How to install an immersion heater quickly to save time and cost

Posted by Ravish Kumar on December 17th, 2019

The ease of installation of immersion heaters is the key factor for the reason that they are used as industrial heaters to heat up any fluid system. They have a simple structure and have a high functionality while requiring minimal maintenance and are easy to replace as well. Their installation of these industrial heaters requires only a basic knowledge of electrical systems and with just a few precautionary measures they can get the production process started in no time at all.

The first step in their installation is to choose the correct kind of immersion heaters that fit the purpose. Most of the immersion heaters are highly customisable to suit the various shapes of their installation environment. Before searching for these industrial heaters, it is imperative to perform a detailed assessment of the key functions required in your particular operation. They come as oil-based, electric, flange, circulation, incremental and heat applications.

Once you have bought the particular industrial heaters, a megohm reading is the next useful preinstallation step to gather the resistance reading of the heater before connecting it to the electrical power source. Transportation and storage of the immersion heaters expose them to moisture which affects their refractive surface and can cause problems post-installation.

In case of a low megohm reading, the heater should be baked in the oven for a few hours to increase its resistance which will make the moisture to escape and improve its performance. An alternative procedure is to energise the heater in the air at a low voltage. This will solve a lot of potential problems later on. The next step is to check the temperature rating of the wire that you will use to connect it to the power source. A heavy-duty wire with a minimal temperature rating of around 200 degrees Celsius or more should be used.

Although these instructions may seem very basic but these are some of the most common mistakes anyone makes while installing immersion heaters. Avoiding them shall yield much better results to the heating process and maximise the efficiency of the heating considerably. During installation, the last thing to consider is the mounting angle of the immersion heaters.

Though industrial heaters are meant for installing in any angle to provide heat as per the shape and size of the drums or pipes, the best results have been found if they are mounted horizontally. This horizontal position provides the best convective heating current and should not be completely at the bottom to avoid any buildup of sludge interfering with the heating process. The entire heater should be immersed in the liquid at all times and if the level of the fluid drops or fluctuates in the tank or pipe, the heaters should be equipped with an automatic cut off switch.

Along with a correct installation, just a few maintenance knowledge will make your immersion heaters to work for a very long time. The basic thing is to switch off the power when they are not in use or have to be cleaned or the locks and bolts need to be replaced or tightened. A semi-annual megohm reading will also ensure that your immersion heaters have a long life.