Will Clayborn tape work on any voltage?
Clayborn Precision Heat tape or HOT TUBE™ is a resistance-based product 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 HOT TUBE be controlled to produce a certain temperature?
Clayborn Precision Heat Tape or HOT TUBE™ can be controlled with a very inexpensive fixed-temperature thermostat. Clayborn products can also be externally controlled with a thermocouple of most any type.

Are Clayborn products self-regulated?
Clayborn products can be self-regulating over the entire circuit to a fixed temperature with an expensive, 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 HOT TUBE™ 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. (link to 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:
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 placed on one day are usually shipped within 3 days.

Can HOT TUBE™ be created on any size tube, hose or pipe?
Clayborn HOT TUBE™ is manufactured on a machine capable of heat tracing up to a 1 3/4" diameter cylindrical surface. Tube, hose or pipe larger than 1 3/4" in diameter can be hand wrapped. Tube, hose or pipe lengths do not matter. We have recently wrapped lengths up to 360.

Can HOT TUBE™ be more than one tube?
Yes, product variations include twin-tube and multi-tube. We have successfully wrapped up to 5 tubes of differing sizes.

Will a tube become less flexible with HOT TUBE™ 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 a HOT TUBE™ we recommend a tube within a tube application where heated substances travel in a field-removable inner tube.

How long will it take to ship a HOT TUBE™ to my specifications?
Clayborn offers a 10-business day delivery on HOT TUBE™. Tubes can be expedited for a 15% up charge.