Wet Z-Tek (Zetex) ?

SamSam

Member
Lucky to be working in the theater this week, however we're unlucky that the reason is our theatre flooded.

Our Z-tek fiberglass heatsheild got soaked, couple of 60' lengths . Is it inherently Heat/Flame resistant or would the water have damaged its head-shielding properties?

Thanks
 
Lucky to be working in the theater this week, however we're unlucky that the reason is our theatre flooded.

Our Z-tek fiberglass heatsheild got soaked, couple of 60' lengths . Is it inherently Heat/Flame resistant or would the water have damaged its head-shielding properties?

Thanks
It's woven fiberglass, so inherently flame resistant.
-Todd
 
The coating on the fibreglass can be damaged by water. For instance its not guaranteed to meet its fire resistance if you paint it because of the coating. Somewhere I have those details.
 
Mr. Conner's information warrants seeking guidance from the manufacturer, listed in the wiki link for Zetex.
Let us know what they say.
 
Its the vermiculite coating, necessary for the time of the fire resistance, which is susceptible to damage by moisture. But do call - Newtex is the company that makes Zetex, but a call to the J R Clancy folks at Wenger would also probably answer it, as well as John Snook at Thermotex. Palmer use to be in this but has not been very active in the fire safety curtain business lately.

But pretty sure somewhere I learned that water can degrade the binder used for the vermiculite coating.
 
Does all Zetex have this vermiculite coating? I can understand its use in a fire curtain, but as an electric border that may get moved around and handled a lot--not so much.

A hundred or so years ago, when I desired "asbestos borders" for my electrics, @Ted jones recommended a material normally used in gym divider curtains: much less expensive and easier to sew. Never had any problems; was very pleased.
 
Not sure about Zetex, but Zetex Plus - which I think I have specified for heat borders - has the vermiculite coating. Just confirm which you have - Zetex or Zetex Plus -and call Newtext or Clancy. In an all LED world, I'm a little out of touch with heat borders.
It appears that the vermiculite coating adds to the heat resistance, but the fiberglass fabric itself is inherently heat resistant. From the website: https://www.newtex.com/npm/fabrics/zetex-fiberglass-fabric

Zetex® fiberglass fabrics are widely used for thermal insulation, acoustic insulation, and for protection from heat and fire. These woven fiberglass fabrics support operating temperatures up to 1000°F / 540°C and peak temperatures up to 1300°F / 700°C. They are inherently heat and flame retardant fabrics made from inorganic materials so they will not produce hazardous out-gassing.
  • Vermiculite Coating: The proprietary ZetexPlus® vermiculite coating increases the operating temperature resistance of the fiberglass fabric to 1500°F (815°C) and peak temperature resistance to 2000°F (1095°C). This high-temperature coating also improves abrasion resistance. ZetexPlus® vermiculite coated fiberglass fabrics are commonly used in fire curtains, fabric expansion joints, and pipe or tank insulation systems.

If you are concerned about the coating, get in touch with NewTex.

-Todd
 
Does all Zetex have this vermiculite coating? I can understand its use in a fire curtain, but as an electric border that may get moved around and handled a lot--not so much.

A hundred or so years ago, when I desired "asbestos borders" for my electrics, @Ted jones recommended a material normally used in gym divider curtains: much less expensive and easier to sew. Never had any problems; was very pleased.
That material was then known as Daco. Now it is nylon reinforced vinyl under a couple of trade names. It's available in different weights. I'm not sure I would recommend it now unless the temps were under 250/300 degrees. We use and sell Weldflex these days. Black finish fiberglass.

We also sold a lot of 1/8" kevlar liners for a few years. Expensive and a great insulator. Low temperature limit. Around 450.

Bill, I would be surprised if a border liner was coated Zetex. Just black, yes. The vermiculite coating renders the goods to be too stiff for handling and tends to come off when abraded or folded. I do agree with you that vermiculite coating should never get wet due to all of the reasons you state.
 

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