FAQ

Will Clayborn tape work on any voltage?

Clayborn Precision Heat tape or Heated Sample Lines are resistance-based products and therefore will produce the desired wattage with most any voltage as long as the correct resistance is selected.

Will Clayborn tape work on battery power?

The tape will work at any reasonable voltage, however due to limited battery capacity and depletion considerations, battery power is often insufficient.

Can Clayborn Precision Heat Tape or Heated Sample Lines be controlled to produce a certain temperature?

Clayborn Precision Heat Tape or Heated Sample Lines can be controlled with a very inexpensive fixed-temperature thermostat. Clayborn products can also be externally controlled with a thermocouple of most any type, as well as RTDs or other termperature limiting devices.

Are Clayborn products self-regulated?

Clayborn products can be self-regulating over the entire circuit to a fixed temperature with an inexpensive, internal thermostat. Wattage will be constant throughout.

How can I calculate the amount of heat tape I will need to heat my project?

1/2" wide Clayborn Precision Heat Tape will cover 6 square inches per lineal foot. If you calculate the amount of surface area in square inches, divide 6 into the result and you will have the amount of heat tape for 100% coverage.

Will the heat resulting from Clayborn products be constant over the entire length of the tape?

The resistance per foot of Clayborn products is very precise and constant. The amount of heat will therefore be constant throughout the project.

Does Clayborn offer tape selection assistance?

On-staff application engineers will assist in tape selection and Heated Sample Line design. Email or call for assistance.

Why is Clayborn a powerful and efficient heating source?

Clayborn heat tape surrounds the heating elements with thermally conductive adhesive, thus transferring most, if not all, of the generated heat to the attached surface. A radiant reflector pushes otherwise escaping radiant heat back into the project being heated. How it works -->

Does Clayborn have termination kits for its heat tape applications?

Yes, Clayborn manufactures terminal blocks that are primarily used for flat surface applications. Select large or small, depending on your desired lead size.

Can I get Clayborn to engineer and build a custom heater for my application?

Yes, be prepared to answer these questions and then call 530-587-4700 and ask for engineering or email your request via our Custom Tape Heaters page:

• Input voltage available?
• Amount of heat in watts?
• Desired Temperature?
• Coldest ambient temperature surrounding the object to be heated?

How long will it take to create a custom heater?

The custom heater process calls for a silicone seal at each end, which needs to cure overnight. Custom heater orders ship within 3 business days after the day the order is received.

Can Heated Sample Lines be created on any size tube, hose or pipe?

Clayborn Heated Sample Lines are manufactured on a machine capable of heat tracing tubing from 1/4” to 1 3/4” (outside diameter). Tube, hose or pipe smaller than 1/4” or larger than 1 3/4” in diameter can be hand wrapped (an additional charge may apply). Tube, hose or pipe lengths do not matter.

Can Heated Sample Lines be more than one tube?

Yes, product variations include twin-tube, multi-tube and umbilical type set-ups. We have successfully wrapped up to 5 tubes of differing sizes.

Will a tube become less flexible with a Heated Sample Line application?

Clayborn Precision Heat Tape is spirally wrapped in a helix along the length of the tube and does not adversely affect the bend radius of the original material.

What happens if a tube becomes plugged?

For applications with potential for contaminants affecting the life of Heated Sample Lines, we recommend a tube within a tube application (umbilical) where heated substances travel in a field-removable inner tube.

How long will it take to ship Heated Sample Lines to my specifications?

Clayborn offers a 10-business day delivery on Heated Sample Lines. Tubes can be expedited for a 15% up charge.

Can the Heat Tape or Heated Sample Lines be used in moisture-laden environments?

Although we do not recommend that heat tape be used in a wet environment, there are times when it is necessary to ensure the item heated is protected from moisture. For small jobs, such as insulating electrical terminals, we sell a 3-ounce tube of silicone rubber sealant. For larger projects and especially the heated tubing, we offer Self-Fusing Silicone Tape that adheres to itself. This stretchy product can be wrapped over the heat tape to prevent moisture from disturbing the adhesion to the heat sink.

Termination made with Silicone

Tommy Tape, the miracle tape

How energy efficient is Heat Tape?

The design of Clayborn Precision Heat Tape makes it extremely energy efficient. The substrate is constructed of adhesive-impregnated fiberglass with a dielectric strength of 600VDC. The resistance wires are coated with ML enamel to eliminate shorting possibilities and are constructed with a squiggle to allow for expansion and contraction. The thin top layer of aluminum reflects the heat back into the heat sink, requiring as much as 30% less energy to achieve the desired operating termperature as compared to conventional strip heaters. How it works -->

How capable is Clayborn Lab with creating special wire configurations?

Clayborn Lab has the expertise to use its extensive stock of resistance wire to create a custom tape heater for those applications outside the normal scope of standard heaters. We have the ability to mix wires; select extremely high resistance values for low wattage applications; build the tape in two layers to accommodate very high or very low resistance. We feel our thermal engineering capability, in conjunction with our innovative methods of construction, combine to create a unique, technologically advanced heated product.