Warm Feet For Uncoupling Membrane Pour membrane de désolidarisation Installation Guide Floor Heating Cable
119A Sir Wilfrid Laurier Saint-Basile-le-Grand, (Québec), J3N 1M2 Tel: 1-450-482-1919 Toll Free: 1-866-994-4664 Fax: 1-450-482-1920 www.warmfeet.ca info@warmfeet.ca
This guide describes the Cable Floor Heating System how to design the installation, and install the cable in an uncoupling membrane. It is important to review this guide and the Thermostat Installation and Operation Manual prior to installation. For additional information regarding any aspect of the cable system, contact. General Information The safety and reliability of any floor heating system depends on proper design, installation and testing. The guidelines and instructions contained in this guide are important. This system can be used as a main source of heat in a room. The heat loss of the room must be less than the heating output of the system. The thermostat can be set at floor or ambient room temperature. Refer to the thermostat instructions for more information. This system is approved for dry and humid environments. This heating system is an electrical product and should be installed according to local and/or national electrical codes. The installation should be performed by a qualified professional where required by law. The Cable Floor Heating System is only designed for under floor heating purposes. The system must be installed by qualified professionals familiar with the proper sizing, installation, construction and operation of floor heating systems and the hazards involved. The installation of the system must comply with all national and/or local electrical codes. WARNING: Shock and fire hazard If the cable system is not installed properly and/or damaged, fire or shock can occur and can result in serious personal injury or damage to property. 25 Year Limited Warranty warrants the heating cable for a period of 25 years. The limited warranty is valid based on correct installation methods and completion of all test requirements. See Warranty for complete details. Safeguards and Warnings If the cable system is damaged, it must be replaced. Do not attempt to splice or repair any part of the system. Heating cable must be at least 15 cm (6 in) away from any heat source. Only install cables above 40 degrees Fahrenheit or 5 degrees Celsius. Never energize the cable while it is on the spool. Install cables a minimum of 3 slots (7.6cm; 3 inches) apart. Do not install product if the packaging seal on the box has been broken. This cable must be grounded. Never use the heating cable for any purpose other than heating a floor INSIDE a building. The heating section of the cable must be entirely installed under the floor covering. The installation is characterized as a Type C (Embedded Floor Warming) application. This product must be installed by a qualified person in accordance with this installation handbook and with the Canadian Electric Code Part I (Canada) or the National Electric Code (U.S.) as applicable. All electric connections must be made by a qualified electrician, according to the electrical and building codes effective in your region. The cable system must not extend beyond the room or area in which it originates. The cable should be installed at a minimum distance of 2 inches from the base of a counter The cable should be installed at a minimum distance of 2 inches from any walls The cable should be installed at a minimum distance of 6 inches from any type of drain The cable cannot be overlapped, cut or modified. The heating cable should never be installed in/on walls. The system must not be installed under fixed furniture where air does not flow. The cable should never be installed over an expansion joint. IMPORTANT Remember to measure the resistance 3 times during the installation The subfloor must meet or exceed national construction standard for this type of application. Refer to the uncoupling membrane manufacturer s instruction or the tile council of North America. Read all the instruction of the uncoupling manufacturer s instruction on how to fix/glue the membrane onto to the subfloor. 1 2
Circuit This floor heating system should be on a dedicated circuit. The maximum load of our thermostat is 15 Amps on 120V & 240V. If the installation requires more than 15 Amp, you can add an expansion unit (power unit) or a second thermostat. For example, in Figure 3, the area of the bathroom is 96 ft2. When you subtract the area of the vanity, shower and toilet, the total heated area is 74 ft2. Cable Heating System Cable Specifications Cable construction: Rated voltage: Output: Heating element size: Bending radius: Cable diameter: Conductor insulation: Outer insulation: Max. ambient temp.: Min. installation temp.: Cold lead: Plan the Design twin conductor 120V, 240V 3.7W/ft (12.14W/m) ±10% 40 ft to 800 ft (12.2 to 243.8 m) 1 in (25.4 mm) 1/4 in (6 mm) fluoropolymer fluoropolymer or TPE or nylon 85 F (30 C) 40 F (5 C) 2-wire 16 AWG plus ground braid; 10 ft (3 m) length The design of the installation is required to achieve the intended floor heat system specification. All cables can be spaced either at 3 or 4 slots in the uncoupling membrane and are available for both 120V and 240V supply voltage. Determine where the thermostat connection box will be installed. It should be in an accessible location in the room where the system will be installed and at an appropriate height. Note: The floor sensor is in the thermostat box. Measure and calculate the heated area of the floor where there are no permanent fixtures or furniture (such as showers, toilets, vanities, or cabinetry). 96 ft² of total area minus 22 ft² of permanent fixture space equals 74 ft² of heated area Surface totale 96 pi² moins surface d'installations fixes 22pi² égale surface chauffée 74pi² Example of the wire installation on the floor Exemple d'installation du fil sur le plancher With all specifications determined and total heat area calculated, select the required cable. Determine the optimum floor heating cable layout with the help of layout chart for the heated area to ensure adequate coverage. Select a spot for the thermostat in the wall above the heated area where it can be reached by the 10-ft cold lead on the cable and the 15-ft floor temperature sensor. It is recommended to leave a minimum of 2 inches between the perimeter walls and the first heating cable. 3 4
IMPORTANT Confirm that your cable is no larger than the heated area before removing product seal. Cable Sans Champ Magnetique Pour Membrane De Desolidarisation No Magnetic Field Cable For Uncoupling Membrane Longueur / Lenght Couvertuer / Coverage Pi / Ca - Sq / Ft Modele / Model Ohms Watt Amp Pi / Ft M / M 3.5Pouce/Inch 3.75Pouce/Inch 3.7CWF-120V-05 240 3.7CWF-120V-10 3.7CWF-120V-14 3.7CWF-120V-19 3.7CWF-120V-24 3.7CWF-120V-29 3.7CWF-120V-34 3.7CWF-120V-38 3.7CWF-120V-43 3.7CWF-120V-48 3.7CWF-120V-58 3.7CWF-120V-67 3.7CWF-120V-77 3.7CWF-120V-87 3.7CWF-120V-96 3.7CWF-120V-106 3.7CWF-120V-115 3.7CWF-120V-125 3.7CWF-120V-135 3.7CWF-120V-144 Installation Cable 3.7 Watt 120 Volt / Information 3.7 Watts 120 Volt Cable 120 80 60 48 40 32.3 30 26.7 24 20 17.1 15 13.3 12 10.9 10 9.2 8.6 8 60 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540 600 720 840 960 1080 1200 1320 1440 1560 1680 1800 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16.5 33 49.5 66 82.5 99 115.5 132 148.5 165 198 231 264 297 330 363 396 429 462 495 5.05 10.1 15.1 20.1 25.1 30.2 35.2 40.2 45.3 50.3 60.4 70.4 80.5 90.5 100.6 110.6 120.7 130.8 140.8 150.9 4.8 9.6 14.4 19.3 24.1 28.9 33.7 38.5 43.3 48.1 57.8 67.4 77 86.6 96.3 105.9 115.5 125.1 134.8 144.4 5.2 10.3 15.5 20.6 25.8 30.9 36.1 41.3 46.4 51.6 61.9 72.2 82.5 92.8 103.1 113.4 123.8 134.1 144.4 154.7 Longueur / Lenght Modele / Model Ohms Watt Amp Pi / Ft M / M 3.5Pouce/Inch 3.75Pouce/Inch 3.7CWF-240V-10 480 3.7CWF-240V-14 3.7CWF-240V-19 3.7CWF-240V-24 3.7CWF-240V-29 3.7CWF-240V-34 3.7CWF-240V-38 3.7CWF-240V-43 3.7CWF-240V-48 3.7CWF-240V-58 3.7CWF-240V-67 3.7CWF-240V-77 3.7CWF-240V-87 3.7CWF-240V-96 3.7CWF-240V-115 3.7CWF-240V-135 3.7CWF-240V-154 3.7CWF-240V-173 3.7CWF-240V-192 3.7CWF-240V-212 3.7CWF-240V-231 3.7CWF-240V-250 3.7CWF-240V-270 Installation Cable 3.7 Watt 240 Volt / Information 3.7 Watts 240 Volt Cable 320 240 192 160 137.1 120 106.7 96 80 68.6 60 53.3 48 40 34.3 30 26.7 24 21.8 Cable Sans Champ Magnetique Pour Membrane De Desolidarisation No Magnetic Field Cable For Uncoupling Membrane 120 180 240 300 360 420 480 540 600 720 840 630 1080 1200 1440 1680 1920 2160 2400 2640 0.5 0.8 1 1.3 1.5 1.8 2 2.3 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 33 49.5 66 82.5 99 115.5 132 148.5 165 198 231 264 297 330 396 462 528 594 660 726 10.1 15.1 20.1 25.1 30.2 35.2 40.2 45.3 50.2 60.4 70.4 80.4 90.6 100.6 120.8 140.8 161 181 201.2 221.2 Couvertuer / Coverage Pi / Ca - Sq / Ft 9.6 14.4 19.3 24.1 29.9 33.7 38.5 43.3 48.1 57.8 67.4 77 86.6 96.3 115.5 134.8 154 173.3 192.5 211.8 10.3 15.5 20.6 25.8 30.9 36.1 41.3 46.4 51.6 61.9 72.2 82.5 92.8 103.1 123.8 144.4 165 185.6 206.3 226.9 20 2880 12 792 241.4 231 247.5 18.5 3120 13 858 261.6 250.3 268.1 17.1 3360 14 924 281.6 269.5 288.8 3.7CWF-240V-289 16 3600 15 990 301.8 288.8 309.4 5 6
Installation IMPORTANT WARNING Perform all mandatory resistance tests described in this guide and follow all instructions in the limited warranty. Prior to unraveling the cable and breaking the packaging seal, measure the resistance for the first time. PREPARE SUB-FLOOR SURFACE Clean and vacuum the sub-floor to remove dust and debris. Assure no nails, screws, or similar devices are protruding through the sub-floor as this can cause damage to the cables during installation. LAY THE CABLE After completing the first resistance tests and confirming that the cable is free of defects, place the cable so that the connection point and the temperature sensor are in their intended positions and bring the power lead cable to the electrical connection box. Begin laying the heating cable according to the design, and secure the cable in the uncoupling membrane. Never cut or shorten the heating cable. Do not expose the cable to any mechanical stress. MEASURE RESISTANCE OF TEMPERATURE SENSOR If using a floor-temperature-sensing thermostat, measure the resistance of the sensor and install either in conduit tube or directly to the subfloor after confirming the sensor is free of defects. The sensor must be installed at a minimum of 16 inches away from the wall towards the middle of the heating system. If a conduit tube is used, the conduit tube must be partially countersunk into the subfloor. Cut a channel approximately 5/16 in deep 5/16 in wide in the floor from the wall. The sensor conduit must be centered in the cable loop between two heating wires. Duct tape or hot glue should be used to close the end of the conduit and hold the sensor conduit into the groove to prevent it from floating up when the mortar is poured. 7 8
WARNING The sensor conduit must never be laid directly over the heating cable. IMPORTANT recommends that the installation be documented with photos to note the location of connections and the sensor. recommends calling the flooring manufacturer for any special or minimum requirements to assure the proper function of the floor system and floor heating cables. The floor preparation and installation must be in accordance with industry best practices and always in accordance to the manufacturer s instructions and recommendations. WARNING The system must not be turned on until the mortar has fully dried. A minimum of 4 weeks is recommended. CONNECT THERMOSTAT AND POWER SUPPLY The thermostat can now be installed in accordance with Thermostat Installation and Operation Manual. As required, a professional must validate the minimum power supply requirement are installed and available to power the cable heating system. IMPORTANT Mark the appropriate circuit breaker reference label indicating which branch supplies the circuits to the cables. RECORD INFORMATION AND AFFIX LABELS It is important for the installer to mail in the warranty test card with all recorded results immediately after installing the system. Failure to do so will void the manufacturer's warranty. A copy of the warranty card should be kept for your reference. Mandatory Resistance Testing Requirements For the extended 25 year limited warranty to apply, you must perform the tests in this section, and follow all instructions noted in the Limited Warranty. Verifying the cable integrity When to verify: When you receive the heating cable When the cable is install in the uncoupling membrane and before covering the cable with thinset motar; When the floor covering installation is done and before starting the heating cable. Record all test on the warranty card. Before removing the plastic that covers the cable on the spool the cable insulation and resistance should be verified and compared to the factory testing to ensure the cable is intact. Factory test data is on the grey tag at the beginning of the cold lead cable. Results should be similar to the factory results. If it is more than a10% difference, call. Please refer to it. You must perform the Insulation Resistance Test, the Heating Cable Resistance Test, and the Sensor Resistance Test (the floor sensor is in the thermostat box) during the installation process. Use an appropriate multimeter to measure the resistance between the black leads. If an automatic multimeter is used the reading will be taken instantly. If the multimeter is not automatic, set it to 200 Ω for a cable under 200 Ω or at the higher value for a cable over 200 Ω. Write the results on the warranty card. Insulation Resistance Test This test ensures that the insulating jackets of the cable are not damaged. A low value indicates the cable has been damaged and must be replaced. Use a multimeter or a megohmmeter. 9 10
Connect the ground wire to the black lead and both power wires to the red lead of the multimeter. Make sure the meter reads open or OL. If you get a different reading, contact at 1-866-994-4664. Record these readings on the warranty card. Heating Cable Resistance Test This test measures the resistance of the Cable and is used to determine circuit integrity. Set your multimeter to the 200 or 2000 ohm range. Connect the 2 multimeter leads to the black and white cold lead wires. Compare this resistance reading to the resistance specified in the Product Selection. The value should be within ±10%. If you get a different reading, contact at 1-866-994-4664. Record these readings on the warranty card. If the ohms reading varies more than10% from the value printed on the tag, it either means that the cable has been damaged, or that the measuring instrument is not set properly, or that it is simply out of calibration. Sensor Resistance Test This test measures the resistance of the floor sensor and is used to verify the sensor integrity. Connect the ground wire to the black lead and both power wires to the red lead of the multimeter. Make sure the meter reads open or OL. If you get a different reading, contact at 1-866-994-4664. Record these readings on the warranty card. Installing the uncoupling membrane Before installing and operating this floor heating system, and before installing the heating cable in the uncoupling membrane, the user and/or installer must read, understand and follow the uncoupling membrane instructions and keep them handy for future reference. If the uncoupling manufacturer s instructions are not followed, the warranty will be considered null and void and the heating wire manufacturer deems no further responsibility for this product. Installing the cable in the uncoupling membrane Use thinset motar according to the membrane manufacturer s recommendations; All the heating portion of the cable including the shrink that unites the heating portion of the cable to the non-heating portion of the cable must be secured to the floor and covered with thin-set mortar; The system must not be installed under fixed furniture or where air does not flow; It should never be installed in closets, over or in walls or partitions of nor over cabinets or in a ceiling; The heating cable should never be installed over an expansion joint; The installation should not be done under 0 C (32 F) ambient air temperature; This cable was design to be installed at a minimum of 3 studs or a maximum of 4 studs in an uncoupling membrane; See picture. Ground fault equipment protection (GFCI) is required for each circuit (included in the thermostats); 11 12
The maximum length of a single run is 12 ft (3.6 m); the cable must be turned or a u-shaped created at this point (see image). The connection between the heating cable and the non-heating is bigger than the spacing between 2 slots in the uncoupling membrane. You will have to make space by cutting into the membrane to make space for the connection. Buffer zones are areas that are not essential to heat (behind the toilet, behind a door, or low traffic area) IMPORTANT to install the cable into the membrane, use a non-cutting tool such as a wooden trowel. Floor Probe The floor probe (sensor) has to be installed in the membrane directly between two cables. Curve the end of the floor probe between two studs so that the tip is directly between two cables. Inset the floor probe wire between the studs. The probe should be install a least 12 inches (30 cm) inside the heating area. Do not cross the probe wire over the heating wire. The probe should be install away from any heating source other them the heating cable. Floor covering Verify with the membrane manufacturer as to know what type of thinset motar to use and to know how to install different floor covering materials. ATTENTION Soft floor coverings are not recommended with this cable system. 13 14
Repairing the cable If the floor covering needs repair, always turn off the heating system before starting the repair on the floor covering. If the heating cable is damaged during the installation or the GFCI be set off after the installation is completed, the system is out of service and should not be activated. THE CABLE CAN BE REPAIRED. Never try to repair a cable. Troubleshooting Symptom Probable Causes Corrective Action No voltage. Check circuit breaker Starting the heating cable Only start your heating system after the installation has been completed for 28 days. This is the general curing period for thinset motar. Refer to the thinset motar manufacturer for more information. Rugs installation Floor does not heat Circuit breaker tripped. Ground-fault tripped in the thermostat. Thermostat not turned on. Ensure that there are not too many multi outlet assemblies (MOAs) or other appliances connected on the same circuit. The cable may require a dedicated circuit. See the Product Selection Table 1 or Table 2 in this manual. Refer to the Thermostat Installation and Operation Manual.at. Refer to Thermostat Installation and Operation Manual. Do not lay a rug, on a floor where a heating system has been installed. The heat would get trapped under the rug therefore, damaging the floor covering and the heating system. A bath mat or some area rugs can be can be acceptable, as long as the heat can pass through the mat or rug. Do not use an area rug with a rubber underneath. Cable not connected to thermostat. Floor temperature sensor not connected. Refer to Thermostat Installation and Operation Manual. Floor temperature sensor not connected. Faulty sensor. Contact at 1-866-994-4664 ENJOY THE COMFORT OF WARMFEET The cable heating system is ready to use. Floor warm all the time Floor not warm enough Clock not set correctly. Thermostat setting not set correctly. Refer to Thermostat Installation and Operation Manual. Refer to Thermostat Installation and Operation Manual. Installation instructions not available Download the latest version of the Floor Heating System Installation Manual from www.warmfeet.ca 15 16