive seen were spiraled so thats how i did it..that automatic feature is nice.. gets to zero here in winter.i didnt use a foam cover on it.. lucas



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Big Jim

10-04-2004 20:15:22




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT - Heat Tape in reply to lucas123, 10-04-2004 10:59:11  
a spiral, even a moderate one will help keep the tape in good contact with the pipe. I'd think if you laid it out straight, you would have to wrap the whole pipe in something that would press the tape against the pipe. At least with the older style tapes, loose spots are the forst place to have problems.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy