Industrial electric heaters are arguably the most critical piece of electrical equipment in any industrial setting. If you have the luxury of having reliable electricity nearby and your facility is in an area that gets cold, you probably should have a few of these heaters installed. 

This blog post explores the importance of maintaining these heaters so they keep your facilities warm and functional.

How to Maintain Industrial Electric Heaters

Our October Cold-Weather Tips blog post touched on maintaining your electric heaters, but we only scratched the surface. Keep reading for a deep dive into heater maintenance and how to avoid a surprise breakdown in the heart of winter!

While reading this, remember that there is a risk of electrical shock and mechanical danger when working on heaters. Therefore, please ensure that you are qualified before you tackle any of the following tasks.

General

• Listen to the motor and ensure it sounds smooth, unlaboured, and healthy. Verify that the louvers are at the correct angles and aren’t loose. Make sure that the electrical junction box cover is tight.
• Check the pressure relief valve (PRV) for signs of fluid leakage. Leakage usually indicates that the heat exchanger needs to be replaced.
• Check the motor shaft for excess play in the bearings. If there is extra play or the motor runs loudly, you’ll need to replace the shaft.
• Check the fan to ensure that it isn’t cracked or damaged. Replace it if it is.
• Check the overall tightness of all screws and hardware.

Clean

• Periodically remove dust and debris from the fan, fan guard, motor, louvers, and finned tubes. This will help with better airflow, smoother operation, preventing overheating, and transfer of heat. Do NOT spray with solvents or water.

Electrical

• Have your electrician check that all terminals and conductors are tight and no insulation is damaged. Any loose connections or wires with damaged insulation should be tightened or replaced immediately.
• Have your electrician look in the electrical junction box to ensure it’s clean and dry. Check all fuses in the heater control box.
• Check that the thermostat is working by turning it on and checking continuity with a multimeter.
• Perform a Megger test on the motor. Megger testing measures the resistance between the phase windings of the motor under testing and ground. If the insulation is in poor condition and breaking down, the test will show a departure between phases. It’s an indication of poor motor health and should be addressed by your electrician.

The best time to get caught up with your heater maintenance is right now! The cold months are quickly approaching, so do yourself a favor and get on top of this.

Crossroad Energy Solutions’ technicians work on electric heaters all the time. We regularly remind our clients that their heaters should be checked before the arrival of cold weather. Heater maintenance should be a part of your regular maintenance plan and should not be overlooked.

Please contact us if you would like a hand with getting your heaters checked out or if you’d like us to help you with any other electrical maintenance at your site.

Crossroad Energy Solutions 1-877-822-0222