Heat Trace Cable | Self Regulating, Constant Wattage & Mineral Insulated
Our heat trace cables – including self-regulating, constant wattage, and mineral-insulated types – are engineered for frost protection, process temperature maintenance, and hazardous area compliance. Built to perform in the harshest conditions, they deliver safe, energy-efficient performance across pipelines, tanks, vessels, and critical process equipment.
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With over 40 years of experience in trace heating systems, we provide more than just cable supply. Our experts support you with system design, heat loss calculations, intelligent control systems, and product specification to ensure your installation meets strict compliance standards and maximises reliability.
Whether you’re protecting assets in oil & gas, chemical processing, power generation, commercial facilities, or preparing complete winterisation, we help you select the right heat trace cable for maximum performance, safety, and cost-efficiency. Our solutions include ATEX and IECEx certified for use in hazardous areas, giving you complete confidence in compliance and long-term operation.
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Heat Trace Cable Top Sellers
Thorne & Derrick provide an extensive range of heat trace cables for frost protection and temperature maintenance applications up to 900°C. Call our heat tracing specialists, who are here to provide the required technical insight to ensure cable selection, design and specification meets your operation demands. tel:+44 (0)191 410 4292
Eltherm ELSR-N Self-Regulating Heating Cable (Up to 80°C)
Eltherm ELSR-LS Low-Temperature Self-Regulating Cable (Up to 80°C)
Eltherm ELSR-SH Self-Regulating Heating Cable (Up to 250°C)
Eltherm ELSR-H Self-Regulating Heating Cable (Up to 210°C)
Eltherm ELP/PFA Constant Wattage Heating Cable (Up to 260°C)
Eltherm ELKM-AG-N Constant Wattage Heating Cable (Up to 260°C)
Eltherm ELK-MI VA Mineral Insulated Heating Cable (Up to 700°C)
Thorne & Derrick International are a trusted UK stockist, supplier and distributor of insulated drum heater and drum heating products worldwide. Contact our heating and process experts for engineered solutions, technical advice, quotations, and fast delivery for both UK & export orders.
Heat Tracing FAQs
Q: What is a heat trace cable?
A: A heat trace cable is an electrical heating system designed to maintain or raise the temperature of pipes, vessels, and equipment. By generating controlled heat along its length, it prevents freezing, ensures flow, and protects processes — though performance varies by cable type and application.
Q: Where are heat tracing cables used?
A: Heat tracing cables are widely used in industrial, commercial, and hazardous environments. Common applications include frost protection of pipelines, temperature maintenance in chemical plants, and ensuring reliable flow of water, fuel, or process fluids. Their versatility makes them essential across oil, gas, food, and power sectors.
Q: What are the different types of heat trace cable?
A: Heat trace cables include self-regulating, constant wattage, and mineral-insulated types. Each offers distinct benefits: from energy efficiency and cut-to-length flexibility to high-temperature endurance. Choosing the right cable depends on whether you need frost protection, process heating, or long-line temperature control in challenging industrial environments.
Self-Regulating, Constant Wattage & Mineral Insulated Heat Trace Cables Overview
Self Regulating Heat Trace Cable
Self-regulating heat trace cables provide reliable frost protection and temperature maintenance for industrial and commercial applications. They automatically adjust heat output in response to ambient temperature, delivering energy only when needed.
Each cable contains two parallel bus conductors embedded in a radiation-cross-linked conductive polymer core, ensuring long-term durability and performance.
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When temperatures drop, the polymer forms more conductive pathways, generating more heat.
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As temperatures rise, pathways reduce, cutting heat output to prevent overheating and save energy.
This intelligent self-regulation makes the cables ideal for pipe freeze protection, process temperature control, and hazardous or non-hazardous areas across industries such as oil & gas, chemical, food & beverage, and building services.
Constant Wattage Heat Trace Cable
Constant wattage heat trace cables deliver a fixed power output along their length, regardless of the pipe or ambient temperature. This makes them a reliable choice for frost protection and process temperature maintenance where steady, uniform heating is required.
Constructed as a parallel resistance cut-to-length heating cable, they are available in both 110V and 240V options to suit a wide range of installations. Unlike self-regulating cables, constant wattage types do not adjust their output automatically, so careful design and control is essential to ensure safe, efficient operation.
These cables are widely used for long pipe runs, tanks, and vessels in industries such as oil & gas, petrochemical, food & beverage, and commercial building services, offering dependable performance in both hazardous and non-hazardous areas.
Mineral Insulated Heat Trace Cable
Mineral insulated heat trace cables are the most durable option, designed for extreme temperatures and harsh environments. With continuous operating capabilities above 350 °C and exposure limits over 500 °C, they provide unmatched fire, impact, and temperature resistance.
These cables are specified when heat trace applications demand higher temperatures, longer circuit lengths, or greater power output than self-regulating or constant wattage cables can achieve.
Commonly used in refineries, petrochemical plants, and heavy industry, MI heat trace cables deliver long-term reliability and safety in the most demanding process heating applications.
Eltherm Heat Trace Cable Solutions
Expertly manufactured in Germany, Eltherm are dedicated to providing high-quality and cost-efficient ATEX & IECEx certified electrical heat trace solutions, competing alongside well-known UK heat trace manufacturers.
Thorne & Derrick are Eltherm‘s UK Sales Channel Partner, and hold the largest stocks of heat trace cables and products in the United Kingdom. Our team of experts are available to provide custom Eltherm trace heating systems, including complete specification and design, tailored to meet an extensive range of industry and commercial needs.
Commercial & Industrial Heat Tracing Applications
Industrial heat tracing applications
Our ranges of frost protection and temperature maintenance heating cables provide versatile, optimum and precise electrical surface heating for viscosity and flow control of industrial processes and also plant Winterisation of mechanical services to prevent against frost and cold climate weather damage to production.
Protection against frost & maintaining critical process heating temperatures
- Pipework Vessels Tanks | Frost protection & process temperature maintenance heat trace systems
- LNG Tanks | Foundation & concrete plate to maintain bulk liquid storage temperatures
- Silos | Anti-condensation heating & temperature control of dry bulk materials
- Hoses | T
- IBCs & Drums | Jackets maintain critical storage temperatures
- Tanks & Hoppers | Flow control & viscosity consistency for condensation & blockage prevention
Key industrial heat tracing cables – Our heat tracing solutions are used to maintain or raise the temperature of Product, Process Liquids or Gases, Pipes, Vessels, Impulse Lines, Foundations.
Commercial heat tracing applications
- Frost protection heat tracing cable to protect water pipes in winter
- Hot water temperature maintenance cable
- Ramp heating – snow melting & ice prevention
- Roof & gutter heating – snow melting & ice prevention
- Tank heating – commercial, industrial & hazardous area
Frost protection cable applications include heat tracing of chilled water, heating, sprinkler and boosted cold water pipework.
Heat Trace Cable System Example
Thorne & Derrick design and distribute the most extensive range of hazardous area electrical heating solutions enabling flow, workplace heating and and process heating in all industries.
Our Team of Trained Sales Engineers are available to advise and support your heat tracing applications – this includes design and supply of complex multi-kilometre, major-project systems to custom heating cable kits for the plant winterisation and factory facilities.
Typical Self-Regulating Heat Trace System
A. Heat Trace Cable
B. Cable Connection Kit
C. End Cable Termination Kit
D. Junction Box
E. Pipe Mounting Fitting
F. Fasteners & Self-adhesive Tapes, Foils
G. Insulation Bushing
H. Warning Sign
I. Temperature Controller
J. Temperature Sensor
Additional Heat Trace Products & Information
Precise, Medium & High Temperature Pipe Heating
- Precision temperature control and pipework heating for anti-icing, fuel oils, paints and fertilizers, (enhanced further with Eltherm EL-SHS Heating Mantle)
- Medium temperature range pipe heating cables for polymers, acids, heavy fuels and chemicals
- High temperature pipework heating including heavy oils, asphalt, sulphur and bitumen
Industrial heating cables withstand steam cleaning processes and high process temperatures in the oil, gas and petrochemical industries. Typical industrial applications includes caustic soda, chocolate, syrups, waxes, cooling and safety showers.
Customised Heat Trace Cable Kits & Systems
Heat Trace Kits are installed with step-by-step instructions – simply attaching the heat trace cable linearly to the length of the water pipe, insulate and plug in to the mains supply. Controlled by an air sensing thermostat that will activate when the ambient temperature falls below 5° Celsius the pipe trace heat cables will gently trace heat the pipe, thus preventing water from freezing.
Heated Hoses, Drum Heaters & IBC Heaters
Alongside our heat trace cables, Thorne & Derrick supply a full range of complementary heating products. These solutions support the safe storage, handling, and transfer of liquids and gases, ensuring process reliability and protection in all environments.
Heated Hoses
Heated hoses provide reliable and flexible transfer of fluids or gases while maintaining the required operating temperatures. They are commonly used in process applications where temperature-sensitive media must remain stable during movement, offering a dependable extension to heat trace cable systems. Built for industrial conditions, heated hoses ensure accuracy, safety, and efficiency in production and transfer lines.
Drum Heaters
Drum heaters are designed to safely warm the contents of steel or plastic drums, preventing frost damage and keeping materials at an optimum viscosity. They provide a practical and energy-efficient way to heat stored liquids, pastes, and chemicals directly at the point of use. This makes them an essential solution for industries that rely on year-round flow assurance and process consistency.
IBC Heaters
IBC heaters maintain the correct temperature in intermediate bulk containers used for transporting and storing bulk liquids, gels, and granulated substances. By delivering uniform heating, they protect sensitive materials from cold weather risks and help maintain product integrity during storage or transfer. IBC heating jackets are widely used across food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries where quality and reliability cannot be compromised.
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