Install Instructions

ManualsBrandsSuntouch ManualsElectric Radiant HeatHeating Wire Repair Kit, 1 Repair

Table Of Contents

4500 E. Progress Place

Springfield, MO 65803

Phone: 417-864-6108

Fax: 417-864-8161

www.wattsradiant.com

Heating Cable Repair Kit

Installation Guidelines

Warranty Disclaimer: This repair kit and these installation guidelines

are provided by Watts Radiant to assist in repairing a Watts Radiant

heating cable damaged at the job site. Watts Radiant does not, in any

way, warranty the repair or ensure proper function of the product

following the repair. Only a qualified electrician should make repairs

to the Watts Radiant heating cables. It is highly recommended that

an experienced tile installer remove the tile over the damage. For

further assistance, please contact Watts Radiant.

Watts Radiant does not qualify electricians, tile installers, or Watts

Radiant installers to perform diagnostics, tile removal, or cable repair.

It is the responsibility of the installing party or homeowner to contact

a qualified person to follow these guidelines.

DO NOT USE this repair kit to splice different cables together. The

kit is only for making a repair within a cable.

DO NOT USE this repair kit to repair a cable within a shower area

or a cable that extends into a shower area.

Materials and Tools Needed

Heating Cable Repair Kit: Manufacturer order number 81007142.

This heating cable repair kit contains components for making

a repair at one location. Certain components may not be used

depending on the method of repair selected.

Repair Tool Kit: Manufacturer order number 81007201. Available for

rent or purchase as a kit. NOTE: Items are subject to change.

Heat gun

• Must be able to heat to about 1000°F.

• Milwaukee Model 8975, shown with reduction nozzle.

Thermal wire strippers

• For stripping the heating wires.

• Omega Model TW-1.

Scoring tool

• For cable with an outside jacket.

• Ideal Model 45-403 with blade Part K-6502.

Wire strippers

• For cutting and stripping 16-AWG wire.

• GB Model GESP-55.

Small screwdriver

• To help separate heating wire from braid.

• Paper clip or similar pointed tool may also be used.

Special Note on Alternative Tool Options - When thermal strippers

are not available, the heated tip of a soldering pencil is the best

alternative tool for stripping the heating elements, and the “TPU”

jacket on some floor warming cables.

If your heat gun does not have a factory reducer nozzle you can

make one from an empty can, or aluminum foil can be fashioned to

work with a piece of wire or a hose clamp to hold it on the end of the

heat gun. The nozzle opening should be about ½” wide.

Other Tools

Digital multimeter

• Must measure up to 20k ohms or 20,000 ohms.

Hammer and chisel

• For removal of tile and mortar if needed, and for creating a

“valley” in which to lay the splice.

Hot glue gun with standard stick adhesive

• For adhering splice into the “valley” chiseled into floor.

Scissors

Part 1. Getting Started

Step 1.1. Make sure the power is OFF!

Step 1.2. Two repair methods are shown in these guidelines. Choose

the method that is best for the installation.

Direct splice: This method is used when the damaged cable has

enough “play” to be cut and overlapped by about 3/4 of an inch. This

also gives the best possible heating uniformity over the splice versus

using the jumper splice, and has fewer soldered connections.

Jumper splice: This method is used when the damaged cable

does not have enough “play” to be cut and overlapped. This also

results in a splice section that will have very little heating directly over

the splice.

Step 1.3. Depending on the product used, the heating cable is

constructed in one of the two following ways:

Jacketed heating cable: This cable is comprised of two insulated

heating wires, covered by a metal braid, which in turn is covered by

an outer covering. Each heating wire consists of at least one heating

element that must be kept intact and undamaged.

Non-jacketed heating cable: This cable is comprised of two

insulated heating wires covered by a stainless steel braid. Each wire

consists of at least one heating element that must be kept intact and

undamaged.

Thermal wire

strippers

Scoring tool

Wire strippers

Small

screwdriver

Heat gun

4 Solder tubes

2 Ground solder tubes

2 jumper wires

1 Ground jumper wire

Braided metal grounding jacket

Jacketed heating cable

Summary of content (6 pages)

PAGE 1
4500 E. Progress Place Springfield, MO 65803 Phone: 417-864-6108 Fax: 417-864-8161 www.wattsradiant.com Heating Cable Repair Kit Installation Guidelines Warranty Disclaimer: This repair kit and these installation guidelines are provided by Watts Radiant to assist in repairing a Watts Radiant heating cable damaged at the job site. Watts Radiant does not, in any way, warranty the repair or ensure proper function of the product following the repair.
PAGE 2
Heating Cable Repair Kit Guidelines Part 2. Tile and Mortar Removal Step 3.2. For a heating cable with an outer jacket: Strip off approximately 2.5 inches of the outer jacket. DO NOT USE standard wire strippers! The out of round character of the cable makes it very difficult to strip with a common wire stripper tool, using one could damage the cable. There are two types of jacket compounds, “XLPE” and “TPU” (TPU see Step 3.3.b). Step 3.9. Pull the braid straight out to make it into a pigtail. Step 2.
PAGE 3
Heating Cable Repair Kit Guidelines Step 4.2. For a heating cable with an outer jacket: Strip off approximately 2.5 inches of the outer jacket. DO NOT USE standard wire strippers! The out of round character of the cable makes it very difficult to strip with a common wire stripper tool, using one could damage the cable. There are two types of jacket compounds, “XLPE” and “TPU” (TPU see Step 4.3.b). Step 3.13. Pull the heating wires together to overlap the heating elements of both leads.
PAGE 4
Heating Cable Repair Kit Guidelines Step 4.9. Pull the braid straight out to make it into a pigtail. Step 4.10. Use the thermal wire strippers to carefully strip off exactly 1/2” of the insulation from the heating wires. Count the little heating elements to make sure none were cut off and thereby cause a hot spot or possible failure. A fiber strand may also be found among the heating elements. There is no need to separate or remove this fiber strand. Step 4.11.
PAGE 5
ADDITIONAL TIPS V.1 5/24/05 Disclaimer: The following are tips and techniques provided by Watts Radiant, Inc. to assist in discovering and uncovering damage made on-site to an electric radiant heating system product made by this company. Watts Radiant does not, in any way, guarantee the tips presented here nor have any responsibility for damage or other problems incurred by following these tips.
PAGE 6
Spotting the damage CAUTION! Power for this circuit must be turned off at the breaker panel before you handle the cable. Verify that it has been turned off. • A lot of the damage that occurs during installation is from the edge of a metal trowel cutting into a cable. This may leave a place of obvious damage where wires are exposed, or it may look like a dent or a crease in the insulation. • Don’t gouge the wire further by probing a “crease” in the blue insulation with a knife or similar tool.