Advancements in heat tracing controls to meet code and reduce energy consumption

The 1996 National Electrical Code (NEC) was revised to require manufacturers, designers, installers, and users to include proper grounding and equipment protection. Both of the revisions to Article 427 are important to note and will generate higher installed costs for electric heat tracing (EHT) than was possible in years past. The good news is that advancing applications of electronics are making more accurate control and monitoring of EHT circuits more affordable, and for the sake of this article, able to meet the new code requirements without using specialty circuit breakers.