Once it turns on, the self-regulating aspect takes over and directs heat to the area(s) of the cable that are in contact with the cold. The thermostat should be positioned outside of the insulating layer so it can effectively read the temperature of the air.
Like Heat Tape Pro, Pipe Freeze Pro should not be installed on pipes that regularly heat up to over 150ºF as this may cause longterm damage to the heat cable. It therefore depends on how hot you have your water heater set to. On average, water heaters are set to about 140ºF to prevent scalding.
Good news. Heat Tape Pro and Pipe Freeze Pro are the only heat cables in the world you can see is working. The GlowCap is the LED end cap used to terminate all of our pre-terminated heat cables. If you see the green light glowing at the end of the cable, the cable is working. We also offer a GlowCap End Seal Kit for field assembled cable systems.
Another quite obvious way of determining if your heat cable is working is to feel if it is warm.
Our cables operate at between 40ºF to 90ºF so they will not melt or damage any surface or material they come into contact with. Except chocolate. Our cables will thoroughly melt chocolate.
Pipe Freeze Pro’s integrated thermostat turns power on and off automatically to the cable to save electricity. The thermostat is the lump located between the power cord and the heat cable. The thermostat triggers the cable to turn on at 37ºF and off at 50ºF, with a sensitivity range of +/- 4ºF. It’s a great feature that makes Pipe Freeze Pro unique among heat cables on the market.
Yes and no. The cable is approved for exposure to wet conditions but you should keep the thermostat dry for proper operation.
No. The thermostat need only be exposed to cold air. It does not hurt to have the thermostat attached to the pipe but it is not necessary. If you choose to attach it to the pipe keep in mind that the thermostat should not be covered with insulation.
No. You want the thermostat to react to the cold environment so it triggers the Pipe Freeze Pro to turn on.
Heat Tape Pro is our line of robust, outdoor rated cable. It’s designed specifically for the demands of extreme environments including wet locations such as outdoor pipes, open drain lines and of course roof and gutter de-icing applications. Do not use Pipe Freeze Pro as it is rated for dry locations only.
Including a thermostatic heat tape switch or controller in your installation will cut power to your heat tape in times it is not needed. This will lessen your environmental footprint and save you money.
Savings will always depend on the weather and how often you have temperatures above the threshold that the switch turns on your heat cable. In most situations where heat cable is needed, savings will offset the cost of the ThermaCord and then some.
Yes. When the Heat Tape is plugged into a working outlet the plug will light up.
Note:
If you are using a Thermostatic switch like the ThermaCord with Heat Tape Pro, the plug on your heat tape will only be lit up when the ambient temperature is low enough and your ThermaCord has switched on power to your Heat tape. (for Pipe Freeze Pro, the thermostatic switch is integrated and comes after the plug, so your plug should be illuminated)
