Heating Cable Selection
2
ii | nVent.com
IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS
AND WARNINGS
WARNING: FIRE AND SHOCK HAZARD.
nVent RAYCHEM heat-tracing systems must be installed
correctly to ensure proper operation and to prevent shock
and fire. Read these important warnings and carefully follow
all the installation instructions.
• To minimize the danger of fire from sustained electrical
arcing if the heating cable is damaged or improperly
installed, and to comply with nVent requirements, agency
certifications, and national electrical codes, ground-fault
equipment protection must be used on each heating cable
branch circuit. Arcing may not be stopped by conventional
circuit breakers.
• Approvals and performance of the heat-tracing systems
are based on the use of nVent specified parts only. Do not
substitute parts or use vinyl electrical tape.
• Bus wires will short if they contact each other. Keep bus
wires separated.
• Components and cable ends must be kept dry before and
during installation.
• The black heating cable core and fibers are conductive and
can short. They must be properly insulated and kept dry.
• Damaged bus wires can overheat or short. Do not break
bus wire strands when preparing the cable for connection.
• Damaged heating cable can cause electrical arcing or fire.
Do not use metal attachments such as pipe straps or tie
wire. Use only RAYCHEM approved tapes and cable ties to
secure the cable to the pipe.
• Do not attempt to repair or energize damaged cable.
Remove damaged cable at once and replace with a new
length using the appropriate RAYCHEM splice kit. Replace
damaged components.
• Re-use of the grommets, or use of the wrong grommet, can
cause leaks, cracked components, shock, or fire. Be sure
the type of grommet is correct for the heating cable being
installed. Use a new grommet whenever the cable has been
pulled out of the component.
• Use only fire-resistant insulation which is compatible with
the application and the maximum exposure temperature of
the system to be traced.
• To prevent fire or explosion in hazardous locations, verify
that the maximum sheath temperature of the heating cable
is below the auto-ignition temperature of the gases in the
area. For further information, see the design documentation.
• Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) are available on-line
at nVent.com.