Predictika · Self-regulating heat tracing

An AI sales agent's heat trace circuit, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent specifies a self-regulating heat trace circuit for a pipe from public product documents, choosing the cable rating, supply voltage and breaker for the circuit. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of those documents and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.

Scope: Thermon FLX self-regulating heat tracing on metallic pipe: cable rating, maximum circuit length, circuit allowances, ground-fault protection and minimum accessories. See everything this validator covers

This validator models circuits for the Thermon FLX self-regulating heat trace family (3-FLX, 5-FLX, 8-FLX and 10-FLX at 120 or 240 Vac), not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Cable rating — Design Selection Chart 2.1 gives the rating (3, 5, 8 or 10 watts per foot) for metallic pipe by insulation thickness, pipe size and minimum ambient temperature; a cable below the chart rating is rejected, and combinations where the chart says to contact Thermon or has no entry go to a person.
  • Circuit length — the maximum circuit length comes from the specification tables by cable, voltage, breaker size (20, 30 or 40 amps) and start-up temperature; the pipe run plus 0.3 m for the power connection, 0.6 m per in-line splice and 1 m per T-splice is compared with it, and a stated maximum length that disagrees with the table is rejected.
  • Protection and accessories — 30 mA ground-fault protection is required on every circuit, and the minimum accessories (a PCA-COM circuit fabrication kit, FT-1L fixing tape and ET-6 end terminations) must be on the order. Nonmetallic pipe uses a different chart (2.2) that this validator does not model, so it goes to a person.

Any circuit for this cable family that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: prices (Thermon publishes none for these products, so this validator produces no price build-up or line-item quote), nonmetallic pipe design (Chart 2.2), the 230 volt tables, other Thermon cables and products, heat-loss design beyond the selection chart, and local code requirements.

The AI sales agentBuilds the heat trace circuit from the conversation and says it is ready.
Predictika validatorChecks every rule at once and returns the verdict, each finding, and the computed figures.

7 scenarios in 3 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch

What the agent proposes

The AI sales agent says

Illustrative agent statement. The validator receives the structured request below.

Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)

Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run

Predictika validator


      

        
        
        
      

      
Waiting for the call.

      
    

  

  
  

    
Where rules-based CPQ gets it wrong
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Our assessment of what a typical rules-based CPQ (product rules, price rules and validation rules, as in Salesforce CPQ) does with the same cases. It is a judgment about effort and reliability, not a claim that nothing can be built.

    
What the validator caughtTypical rules-based CPQPredictika
A maximum circuit length that depends on cable, voltage, breaker and start-up temperatureOnly with care
The table has a different value for each combination, so it takes a lookup per combination and a comparison with the circuit length including allowances.		Cable, voltage, breaker, start-up temperature, pipe run and splice counts travel in one request; the maximum is looked up and compared on every call.
A cable rating that depends on pipe size, insulation and minimum ambient temperatureOnly with workarounds
The selection chart changes by insulation thickness and pipe size row, with some cells saying to contact the manufacturer, so the rules multiply and are easy to miss when a row is added.		The chart is part of the model; the chart rating is compared with the cable on every call, and the contact-the-manufacturer cells go to a person.
A stated maximum length that disagrees with the tableOnly with workarounds
The figure the agent states is free text or a separate field, so it takes an extra rule that compares it with the table value.		The stated figure is part of the request and is compared with the table figure on every call.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as the order is saved or a step is completed, so a rep often fixes one error and meets the next.		All findings come back together, whatever order the choices arrived in.

  

  

    
What this validator catches: findings from its test cases
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Every rule is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive; one problem never hides another. Blocking findings stop the quote; approval findings need a person to sign off; everything else is computed.

    
1The order uses 8-FLX; Design Selection Chart 2.1 calls for 10-FLX for this pipe size, insulation thickness and minimum ambient temperature.
2The order uses 3-FLX; Design Selection Chart 2.1 calls for 5-FLX for this pipe size, insulation thickness and minimum ambient temperature.
3The order uses 5-FLX; Design Selection Chart 2.1 calls for 8-FLX for this pipe size, insulation thickness and minimum ambient temperature.
4Design Selection Chart 2.1 says to contact Thermon for this pipe size, insulation thickness and minimum ambient temperature, so a person should confirm the cable rating with Thermon.
5The order uses 5-FLX; Design Selection Chart 2.1 calls for 10-FLX for this pipe size, insulation thickness and minimum ambient temperature.
6Design Selection Chart 2.1 has no entry for this pipe size with this insulation thickness, so a person should confirm the cable rating with Thermon.
7The circuit needs 108.1 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 108.0 m.
8The circuit needs 73.1 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 73.0 m.
9The circuit needs 88.1 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 88.0 m.
10The circuit needs 76.3 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 76.0 m.
11The circuit needs 117.3 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 117.0 m.
12The circuit needs 73.4 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 73.0 m.
13The circuit needs 214.5 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 214.0 m.
14The circuit needs 27.3 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 27.0 m.
15The circuit breaker has no 30 mA ground-fault protection; the design guide requires 30 mA ground-fault equipment protection on circuits supplying FLX heat trace.
16The order does not include the minimum installation accessories listed in the design guide (a PCA-COM circuit fabrication kit, FT-1L fixing tape and ET-6 end terminations).
17The pipe is nonmetallic, so the design guide uses Design Selection Chart 2.2 (output is lower because of the pipe wall) and requires AL-20L aluminum foil tape; this validator does not model that chart, so a person should confirm the cable rating.
18The circuit needs 90.3 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 73.0 m.
19The order states a maximum circuit length of 60 m; the Thermon table gives 73.0 m for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature.
20The order states a maximum circuit length of 88 m; the Thermon table gives 73.0 m for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature.
21The order uses 3-FLX; Design Selection Chart 2.1 calls for 8-FLX for this pipe size, insulation thickness and minimum ambient temperature.
22The circuit needs 150.3 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 108.0 m.
23The order states a maximum circuit length of 300 m; the Thermon table gives 108.0 m for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature.
24The circuit needs 100.3 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 48.0 m.

  

  

    
Scenarios and results
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The recorded result of the validator for each scenario on this page: the request the AI agent sent, the verdict, and every finding, in the order they appear above.

    
1. Cold-climate run: 10-FLX needed on a cold start-up; the agent orders 5-FLX on a long run

    
The agent's request. Please quote a 5-FLX heat trace circuit at 120 volt on a 20 amp breaker for a 70 metre run of DN80 metallic pipe with 25 mm insulation, a minimum ambient of minus 29 degrees C and a start-up temperature of minus 20 degrees C, with 30 mA ground-fault protection and including the minimum accessories, and a maximum circuit length of 73 metres. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Cable rating below the design chart. The order uses 5-FLX; Design Selection Chart 2.1 calls for 10-FLX for this pipe size, insulation thickness and minimum ambient temperature.
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  • Circuit longer than the table maximum. The circuit needs 70.3 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 61.0 m.
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  • Stated maximum length does not match. The order states a maximum circuit length of 73 m; the Thermon table gives 61.0 m for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature.
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2. Cold-climate run: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a 10-FLX heat trace circuit at 240 volt on a 20 amp breaker for a 70 metre run of DN80 metallic pipe with 25 mm insulation, a minimum ambient of minus 29 degrees C and a start-up temperature of minus 20 degrees C, with 30 mA ground-fault protection and including the minimum accessories. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Circuit longer than the table maximum. The circuit needs 70.3 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 67.0 m.
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3. Cold-climate run: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a 10-FLX heat trace circuit at 240 volt on a 30 amp breaker for a 70 metre run of DN80 metallic pipe with 25 mm insulation, a minimum ambient of minus 29 degrees C and a start-up temperature of minus 20 degrees C, with 30 mA ground-fault protection and including the minimum accessories, and a maximum circuit length of 101 metres. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Circuit summary. Total circuit length 70.3 m including allowances; maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature 101.0 m.
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4. Protection and accessories: 8-FLX circuit with no ground-fault protection and no accessories

    
The agent's request. Please quote a 8-FLX heat trace circuit at 240 volt on a 30 amp breaker for a 120 metre run of DN100 metallic pipe with 38 mm insulation, a minimum ambient of minus 23 degrees C and a start-up temperature of 10 degrees C, without 30 mA ground-fault protection and without the minimum accessories, and a maximum circuit length of 154 metres. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • No 30 mA ground-fault protection. The circuit breaker has no 30 mA ground-fault protection; the design guide requires 30 mA ground-fault equipment protection on circuits supplying FLX heat trace.
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  • Minimum accessories missing. The order does not include the minimum installation accessories listed in the design guide (a PCA-COM circuit fabrication kit, FT-1L fixing tape and ET-6 end terminations).
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5. Protection and accessories: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a 8-FLX heat trace circuit at 240 volt on a 30 amp breaker for a 120 metre run of DN100 metallic pipe with 38 mm insulation, a minimum ambient of minus 23 degrees C and a start-up temperature of 10 degrees C, with 30 mA ground-fault protection and including the minimum accessories, and a maximum circuit length of 154 metres. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Circuit summary. Total circuit length 120.3 m including allowances; maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature 154.0 m.
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6. Minus 40 C ambient: 10-FLX on 25 mm insulation at a minus 40 degree minimum ambient

    
The agent's request. Please quote a 10-FLX heat trace circuit at 120 volt on a 20 amp breaker for a 40 metre run of DN50 metallic pipe with 25 mm insulation, a minimum ambient of minus 40 degrees C and a start-up temperature of 10 degrees C, with 30 mA ground-fault protection and including the minimum accessories, and a maximum circuit length of 48 metres. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Needs approval.

    
    
      
  • Chart says contact Thermon. Design Selection Chart 2.1 says to contact Thermon for this pipe size, insulation thickness and minimum ambient temperature, so a person should confirm the cable rating with Thermon.
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  • Circuit summary. Total circuit length 40.3 m including allowances; maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature 48.0 m.
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7. Minus 40 C ambient: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a 8-FLX heat trace circuit at 120 volt on a 30 amp breaker for a 40 metre run of DN50 metallic pipe with 50 mm insulation, a minimum ambient of minus 40 degrees C and a start-up temperature of 10 degrees C, with 30 mA ground-fault protection and including the minimum accessories, and a maximum circuit length of 81 metres. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Circuit summary. Total circuit length 40.3 m including allowances; maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature 81.0 m.
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Narration transcript
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The text of the narrated walkthrough, step by step.

    
    
      
  1. Welcome to a demo of Predictika's Validator. An AI sales agent specifies a self-regulating heat trace circuit for a pipe from public product documents, choosing the cable rating, supply voltage and breaker for the circuit. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of those documents and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.
    2. 
      
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
    3. 
      
  3. The agent says. Please quote a 5-FLX heat trace circuit at 120 volt on a 20 amp breaker for a 70 metre run of DN80 metallic pipe. It is ready to send. The rest of the request is on screen.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
    5. 
      
  5. Blocked, with three findings, all in one answer. The order uses 5-FLX; Design Selection Chart 2.1 calls for 10-FLX for this pipe size, insulation thickness and minimum ambient temperature. The circuit needs 70.3 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 61.0 m. The order states a maximum circuit length of 73 m; the Thermon table gives 61.0 m for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature.
    6. 
      
  6. The validator returned three blocking findings in one answer. A check that reads one field at a time would pass most of this; it shows only when the choices in the quote are checked against each other.
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  7. What this shows: for a maximum circuit length that depends on cable, voltage, breaker and start-up temperature, a rules-based CPQ is error-prone for this.
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  8. Now the agent resubmits.
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  9. The corrected request. It changes the cable to 10-FLX and the supply voltage to 240 V. It removes the stated maximum circuit length as.
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  10. It calls the validator again.
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  11. Still blocked, with one finding, all in one answer. The circuit needs 70.3 m of cable including allowances; the maximum circuit length for this cable, voltage, breaker size and start-up temperature is 67.0 m.
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  12. Two findings cleared. Still blocking: circuit longer than the table maximum.
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  13. The agent resubmits once more.
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  14. The revised request. It changes the breaker to 30 A. It sets the stated maximum circuit length as to 101 m.
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  15. It calls the validator once more.
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  16. This time the validator clears it.
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  17. The earlier finding is cleared, and the validator's figure matches the quote.
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  18. Three problems caught in one call, fixed in two passes, and a clean quote. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.
    19.