Strip heaters without fins are designed for contact heating. They are used in a verity of applications including mounting to the outside of tanks/container surfaces for heating of liquids and solids. They are also used for direct heating of platens, dies and other flat metal shapes and solids.

It is extremely important that heaters are mounted on a flat, smooth and clean surface with good contact maintained between the heater and the mounting surface. Air gaps between the mating surfaces will result in a reduced heat transfer and possibly shorter heater life due to resulting higher heating temperatures.
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When surface mounting strip heaters allowance must be made for liner thermal expansion of heater. A common method of allowing liner thermal expansion is to firmly tighten the mounting bolt on one end and alllow the heater to expand within the confines of the mounting bolt on the other end of strip heater.

Care should be taken not to overtightining/torquing the screw and nut terminal posts as breakage of the internal heater connections may occur. Also connections of heater are usually made with high temperature wire.

As with any electrically heated product, the proper application of heater and temperature control is the most important factor in optimum performance, efficiency. No two systems are alike It is extremely important that attention has been given to the total product or system design as well as operating environment.