FAQ

Q: What is the maximum temperature that can be generated with carbon fibre tape?
A: The maximum temperature is 400 degrees Celsius (752 degrees Fahrenheit).
When over 400 degrees Celsius the carbon starts to oxidise into carbon dioxide and will start to evaporate. At 1200 degrees Celsius it'll last for a few hours but this decreases to just minutes when exceeding 1250 degrees Celsius. In a vacuum with no oxygen present it can generate in excess of 3000 degrees Celsius.
When connecting the carbon tape it is very important to ensure good contact between the carbon fiber tape and the wires.
The surface of the carbon tape will always be a reliable electrical conductor due to the surface oxidation turning into a gas and dispersing. This is unlike the surface of metals, for example copper, where as a result of oxidation the copper is coated with copper oxide which hinders a good electrical contact because copper oxide does not conduct electricity. Overtime this eventually results in contact failure which leads to power loss and potentially the overheating of contact points.
The rate of oxidation around the contacts depends on the temperature the tape is subjected to, in order to make reliable contacts we recommend using a silver conductive adhesive. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q: Normally carbon fiber particles that come from cutting are very bad to inhale and could lead to cancer. Is it safe?
A: There are two types of carbon fibers: one is designed for reinforce (pan based, pitch based). Process temperature is about 1500C and 10-25 hours for carbonization. Consist of thick fibers, tough in touch and cannot heat evenly. Very strong. Bad to inhale. If it has a resin (prepreg carbon) it may cause cancer because or resin. It can heat also but you would not feel comfortable if you wear it.
Our carbon fiber tape is viscose based. It's biocompartible material and used for wound healing and human body implants. It feels like a fine silk. That kind of carbon required much more temperature (2500-2800C) and manufactoring time (70-100 hours). Not so many factories made it. It is safe.; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------; Q: In what positions should the tape be placed in order to maximise efficiency.
A: When you design your heating clothing we recommend you place the tape as close to the body as possible. The closer the tape is, the more heat your body will receive and the less heat is lost to the surrounding environment. The effect will be especially noticeable in extreme cold.; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------; Q: How much power would be needed to heat a large jacket?; A: The longer carbon tape and the more power = the more comfortable your heated jacket will be. Of course, this requires big and heavy batteries (or bike generator).; All heated clothes can be roughly divided into two categories: 5-15 watts of power and the power of 30-90 watts.
The most simple and inexpensive commercially available heated clothing refers to the first type. They work from a small light batteries for many hours so can give just a little heat per hour. They usually have 3-4 small heating element, so heated unevenly. Since heat generated in a small area we can feel it but this amount of power is only enough in the cool summer night. Like this one.; The second type of clothing are usually bought by bikers, divers, hikers, pilots and mountaineers and can be subjected to very cold conditions. This type of heated clothing requires a huge amount of energy to heat evenly throughout the body.; It's this type of clothing which should be aspired to when imagining and designing suitable DIY projects.
The carbon fiber tape is soft and easy to incorporate into clothes and isn't restricted to just the torso area but can also include the arms, legs, feet and even the neck. Due to the open weave of the carbon tape, air can circulate freely and water vapour can escape helping prevent uncomfortable conditions which may arise due to sweating.
It's these type of factors in the temperature, even heating surface and power coupled with minimal cost and good quality that should be paramount when using carbon fibre tape in your projects.; Q: What gauge wire do you use to make the connections and is it the same sized wire to make the parallel connections?; A: We can use any wire we have. For clothing it's recommended an ultra flexible wire (multi - stranded) cause they are wearproof. The diameter depend on the current. You can found the correct in AWG table, here for example. For the most cases it's enough 16AWG.; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------; Q: What is the maximum power can provides the carbon tape?; A: The power consumption and amperage depend on you only. Here some examples for 15 mm carbon tape below:
1 foot - 24,86W (12V); 31,5W (13,5)
2 ft - 12,4W (12V); 15,7W (13,5V)
3 ft — 8,3W (12V); 10,5 (13,5V)
4 ft — 6,2W (12V); 7,8 (13,5V); To increase power the carbon tape can be connected in parallel:
If connect 1ft x 2 in parallel it will be 24,8W +24,8W = 49,6W (12V); 31,5W+31,5W=63W (13,5V)
If connect 1ft x 3 in parallel it will be 24,8W x3 = 74,4W (12V); 31,5W x3=94,5W (13,5V)

2ft x 3 in parallel it will be 12,4W x3 = 37,2W (12V); 15,7W x3=47,1W (13,5V)
2ft x 4 in parallel it will be 12,4W x4 = 49,6W (12V); 15,7W x4=62,8W (13,5V)
2ft x 5 in parallel it will be 12,4W x5 = 62W (12V); 15,7W x5=78,5W (13,5V)
2ft x 6 in parallel it will be 12,4W x6 = 74,4W (12V); 15,7W x6=94,2W (13,5V)

3ft x 5 in parallel it will be 8,3W x5 = 41,5W (12V); 10,5W x5=52,5W (13,5V)
3ft x 6 in parallel it will be 8,3W x6 = 49,8W (12V); 10,5W x6=63W (13,5V)
3ft x 7 in parallel it will be 8,3W x7 = 58,1W (12V); 10,5W x7=73,5W (13,5V)
3ft x 8 in parallel it will be 8,3W x8 = 66,4W (12V); 10,5W x8=84W (13,5V)

4ft x 7 in parallel it will be 6,2W x7 = 43,4W (12V); 7,8W x7=54,6W (13,5V)
4ft x 8 in parallel it will be 6,2W x8 = 49,6W (12V); 7,8W x8=62,4W (13,5V)
4ft x 9 in parallel it will be 6,2W x9 = 55,8W (12V); 7,8W x9=70,2W (13,5V)
4ft x 10 in parallel it will be 6,2W x10 = 62W (12V); 7,8W x10=78W (13,5V)
4ft x 11 in parallel it will be 6,2W x11= 68,2W (12V); 7,8W x11=85,8W (13,5V)
4ft x 12 in parallel it will be 6,2W x12 = 74,4W (12V); 7,8W x12=93,6W (13,5V); ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------; Q: Do I need a protected battery?; A: 1. Yes. Due to the large current consumption it's recommended to use a protected battery. If however you use unprotected batteries, it's recommended to connect them using a PCM board (protection circuit module).; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------; Q: Can I powered it by one battery only? I want it to be lightweight.; A: This depends on the size of the battery.
Under laboratory conditions there are batteries with and energy density of 200 (400)Wh/kg, but commercially available batteries are no more than 250 Wh/kg.
Knowing the weight of your battery will give you a rough estimation of the maximum amount of energy it can supply. For example, a 18650 battery weighs about 50 grams so we can estimate that for a good quality, high capacity cell the battery could provide 12 watts of power. (0.25 x 50 = 12.5 watts).
This theoretical calculation corresponds to the declared parameters of the Panasonic 3400 which is one of the most expense 18650 batteries commercially available.
When selecting a battery for your project you should choose one that has a greater capacity than the amount of power you expect your heated clothing to use. For example if your heated vest uses 30 watts it should be able to function for up to 1 hour from three 18650 batteries.; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------; Q: Is your carbon fiber tape the same as other carbon fiber materials available on the market, like this?; A: Yes and no.
Yes because it is the same material and so will conduct electricity and generate heat.
However it's unlike our tape because other carbon fiber materials, similar to the one provided in the link, are designed for structural applications to provide reinforcement therefore are naturally very hard. This sort of material would not be comfortable in clothing.
There are, in fact, many types of materials made from carbon fiber available on the market but very few are soft enough to be used in clothing like our tape.
It can also often be found in mixed fabric, for example a carbon fiber and cotton mix. We recommend you consider all of the positive qualities that our tape can provide before opting for a different carbon fiber material that wouldn’t necessarily be as suitable for heated clothing.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------; Q: Would nichrome wire be a suitable alternative to carbon fiber tape, is it the same?
A: It is the same in regards to generating heat when a current is passed through it however it’s simply not as diverse as our tape. Our carbon fiber tape is better than other heating solutions because it provides a uniform large heated area, is flexible and is resistant to repeated bending and folding.

Q: Can I put garments that use carbon fiber tape in the washing machine?
A: Machine washing generates a lot of movement which can have an adverse effect on the connection wires in the clothing. The carbon fiber tape however will remain unaffected.

Q: How much power will I need for a heated jacket?
A: This sort of question isn't easily answered without knowing what sort of conditions you'll be using the heated jacket in.
For example we made heated dry gloves for ice diving in -4C water. We used 15mm tape and a 7.4v LiPo battery. After a few tests we decided the optimum length of tape required for each glove was 40cm, which consumes about 7 Watts each.
The gloves felt quite warm when in the freezing cold water but when out of the water they were extremely hot. In essence there isn't one solution for all situations.
The required length of tape (and power consumption) will depend on the surrounding ambient temperature that you intend to wear the clothing in. It's also important to consider other factors such as the amount and/or thickness of your ordinary clothes, whether or not you're going to be active while wearing the heated garment and as well as what your basal metabolic rate is.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------; Q: Can I use a small battery?; A: Heated clothing is widely popular for outdoor workers and outdoor sports, and is slowly gaining interest from general consumers residing in places with colder climate. With the introduction of the carbon fiber heating tape technology, it is now easier to create comfortable yet flattering heated garments. One major concern however, is the size of the battery required to heat the clothing. In order to provide energy evenly throughout the garment and cover a reasonable amount of surface area, the battery must be considerably larger than your everyday battery packs. As the length of the carbon tape increases, the power of the battery will reduce quicker; as external temperatures drop, more power will also be required to keep up with the heat loss. With the sole purpose of heated garments being warmth, a large battery is very worthwhile to have, ensuring the user can stay warm and comfortable for a longer duration of time.; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------; Q:; A: