LOW-VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS

PART 3 SECTION 18 REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIAL INSTALLATIONS OR

LOCATIONS —
HEATING CABLES AND EMBEDDED HEATING SYSTEMS

1 SCOPE
This Indian Standard (Part 3/Sec 18) of NEC applies to embedded electric heating
systems for surface heating. It also applies to electric heating systems for de -icing or
frost prevention or similar applications. Both indoor and outdoor systems are covered.
Heating systems for industrial and commercial applications complying with relevant
parts of IEC 60519, IEC 62395 and IS/IEC 60079 are not covered.
NOTE — Examples of heating systems covered by this standard are heating systems
for walls, ceilings, floors, roofs, drainpipes, gutters, pipes, stairs, roadways, non-
hardened compacted areas ( for example, football fields, lawns).
2 REFERENCES
The Indian Standards given below contain provisions which through reference in this text, constitute
provision of this standard. At the time of publication, the editions indicated were valid. All standards
are subject to revision, and parties to agreements based on this standard are encouraged to investigate
the possibility of applying the most recent editions of the standards.

IS/IEC/ISO Number Title

IS 732 :2019 Code of practice for electrical wiring installations

IS/IEC 60079-7 : Explosive atmospheres: Part 7 Equipment protection by

2015- increased safety “e”

IEC 60335-2-96 : Household and similar electrical appliances — Safety — Part

2019 2-96: Particular requirements for flexible sheet heating
elements for room heating

IEC 60364 Low-voltage electrical installations(all parts)

IEC 60800 :2009 Heating cables with a rated voltage of 300/500 V for comfort
heating and prevention of ice formation
3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1Thermal Storage Floor Heating System —Heating system in which, due to a
limited charging period, a restricted availability of electrical energy is converted into
heat and dissipated mainly through the surface of the floor to the room to be heated
with an intended time delay.
3.2Direct Heating System —Heating system which generates heat from electrical
energy and dissipates it to the room to be heated with a response time being as low as
possible.

3.3Complementary Floor Heating —Direct heating system integrated into the floor
construction, for example, in the border zones close to outer walls, which complements
the heat dissipation of a thermal storage floor heating system.
3.4Heating-Free Area — Area of a surface that is deliberately left free of all parts of
the heating system.

3.5Heating Cable—Cable with or without a shield or a metallic sheath, intended to

give off heat for heating purposes.
3.6Flexible Sheet Heating Element — Heating element consisting of sheets of
electrical insulation laminated with electrical resistance material, or a base material on
which electrically insulated heating wires are fixed.
3.7Heating Unit—Heating cable or flexible sheet heating element with rigidly fixed
cold leads or terminal fittings which are connected to the terminals of the electrical
installation.
3.8Cold Lead —Insulated cable or cord intended to connect the heating unit with the
electrical installation.
3.9Self-Limiting Heating Cable — Cable that cannot exceed 70 °C when tested
according to IS/IEC 60079-7 and which does not require cold leads for connection to
the electrical installation.
4 PROTECTION FOR SAFETY
For protection for safety, please refer to relevant items under4 of IS 732. Additional
requirements have been mentioned against each item below.

4.1 Protection against Electric Shock

For protection against electric shock, please refer relevant items under 4.2 of IS732.
Additional requirements have been mentioned against each item below.

4.1.1 Protection by Obstacles and Placing Out of Reach

Replace the requirements with the following:
The protective measures "obstacles" and "placing out of reach" as specified in Annex B
of IS 732, shall not be used.
4.1.2 Replace the requirements with the following:
The protective measures "protection by non-conducting location", "protection by earth-
free local equipotential bonding" and "protection by electrical separation for the supply
of more than one item of current-using equipment" as specified in Annex C of IS 732,
shall not be used.
4.1.3 Automatic Disconnection of Supply
4.1.3.1 General
Add the following paragraph:
In the case of heating units which are delivered from the manufacturer without an earthed
conductive shield a suitable conductive covering, for example, a mes h metallic grid,
with a mesh size of not more than 30 mm for ceilings and floor installations and 3 mm
for wall installations, shall be provided on site and connected to the protective conductor
of the electrical installation.
Residual current protective devices shall be so selected, and the electrical circuits so
subdivided, that any earth-leakage current which may be expected to occur during
normal operation of the connected load(s) will be unlikely to cause unnecessary tripping
of the device.
4.1.4 Protective Measure: Electrical Separation
Add the following:
Electrical separation is not permitted for wall heating systems.
4.1.5 Additional Protection: Residual Current Protective Devices (RCDs)
4.1.5.1
Add, at the end of 4.2.15.1.1of S 732the following new paragraph:
Circuits supplying heating units shall have additional protection by the use of RCDs
with a rated residual operating current not exceeding 30 mA. Time delayed type RCDs
are not permitted.
4.2 Protection against Thermal Effects
4.2.1 Protection against Burns
Add the following:
Where contact with the skin or footwear is possible, the surface temperature shall be
limited.
NOTE— Guidance on limitation of temperature is given in IEC Guide 117 .
4.2.2 Protection against Overheating
Add the following:
4.2.2.1 Wall heating systems
For wall heating systems the heating units shall be provided with a metal sheath or metal
enclosure or fine mesh metallic grid. The metal sheath or metal enclosure or fine mesh
metallic grid shall be connected to the protective conductor of the supply circuit.
NOTE— This requirement is intended to protect against the effects of overheating
caused by a short-circuit between live conductors due to penetration of an embedded
heating unit.
4.2.2.2 To meet the requirements of 4.3, IS 732, special care shall be taken to prevent
the heating elements creating high temperatures to adjacent material. This may be
achieved by using heating units with temperature self-limiting functions or by separation
with heat-resistant materials. The latter may be accomplished by placing on a metal
sheet, in metal conduit or at a distance of at least 10 mm in air from the ignitable
structure.

5 SELECTION AND ERECTION OF ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

For Selection and erection of electrical equipment, please refer relevant items under 5
of IS732. Additional requirements have been mentioned against each item below.

5.1 Common Rules

5.1.1 Compliance with Standards
Add the following:
Flexible sheet heating elements shall comply with the requirements of IEC 60335-2-96.
Heating cables shall comply with IEC 60800.
5.1.2 Identification
5.1.2.1 General
Replace the existing text by the following new text:
Documentation for each heating system shall be provided, containing the following
information where relevant:
a) manufacturer and type of heating units;
b) number of heating units installed;
c) length/area of heating units;
d) rated power;
e) surface power density;
f) layout of the heating units in the form of a sketch, drawing or picture;
g) position/depth of heating units;
h) position of junction boxes;
j) conductors, shields and the like;
k) heated area;
m) rated voltage;
n) rated resistance (cold) of heating units;
o) rated current of overcurrent protective device;
p) rated residual operating current of RCD;
q) the insulation resistance of the heating installation and the test voltage used;
r) the leakage capacitance; and
s) product information containing provisions about approved substances in the
surroundings of the heating units, with necessary instructions for installation. If
materials other than those recommended are used, the manufacturer shall be
consulted.
This plan shall be fixed to, or adjacent to, the distribution board of the heating system.
Furthermore, the requirements of Annex A apply.
5.1.3 Prevention of Mutual Detrimental Influences
5.1.3.1Replace the existing text by the following new text:
Electric heating systems shall be selected and erected so as to avoid any harmful
influence between the heating system and any electrical or non -electrical installations
envisaged.
NOTE— For example, an electric heating system can affect other parts of the electrical
installation, such as reducing the current-carrying capacity of cables of other circuits
due to high local ambient temperature caused by the heating system.
Add the following new subclause:
5.1.3.2 Heating units shall not cross expansion joints of the building or structure.

5.2 Wiring Systems

5.2.1 Introduction
5.2.1.1 General
Add the following new subclause:
5.2.1.1.1 Heating-free areas
For the necessary attachment of room fittings, heating-free areas shall be provided in
such a way that the heat emission is not prevented by such fittings.
5.2.2 Selection and Erection of Wiring Systems in Relation to External Influences
5.2.2.1 Ambient temperature (AA)
Add the following:
5.2.2.1.1 For cold leads (circuit wiring) and control leads installed in the zone of
heated surfaces, the increase of ambient temperature shall be taken into account.
5.2.2.2 Presence of solid foreign bodies (AE)
Add the following:
5.2.2.2.1 Where heating units are installed there shall be heating-free areas where
drilling and fixing by screws and the like may be carried out without risk of damage to
the unit(s).
 ANNEX A
(Normative)

INFORMATION FOR THE USER OF THE INSTALLATION

A- 1A description of the heating system shall be provided to the person ordering the
work upon completion of the installation.
The description shall contain at least the following information:
a) description of the construction of the heating system, especially the installation depth
of the heating units.
b) location diagram with information concerning:
1) the distribution of the heating circuits and their rated power ,
2) the position of the heating units in each room,or
3) particularities which have been taken into account when installing the heating
units, for example heating-free areas, complementary heating zones, heating-
free areas for fixing means penetrating into the covering material .
c) data on the control equipment used, with relevant circuit diagrams and the
dimensioned position of floor temperature and weather conditions sensors, if any.
d) data on the type of heating units and their maximum operating temperature.
The installer shall inform the owner that the description of the heating system includes
all necessary information, for example,repair work.
A-2An appropriate number of instructions for use shall be provided to the owner or his
agent upon completion. One copy of the instructions for use shall be permanently fixed
in or near each relevant distribution board.
The instructions for use shall include at least the following data:
a) description of the heating system and its function.
b) operation of the heating installation in the first heating period in the case of a new
building, for example, regarding drying out.
c) operation of the control equipment for the heating system in the dwelling area and in
the complementary heating zones, if any.
d) information on restrictions on placing of furniture or similar:
1) additional floor coverings, for example, carpets with a thickness of >10 mm
may lead to higher floor temperatures which can adversely affect the
performance of the heating system;
2) pieces of furniture solidly covering the floor and/or built-in cupboards shall
only be placed on heating-free areas; and
3) furniture, such as carpets, seating and rest furniture with pelmets, which in
part do not solidly cover the floor may not be placed in complementary heating
zones, if any.
e) in the case of ceiling heating systems, restrictions regarding the height of furniture.
Cupboards of room height may be placed only below the area of ceiling where no
heating elements are installed.
f) dimensioned position of complementary heating zones and placing areas .
g) statement that, in the case of thermal floor, wall and ceiling heating systems, no
fixing shall be made into the floor, wall or ceiling, respectively. Excluded from this
requirement are heating-free areas. Alternatives shall be given, where applicable.