PTC heaters with Eltwin starting torque limiters

Self-limiting PTC heaters, often used for pipe trace heating, are essential for heating pipes and maintaining the temperature of tanks with varying fill levels. These heaters are commonly employed for frost protection and temperature maintenance, preventing liquids from freezing and pipes from bursting.

A PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heater is a ceramic-based electrical component with temperature-dependent resistance, used as a heating element. Due to its positive temperature coefficient, the current flows more effectively at lower temperatures than at higher temperatures. Consequently, PTC heaters exhibit low resistance at low temperatures, leading to an inrush current that can be up to 8 times higher than the operating current. As the temperature increases, the inherent resistance of the PTC rises, causing the current and power output to decrease until minimal current flows. Thanks to their self-regulating properties, PTC heaters cannot overheat, making them highly reliable and safe.

To significantly reduce the inrush current of a PTC heater, Eltwin Group offers robust solutions with the STL1 and STL3 starting torque limiters. These limiters minimize the inrush current, preventing unwanted voltage dips when switching on the PTC heaters.