How to connect a heating cable for a water supply system with your own hands: methods and description of installation

Heating systems today are no longer something unusual during the arrangement of a water supply system. In the cold season, the pipeline that runs to the house is affected by low temperatures. During freezing, the result will be one - failure of the communication system. This can be prevented by simultaneously installing a heating cable for a water supply system connected to the electrical network.

General information

It is logical to argue that you can easily do without laying a heating cable. It is only necessary to determine the level of freezing of the ground in this area, and then, taking into account the data obtained, dig a trench of the required depth, as a rule, it is 1.6-2.5 m. The pipeline dug at this depth and insulated will not freeze, since the surrounding soil has a positive temperature.

But everything is much more complicated. On wetlands or in places that are close to water bodies, a high occurrence of groundwater is a frequent occurrence. This means that during floods or snow thawing, communications will simply be flooded, this will negatively affect their operational characteristics. However, if you bury the pipes only 50 cm, connect the heating wire, and perform competent thermal insulation, then you will not have to pull out deep pits.

It is also necessary to remember about the critical areas that are most affected by frost - the places where pipes enter the room. If the house is on a pile foundation, then an open part of the water supply system is located under it, which is easier to insulate with a heating wire.

There is only one conclusion in this case: if it is possible to connect a heating cable for a water supply system, then it is imperative to use this, at least to hedge against freezing.

Scope of use and design

Taking into account the characteristics and type, cables are used for heating tanks, water supply and sewerage pipes, drains. The main purpose is to protect water from freezing by increasing the temperature. Heating structures are most often used for external communications, that is, for use in the open air or in the ground.

These systems have one positive feature - zonal use. This means that you can purchase a set of elements and make a small system out of it to heat a specific area without being completely connected to the network. In this way, savings in electricity and materials can be obtained. In practice, there are also small heaters of 25-30 cm and 100-meter windings.

The main components of a heating cable are the following elements:

1. Outer PVC jacket that covers the inner parts.
2. Polymer protection. Along with this insulation, an aluminum mesh or copper screen is used.
3. Inner vein. For its manufacture, compositions with increased resistance characteristics are used. The higher this indicator, the better the heat dissipation value.

The proposals of different manufacturers differ in certain points - the option of arranging the protection or the composition of the core.

To improve performance, the aluminum braid is nickel-plated, and the thickness of the outer layer can be increased. In addition, PVC material must be resistant to direct sunlight and moisture resistant.

Main types

All heating cables are divided into several groups: self-regulating and resistive. Any of the types has a specific scope. For example, resistive ones are great for heating small sections of pipes with a small cross-section - up to 35 mm, and for a large area of ​​the water supply system, it is advisable to use a self-regulating cable.

Resistive device

The principle of operation is quite simple: a current is conducted through one or several cores that are in the winding, which heats them. The high resistance and the required voltage combine to create a sufficient heat dissipation factor. Today on the market you can find pieces of this type of cable of a certain size, which have a constant resistance. During operation, they transfer the same amount of heat along their entire length.

When connecting a heating cable with your own hands, you must not forget that the connection diagram for a single-core version is similar to a loop: first, it is connected to the power supply, then it is pulled along the entire perimeter of the pipeline and returned back.

Closed circuits are usually used for heating a roofing plumbing system or for arranging a "warm floor", but there is also an option that is applicable to plumbing.

A feature of single-core wire laying is its installation from both sides to the pipe. Moreover, only the external connection method is used.

For indoor installation, one core is not suitable, since the loop takes up a lot of space, and crossing the cables can lead to overheating. A two-core cable is characterized by the separation of the functions of the cores: the first is responsible for heating, the second for electricity.

Two-core wires are used for plumbing systems as actively as self-regulating cables. They can be installed inside the pipeline using seals and couplings.

The main advantage of a resistive wire is its low cost. Most consumers note the ease of installation, long operating time, and reliability. However, there are also disadvantages:

• fixed size - it will not work either to shorten or increase;
• high probability of overheating at the intersection or close location of two wires;
• the inability to adjust the power - it is the same all the time along the entire length;
• a burnt-out piece of wire cannot be replaced - the system must be completely replaced.

In order not to spend money on regularly disconnecting the wire, install a thermostat. When the temperature drops to 1-2C, it automatically turns on the heating, while the temperature rises to 5C, the electricity turns off.

Self-regulating cable

This type of wire is considered universal and is used for different areas of use: heating sewer pipes and tanks with liquid, roofing water supply systems and elements. Its main feature is self-regulation of power and heat transfer intensity. When the temperature drops below the set point (for example, + 2C), the wire heats up without operator intervention.

The operation of self-regulating cables is based on the property of the conductor to reduce / increase the voltage of the current, taking into account the resistance. During an increase in resistance, the current power decreases, this leads to a decrease in thermal conductivity. During cooling, the resistance decreases - the voltage rises, this is how the heating process takes place.

The main advantage of self-regulating systems is the zoning of work. The wires can independently distribute labor, heating the cooled places, and maintain the temperature in areas where significant heating is not required.

Installation methods

There are several ways to connect the heating cable: internal and external. In the latter version, the wire is fixed along the pipe, in the first, it is wound inside. Both methods are actively used in private construction.

Outdoor method

The linear version of laying the wire along the pipe is quite easy. The cable is secured on one side with heat-resistant fiberglass self-adhesive or plastic ties. The holders are fixed with a distance of 40 cm. It is forbidden to use metal fasteners. Calculating the length of the wire is very simple - it is equal to the size of the pipe that needs to be heated.

For pipes that are buried in the ground, the wire is not laid clearly from the bottom or top, but slightly offset by about 4 or 8 hours.

In addition to linear installation, spiral installation is often used - the wire is wound along the required pipe length with the same distance. The advantage of this installation is the maximum contact with the pipe, the disadvantage is the high consumption of the cable.

The distance between turns can be changed taking into account the conditions. For example, for zones that are exposed to significant freezing, the step is reduced, so the entire surface warms up as much as possible.

The wound version is best suited for large cross-section pipes - drainage, sewer, but it is also used for heating the water supply system.

Internal option

The internal installation option is not used for all pipes, but only for products with a diameter greater than 45 mm. In pipes with a smaller cross-section, the wire can partially block the water flow.

It is rather difficult to equip a large pipe with internal heating, but for zones of 2-3 meters this is the best option. The easiest way is to run the wire in vertical sections. The process is carried out using a tee and a seal sleeve to prevent the lace from slipping off.

In certain situations, internal installation is more expedient than external, for example, to replace or repair individual sections. It is very easy to insert and connect the finished system, it is much more difficult to assemble it.

Heat insulation of wires

Regardless of the type of cable, insulation is required. Thermal insulation is installed on top of the water pipe and heating system. If the water supply system is not protected simultaneously with the heating wire with a sealed cocoon, then heating will occur in all directions, that is, mainly “into the air”.

In the role of effective and proven insulation, you can choose polyethylene foam or polystyrene foam. These materials are moisture resistant and provide some protective cushioning for plumbing, but they also need protection. Therefore, the "pipe in pipe" system is often used, when pipes that are in the air or in the ground, simultaneously with thermal insulation, are installed inside another pipe of a larger cross section.

Criterias of choice

Before going to the store, it is imperative to clarify the cross-section of the pipe, the size of the area that needs heating, the lowest temperature in the region. This will make it easier to make your choice. It is necessary to pay attention to the following main points:

• type of external insulation;
• Is there a protective braid on the wire (it makes the wire more durable and provides grounding);
• manufacturer;
• power and temperature conditions.

For sewer pipes, you can choose a wire with polyolefin insulation, however, for indoor installation in a water pipe, it is best to prefer protection from fluoroplastic. A fluoropolymer is suitable for external installation, it can protect both from sunlight and moisture.

Medium temperature systems are suitable for large pipe sections. The highest heating temperature is + 110C with a power up to 39 W / m. The most powerful are high-temperature systems with the highest temperature up to + 200C and power up to 100 W / m, but they, as a rule, are not used in everyday life - these are systems for industrial use.

The required power can be selected taking into account the cross-section of the pipe. For example, for water pipes up to 3 cm, wires with a power of 12 W / m are suitable, with a diameter of 3-5 cm - 18 W / m, 5-7 cm - 25 W / m.

There are several popular commercial wire manufacturers that have shown themselves only their best side. Systems of foreign manufacturers:

• Lavita;
• Nelson;
• Raychem;
• Ensto;
• Davy.

Among domestic manufacturers, one can single out SST (Teplolux), which manufactures high-quality household systems.

The choice and connection of heating cables for water supply is within the power of even novice craftsmen. With the help of theoretical knowledge, you can quickly understand the types of cables, and for installation you do not need to master certain special skills. The result after the work can be quite decent and will allow you to forget about the problem of freezing pipes in winter for a long time.