What is a Solar Edge Tape?

Solar Edge Tape  is a component that provides power to heat materials at remote locations and prevents them from freezing.

Conventional heat tapes are a hidden source of high electric bills and can get serious if you’re going to install them on numerous materials.

Solar Edge Tapes are the perfect solution as they rely on the free energy from the sun but still perfectly protect materials from the effects of cold weather conditions.

During cold weather, material insulation is crucial for preventing cold weather problems, like ice dams and icicle formation.

While insulation is important, it may not by itself be sufficient to freeze protect materials during the winter. That’s where heat tapes come into play.

The problem with conventional heat tapes is that they’re cost-inefficient– they consume a lot of power, which can add a significant amount to your electricity bills.

So, what’s the ultimate solution to completely cold/freeze-protect materials during cold weather?

Solar Edge Tape eliminate the electricity costs associated with conventional heat tapes but provide the same insulation from cold weather.

They melt any ice that may attempt to form on your materials by just leveraging free power from the sun.

This article uncovers what Solar Edge Tapes are, how they work, possible applications, and literally everything you need to know about heat tapes powered by solar.

Double glass punching tape solar edge tape

Components of  Solar Edge Tape

Solar panel
The solar panel harnesses solar energy and converts it to electricity. It should be mounted near the structure that needs to be heated to reduce the need for connecting cables.

MPPT
The MPPT controls the amount of current that flows in the batteries, thus guarding them against extreme current damage. It’s the same power tracker used in typical PV systems.

Battery
A battery stores some solar power from the solar panel and delivers it to the heat tape when there’s no production going on.

Batteries make it possible to run your solar heat tapes even in the most unusual places, like your basement.

Solar inverter
Since the solar power stored in batteries is in DC, it has to be converted to AC before it’s delivered to the solar heat tapes. The solar inverter does this conversion.

Cabinet enclosure
To guard the electrical components from outdoor elements, they’re usually enclosed in a cabinet, except the solar panel that needs to be exposed to the sun.

How To install Solar Edge Tape?

Determine the amount of tape you need
To determine how much tape you need, analyze your surface area and the extent of cold temperatures expected, then consult the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Clean the surface
Brush off dust, dirt, cobwebs, and any other debris that may have accumulated on the surface before you begin the installation.

If any dust is left on the surface, it may ignite when current is passed through the Solar Edge Tape and destroy the material.

Wrap the heat tape on the surface
Wrap the heat tape perfectly and tightly around the target surface without leaving gaps or overlaps. You can use electrical tape to secure the Solar Edge Tape firmly on the surface.

Insulate the heat tape and the heat taped material
Insulation protects the heat tape and the material from harsh environmental conditions.

Additionally, insulation helps minimize any heat loss that may occur between the heat tape and the environment.

Usually, foam insulation is used due to its excellent weatherproofing properties.

Insulation may take the form of the material you want to insulate. The foam insulation for pipes, for example, is cylindrical and has a slit through which the pipe is inserted.

Connect the heat tape to the solar inverter
When everything is perfectly installed on the material, connect the power cord of the heat tape to the outlet at the inverter.

Before leaving your heat tape plugged in, test your installation as described after these precautionary measures

Some precautionary measures:

Never install solar heat tape to a material that touches the ground to avoid power surges due to grounding of the heat tape.
Always ensure water is running through or on the materials before switching on the Solar Edge Tape.
Ensure that there’re no flammable components near the vicinity of the Solar Edge Tape to prevent fire incidents.
Avoid using extension cables between the inverter and the heat tape’s power cord, as too many wires may also bring grounding problems.
Don’t install solar heat tapes on materials that can melt when the tape heats up.
Please note: Poor installation of Solar Edge Tape is a major risk, as even a tiny structural defect could cause serious fire risks and property damage.

How to Test a Solar Edge Tape?

On perfectly installing a Solar Edge Tape, you must first test it to ensure that everything is intact and working as needed.

Unplug the power cord of the Solar Edge Tape from the inverter.
Remove any insulation covering the Solar Edge Tape.
Feel with your hands if they’re any surface defects on the tape, such as cracks.
Stop the test if there’re any surface defects and replace the heat tape with a new one.
If there’re no surface defects, take a plastic food grade bag, fill it with ice, secure it on top so that there’s no water flow, and fix it on top of the thermostat.
Leave the ice-filled thermostat for 30 minutes and then connect the power code of the Solar Edge Tape to the inverter.
At this temperature, the heat tape should start to warm up on running power through it.
If the heat tape doesn’t warm up, then the heat tape or the thermostat may be defective, so remove everything and install everything afresh.
Repeat the process for the new unit until you’re sure that everything works perfectly.

How dose Solar Edge Tape Work?

Solar Edge Tape’s main role is to generate heat to protect the wrapped surface or material during cold weather.

A Solar Edge Tape has a conductor material running through its length. When electricity from the solar inverter flows through the solar heat tape, and there’s some kind of resistance, heat is produced.

The heat melts any ice that may be on the material and prevents any further accumulation. This could save you from the hassle of having to broom or rake away the ice that forms on your materials during the cold season.

Generally, the tape will generate temperatures around 500◦F, but some can stretch even above 1000◦F.

Like conventional heat tapes, Solar Edge Tapes should consume about 9W per linear foot of heated surface. But with solar heat tapes, you do not have to worry about the costs associated with this power consumption.

Although a Solar Edge Tape comes with a built-in thermostat, it’s recommended that you switch it off or unplug it when it’s not snowing