55 gallon drum heaters

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The most common application of 55 gallon drums is in the storage and transportation of liquids. While for the most part, these liquids are stored, transported and subsequently used as is by pumping out of the drum using a 55 gallon drum pump or similar aspirating device, there is a need sometimes to keep the liquid inside a 55 gallon drum warm as in the need to maintain a certain viscosity or to prevent the material from freezing, etc. In such instances, the use of a 55 gallon drum heater is extremely well warranted. In this brief post, we will discuss such 55 gallon drum heaters.

There are basically two families of 55 gallon drum heaters. The first family is for use in metal drums and the second family is for use with plastic and fiber drums. The former family generally put out about fifteen hundred watts of power and the latter generally puts out about three to four hundred watts of power. The former has thermostat controls that generally run from fifty to about four hundred degrees Fahrenheit and the latter has thermostat controls that generally run from fifty to a hundred and fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Within these two families, there are two kinds of 55 gallon drum heaters. One forms a family of band heaters which have a band that is anywhere from three to six inches wide and the second forms a family of complete wrap around heaters that basically cover the entire drum. Obviously the second family provides more insulation than the first family.

Drum heaters are generally sheathed with silicone cloth that is reinforced with fiberglass and they are generally conformal in nature, meaning that they conform to the contour of the surface being wrapped against. And these heaters are usually provided with a sufficiently long chord that can be plugged into any standard electrical outlet. While drum heaters can be used to maintain the viscosity of various liquids and slurries and prevent freezing of materials such as greases, resins, syrups and other products, care must be exerted to avoid use of these heaters on drums containing hazardous materials that can be flammable to avoid the risk of fire. Additional care needs to exerted to ensure that the drum top bung is opened so that the drum does not get into an over-pressure condition. Drum heaters should always be mounted so the heating takes place below the liquid content level to prevent overheating.

Thus while drum heaters provide a useful purpose, safety precautions should always be followed to reduce the risk of accidents and danger.

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