Electric Heating Co., Inc

Heater Connection     

It has been a couple of years since we focused on lead wires, so let's look again. The connecting wire, or lead wire, for a cartridge heater is often a make-or-break component in the effectiveness of its performance. Lead wire sees heat, abrasion, flexing and contamination and all the time it must perform two functions: deliver power to the heater and provide insulation from the rest of its environment.

Watt-Flex® cartridge heaters primarily use Grade "A" nickel stranded wire. The nickel provides much greater integrity and resistance to flexing than NCC (nickel clad copper) or NPC (nickel plated copper). The wire is generally composed of a number of strands of 30 gage wire, increasing in number as the wire gage increases. 18 gage wire will have 16 strands, 16 gage has 26 strands, 14 gage has 41 strands and 12 gage has 65 strands.

Wire is matched to the specification of the heater ... as the amperage increases, so must the gage of the heater wire to accommodate it. The nickel wire has the same coefficient of expansion under heat as the the stainless steel pin into which it is crimped in the end of the heater. This will insure a long-term integrity of connection and eliminate development of a high resistance connection to the heater.

The man looked a little worried when the doctor came in to administer his annual physical, so the first thing the doctor did was to ask whether anything was troubling him.

"Well, to tell the truth, Doc, yes," answered the patient.

"You see, I seem to be getting forgetful. No, it's actually worse than that. I'm never sure I can remember where I put the car, or whether I answered a letter, or where I'm going, or what it is I'm going to do once I get there -- if I get there. So, I really need your help. What can I do?"

The doctor mused for a moment, then answered in his kindest tones, "Pay me in advance."

Dalton Electric Heating Co., Inc (978)356-9844
28 Hayward Street Ipswich, MA 01938 USA

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