1、 Common faults and solutions of electric heat tracing belts

1. No fever or uneven fever

• cause of failure：
  • The power supply is not connected or the voltage is insufficient.
  • Poor sealing at the tail end can cause water ingress or moisture.
  • Localized damage to the tropical zone (such as cutting and erosion).
  • Temperature controller or sensor malfunction.
• treatment method：
  • Check power supplyUse a multimeter to measure whether the input voltage meets the rated value (such as 220V).
  • Check the sealOpen the tail end, check if the sealant is aged or damaged, reseal and apply waterproof treatment.
  • Partial replacementIf a certain section of the tropical belt does not heat up, the damaged part needs to be cut off and reconnected with a dedicated connector.
  • Verify the temperature controllerCompare the actual temperature with the displayed value of the temperature controller using a thermometer. If the deviation is too large, it needs to be replaced.

2. Short circuit or leakage

• cause of failure：
  • Damage to the insulation layer of the tropical belt (such as being scratched by sharp objects).
  • The junction box is exposed to water or moisture.
  • Local overheating caused by overlapping or crossing of heat tracing belts during installation.
• treatment method：
  • insulation testMeasure the insulation resistance between the heat tracing strip and the metal pipeline with a megohmmeter. If it is lower than 0.5M Ω, it needs to be replaced.
  • Check the junction boxOpen the junction box, clean the accumulated water, and reseal it.
  • Avoid overlapEnsure that the heat tracing strip is laid flat during installation, without overlapping or crossing.

3. Tropical belt melting or burning

• cause of failure：
  • Improper selection of heat tracing belts (such as overheating caused by high power).
  • The pipeline temperature exceeds the rated value of the heat tracing belt.
  • The bending radius is too small (less than 5 times the pipe diameter) during the installation of the heat tracing belt.
• treatment method：
  • Replace the heat tracing beltChoose a model that matches the pipeline temperature and environment (such as low temperature type, high temperature type).
  • Fix installationRe lay the heat tracing strip to ensure that the bending radius meets the requirements.

4. Temperature controller malfunction

• cause of failure：
  • Improper positioning of the sensor (such as being far away from the tropical zone or exposed to the air).
  • Temperature controller parameter setting error.
• treatment method：
  • Adjust the sensorPlace the sensor tightly against the surface of the pipeline and wrap it with insulation material.
  • resetAdjust the upper and lower limits of the thermostat according to the temperature requirements of the pipeline (such as setting the antifreeze mode to 5 ℃~10 ℃).

2、 Safety precautions

1. Safety during installation phase

• Power-off operationBefore installation, the power must be cut off and a "Do not close" warning sign must be hung.
• Explosion proof environment adaptation：
  • Use explosion-proof heat tracing belts and junction boxes in explosive locations such as chemical plants and gas stations.
  • Avoid using tools that may generate sparks (such as non explosion resistant screwdrivers).
• waterproof treatment：
  • The junction box and tail end must be sealed with waterproof glue to prevent rainwater or condensation from seeping in.
  • When installing outdoors, the heat tracing strip needs to be wrapped with waterproof tape.
• Avoid mechanical damage：
  • Do not use sharp objects to scratch the insulation layer of the heat tracing belt during installation.
  • Fixed brackets need to be installed in the vibration area of the pipeline to prevent damage caused by friction of the heat tracing belt.

2. Safety during the usage phase

• Temperature monitoring：
  • Regularly check whether the pipeline temperature is within the rated range of the heat tracing belt (such as -30 ℃~65 ℃ for low-temperature heat tracing belts).
  • If the temperature of the pipeline continues to be abnormal, the machine should be stopped immediately for inspection.
• Avoid prolonged periods of no load：
  • The heat tracing belt should not operate without load for a long time (such as when there is no medium flow in the pipeline), otherwise it may be damaged due to local overheating.
• Prevent overload：
  • The length of a single loop heat tracing belt shall not exceed the maximum allowable value (such as a self limiting heat tracing belt usually ≤ 100 meters).
  • When multiple circuits are connected in parallel, the total power needs to be calculated to avoid exceeding the power supply capacity.

3. Maintenance phase security

• regular inspection：
  • Check the appearance of the heat tracing strip, the sealing of the junction box, and the insulation resistance every quarter.
  • Conduct a comprehensive performance test once a year (including heating uniformity and temperature control accuracy).
• Fault handling：
  • When damage or leakage is found in the heat tracing belt, the power should be immediately cut off and replaced.
  • It is not allowed to repair the internal circuit of the heat tracing belt by oneself, and a dedicated connector or replacement of the entire section is required.
• Storage specifications：
  • Unused heat tracing tape should be wrapped around a dry wooden plate to avoid folding or trampling.
  • The recommended storage environment temperature is -20 ℃~40 ℃, with a relative humidity of ≤ 80%.

4. Emergency response

• Leakage treatment：
  • If leakage is found in the heat tracing belt, the power supply should be cut off immediately and the heat tracing belt should be removed with insulated tools.
  • Do not rinse the leakage area with water to prevent electric shock.
• Fire prevention：
  • Flammable materials shall not be stacked around the tropical zone, and a distance of at least 10cm from the pipeline shall be maintained during installation.
  • If the tracing band is on fire, dry powder fire extinguishers are required, and water or foam fire extinguishers are strictly prohibited.

3、 Special scenario precautions

1. Explosion-proof area：
   • Explosion proof heat tracing belts and junction boxes must be used, and good grounding must be ensured.
   • During installation, an explosion-proof certificate must be obtained and operated by a professional electrician.
2. Corrosive environment：
   • If the pipeline medium is corrosive (such as acid or alkali), a corrosion-resistant heat tracing strip (such as fluoroplastic insulation type) should be selected.
   • Regularly inspect the surface of the heat tracing belt for corrosion and replace it if necessary.
3. High temperature pipeline：
   • High temperature pipelines (such as steam pipelines) require the use of high-temperature heat tracing belts (with a temperature resistance of ≥ 150 ℃).
   • During installation, a thermal insulation layer should be added between the heat tracing belt and the pipeline to prevent overheating of the heat tracing belt.