Welded stainless steel and high-nickel alloy tube for all types of tubular heating elements — immersion rod heaters, geyser elements, cartridge and finned heaters, furnace and oven elements, and coil/band-style heaters — across 300 series grades and high-nickel alloys, from 6mm to 25.4mm OD with 0.4mm to 1mm wall thickness.
Tubular heating elements cover a wide range of operating conditions — from a geyser element running at moderate, cyclical temperatures to a furnace element in sustained extreme heat — and the right tube grade depends on where your application sits on that range. We manufacture heating-element tube across our full 300 series (304, 316, 321, 310) and high-nickel alloys (Incoloy 800/825), so the grade you choose can be matched to your actual operating temperature and environment rather than defaulting to one option for every application.
Like our other tube, this is TIG welded for a clean, consistent seam, and the same ductility that lets stainless steel be bent and shaped extends directly to this application: the hairpin bends and coiled forms typical of immersion rod and cartridge heater elements depend on the tube taking a tight bend without cracking or thinning unevenly at the bend radius.
| OD | 6mm to 25.4mm |
| Wall thickness | 0.4mm to 1mm |
| Grades | 304/304L, 316/316L, 321, 310, Incoloy 800, Incoloy 825 |
| Standards | ASTM A249, ASTM A269 |
| Finish | Bright annealed, pickled, or polished — cut-to-length available |
Cut-to-length, annealing, pickling, and polishing services are available — meaning you can receive heating-element tube ready for direct use in assembly rather than needing to arrange secondary processing yourself.
| Grade | General positioning | Typically considered when |
|---|---|---|
| 304/304L | Good general corrosion resistance | Moderate-temperature, general-purpose heating elements |
| 316/316L | Adds molybdenum for chloride/corrosion resistance | Heating elements in contact with more chemically aggressive fluids |
| 321 | Titanium-stabilized for weld-zone integrity at sustained heat | Welded elements operating at sustained elevated temperature |
| 310 | Higher chromium-nickel content for oxidation resistance | High-temperature applications such as furnace and industrial heating elements |
| Incoloy 800/825 | Highest resistance to oxidation, carburization, and corrosive atmospheres | The most demanding combinations of extreme heat and/or corrosive environment |
Grade selection for heating elements comes down primarily to operating temperature and environment — here's a general guide across our range. Talk to us about your specific application; this table is a starting point, not a substitute for confirming your exact requirement with us.
Incoloy 800/825 is part of our High-Nickel Alloys range — see the full High-Nickel Alloys table, which also covers Inconel, Hastelloy, and Monel for reference. 304/304L, 316/316L, and 321 are part of our 300 Series range.
Grade, size, standard, quantity — send what you have and we'll respond with availability, lead time and pricing.