Electric Heating Co., Inc

Sticky Heaters

We recently received a significant return of 330 cartridge heaters from a good customer. They had purchased the heaters in 2006 with an anticipated demand that was not realized. The heaters were sealed with RTV potting as a moisture barrier. However, this is not a hermetic seal and over a couple of years, moisture found its way to the hydrophilic Magnesium Oxide insulation. The equipment on which the heaters are used has some reasonably sensitive circuit protection which was tripped during the initial heat-up.

At our recommendation, they tried to warm the heaters to remove the moisture, but the normal measures taken were not sufficient, most likely as a result of the moisture barrier providing a barrier to its removal. The Watt-Flex® cartridge heater will absorb atmospheric moisture, but generally it will not bother the heater if fully powered. We have observed steam pouring from our heaters when initially started after a long spell in unbagged storage. The increased insulation of the Dalton heater most often will not be compromised by moisture.

But in this case, circuit protection prohibited use of these "wet" heaters. They were returned to Dalton and our incoming inspection revealed that MegOhm readings were in the 40 to 58 range. The heaters were inserted in a heated storage locker at 250 degF for 16 hours, after which the MegOhm readings were at infinity. The normal routine of placing a heater in a heated location for a couple of hours to remove any moisture does not do the trick if a moisture barrier is present.

Dalton Electric is always ready to help with heaters that do not fully meet a customers expectations, no matter what the conditions or circumstances. We support you.

Friday Funnies

My dad and I were talking the other night about love and marriage.

He told me that he knew as early as their wedding what marriage to my mom would be like. It seems the minister asked my mom, "Do you take this man to be your husband?" And she said, "I do."

Then the minister asked my dad, "Do you take this woman to be your wife?" And my mom said, "He does."

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

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