How To Heat Tape a Water Hose???


J

joealati

New Member
RE: How To Heat Tape a Water Hose???

I am running 200 ft of pex tube to supply water to my horses. I need this temporarily as I cannot yet afford to dig, run a water line & hydrant. I thought about attaching the heat tape that is used on gutters & roof edges to prevent ice damming. Any thoughts on this idea. Since this product is supposed to be exposed to the outside I thought i could run it along the bottom outside of the pex right on the ground and not have to insulate. Any ideas are appreciated. I have read all these posts and thank all of you, especially Mr. Harrelson for all the good ideas.

Thank you.

Joe
 
A

ARCHER

Senior Member
Re: How To Heat Tape a Water Hose???

Hey Joe, welcome.
With the horses, how are you gonna keep the water tub from freezing? I understand the water line and the heat tape but after you get the water to the barn, and fill the water tubs for the horses how are you gonna keep them? I guess it is in the barn and not exposed to the elements so perhaps they won't freeze after you fill them.
 
J

joealati

New Member
Re: How To Heat Tape a Water Hose???

The water tub is already heated. I just need to be able to fill it with out lugging buckets of water every day.
 
L

LEN

Senior Member
Re: How To Heat Tape a Water Hose???

There is a pressure valve used in lawn watering systems that might work for the 200' to the tank problem. You put the valve on the low point of the 200' and when the water is turned on it closes and the water goes to the tank and when the water is turned off again it opens and the 200' is drained(you could do this with a manual valve also). Heat tape for a 200' run would be hard to do.

LEN
 
U

utmtman

Senior Member
Re: How To Heat Tape a Water Hose???

I would be sure to get some of the pipe insulation and put the heat tape inside the insulation along the pipe. Just laying the heat tape on the pipe or under it is not going to cut it. That foam insulation is not that expensive.
 
A

AMR

New Member
RE: How To Heat Tape a Water Hose???

John Harrelson,

Thank you for a very informative article. It is just about exactly what I was looking for. I have three questions.

1.) I am having a problem finding the Snow King brand of heat tape. Do you know how many watts per foot of heat the Snow King brand provided so I can match it with another brand?

2.) I was told by a hose manufacturer that putting a heat tape against a vinyl or plastic hose will deteriorate the hose and cause it to burst under pressure. I was also told that if I wrap a thin layer of insulation around the hose and then put the heat tape against the insulation that there will be enough protection between the hose and the heat tape to allow enough heat to pass thru to keep it from freezing and not allowing the direct contact of the heat tape against the hose protecting it from the deterioration process. Can you shed some light on this?

3.) Some tape manufacturers recommend not spiral wrapping the heat tape on the hose but just running it parallel to the pipe. Notice I said pipe as all heat tapes I have found so far have talked about solid piping rather than flexible viinyl hose. My hose is a white RV hose that is made of medical grade vinyl. Is this all right to use? I have gotten mixed opinions on this question.

I appreciate your help as I am the manager of a campgrount in the Pacific North West. I have to let my monthliy residents know what to do to prevent their water from freezing.

Thank you for your help.

Mike Rovner
 
Triple E

Triple E

Senior Member
RE: How To Heat Tape a Water Hose???

AMR - 10/9/2009 8:44 AM

John Harrelson,

Thank you for a very informative article. It is just about exactly what I was looking for. I have three questions.

1.) I am having a problem finding the Snow King brand of heat tape. Do you know how many watts per foot of heat the Snow King brand provided so I can match it with another brand?

2.) I was told by a hose manufacturer that putting a heat tape against a vinyl or plastic hose will deteriorate the hose and cause it to burst under pressure. I was also told that if I wrap a thin layer of insulation around the hose and then put the heat tape against the insulation that there will be enough protection between the hose and the heat tape to allow enough heat to pass thru to keep it from freezing and not allowing the direct contact of the heat tape against the hose protecting it from the deterioration process. Can you shed some light on this?

3.) Some tape manufacturers recommend not spiral wrapping the heat tape on the hose but just running it parallel to the pipe. Notice I said pipe as all heat tapes I have found so far have talked about solid piping rather than flexible viinyl hose. My hose is a white RV hose that is made of medical grade vinyl. Is this all right to use? I have gotten mixed opinions on this question.

I appreciate your help as I am the manager of a campgrount in the Pacific North West. I have to let my monthliy residents know what to do to prevent their water from freezing.

Thank you for your help.

Mike Rovner
Click to expand...


I am not sure what brand of heat tape I used, orange with black ends, but it was off of the shelf at Home Depot. I wrapped the heat tap around the RV Hose. However, the hose was a fifty footer and I might have wrapped the hose ten times. So I guess what I am saying is one wrap for about every five feet. Then I covered the hose and the heat tape with a gray hose insulator, also from Home Depot. I wrapped Duct Tape about every foot around the gray insulator. My family and I were living in our Class A, also in the Pacific Northwest, while building our home. The coldest was -8 degrees F. Thank the lord we made it. We lived in the coach for four months this way with no problems. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top