Prime PHC42W06 Installation & Operating Instructions Manual page 7

Thermal insulation
After installing the PRIME Pipe Freeze
Protection Cable, visually inspect the cable
to ensure it is properly installed and there
are no signs of damage. Use a maximum
of 1/2in fiberglass (including pre-formed
fiberglass) insulation over the heating
cable and the thermostat to keep the cable
working more efficiently. In order to protect
the insulation from moisture and physical
damage, and to ensure the proper
performance of the heating cable, a protective barrier (with an additional waterproof barrier over-wrapped in the opposite direction)
should be installed on the heater-traced system. Apply "Electric Traced" (not included) labels to the insulation weather barrier at
intervals of 10ft/3m along the pipe as a warning to maintenance personnel.
!
Warning:
Never use more than ½in of fiberglass insulation or other non-fire-retardant insulation material with the PRIME
Freeze Protection Cable. The overall 'R' value of the fiberglass insulation, protective barrier and waterproof barrier should
not be greater than 2.0. Over insulation can cause the heating cable to overheat and cause fire hazard or electric shock.
Electrical Requirements
Caution: A ground fault protection device must be used with this heating device.
• This cable must be plugged into a 120 volt A/C outlet that:
Is a circuit with an appropriate current (amp/amperage) rating to support the selected heating cable.

The cable should not be more than 80% of the circuit's total amp rating. (A circuit for a cable drawing 10.00 amps should be rated

at 12.50 amps minimum).
We do not recommend using a circuit rated above 20 amps.

Is protected from weather.

• The Primelight Indicator Light will illuminate on the male plug to let you know the cable is receiving power.
®
Testing
• For Commercial Applications, we recommend performing a megohmmeter test with a 500 Vdc megohmmeter to find the electrical
insulation resistance. Perform the test between the heating cable bus wires and the grounding path (heating cable metallic braid).
Minimum resistance should be 20 megohms. Readings below 20 megohms may mean the electrical insulation has been damaged.
Replace the heating cable if readings are below 20 megohms. Once installation is completed, perform this test again to ensure no
damage was sustained during installation.
• It is the installer's or electrician's responsibility to perform visual inspections on the PRIME Pipe Freeze Protection Cable at the start of
and during installation.
• Once power is connected, but before putting the system into operation, retrace the cable to look for possible areas susceptible to
cutting, tearing or straining the cable and adjust accordingly. Read back through the manual once finished installing to ensure proper
installation has been completed.
Fig. 3
Not to scale
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