Single Heat Tape Controller with Sensor (DS8-C)

The DS8 turns hardwired heat cable systems on and off using both temperature and moisture, saving you a lot on your electric bill. This controller works with any Heat Tape PRO spooled cables from 6 watt to 8 watt, from 120 volts up to 277 volts. The DS8 will control a single 30 amp circuit at 277 volts.

  • Controls a single 30 amp, 100-277 volt circuit
  • Replaceable precipitation sensor
  • Adjustable temperature trigger point
  • Adjustable delay-off drying timer
  • Adjustable precipitation sensitivity
  • Bright LED activation light
  • Three operating modes: ‘Manual On’, ‘Automatic’, & ‘Reset’

$360.35

19 in stock

FREE Shipping

Product Details

Single Heat Tape Controller with Sensor (DS8-C)

DS8 units operate by detecting environmental conditions through a base mounted temperature sensor and a remote heated precipitation sensor. When rain or snow land on the precipitation sensor, your cable system will turn on. The small heater in the sensor then rapidly evaporates the moisture, clearing the sensor in preparation for the next cycle. Smart stuff. The precipitation sensor is connected to a 10 foot cable and is intended for remote mounting near the roof deicing system. Use an EX-50 extension kit (with coupler) to put the precipitation sensor up to 60 feet away from the DS8 unit. 

Signals from the sensor are supplied to the microcontroller which determines the appropriate action based on the system settings.  

The difference between “sensor” and “controller” modes is the “Delay Off” drying cycle provided by each configuration. “Delay Off” time is the amount of time the sensor/controller will hold the load control relay(s) closed after the last detection of rain or snow. Proper setting of “Delay Off” assures that heat cables have created a sufficient melted pathway through the snow/ice on the roof. 

The DS8 & DS9 heat cable controllers detect snow and rain in addition to directly controlling the cables themselves by pushing power into the cable only when called for. The DS8/DS9 is constructed of a durable NEMA 3R enclosure, rated for outdoor use and has a 3/4 Inch conduit hub and operates from -40F to +185F. The power pigtails are #14 Blue/Brown/Green and the load pigtails are #10 AWG Yellow.

5/5

“Heat Tape Pro did exactly what I needed it to do. Now I don’t have to worry about water leaking into my house, because I can tell when it’s working by the little light on the end of the cable.”

-Michael P.
Amazon Customer

4/5

“This heat tape works as advertised. It was delivered to me fast, and although it’s a little complicated to install, the documentation is good..”

-Shaun D.
Radiant Solutions Customer

5/5

“I install thousands of feet of heat tape every year. This is the best stuff I’ve found to protect my customers homes and give them the piece of mind they need.”

-Patrick B.
Professional Installer

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes!

And if you are using Heat Tape Pro on your roof / eave to resolve an ice dam issue, you should use heat tape to make sure there’s a clear path through your gutters for water to escape your roof. If you don’t do that, the water could just refreeze in your gutters. You also want to get the downspouts too.

Be careful if you plan on using heat tape Only in your gutters.

There is a common misconception that gutters are a root cause of ice dams. This misconception can lead people astray when creating their strategy for ice dam deterrence. If you have an overhang on your roof (an eave), the chances are very good that you problem exists on your roof before the gutter.

Learn More about How Ice Dams Form Here

Orders are generally fulfilled within a business day of your purchase. Delivery times depend on where you are in the U.S.

heat tape shipping times

Free Shipping

The Free Shipping option uses available “standard” delivery methods for whichever carrier services your location. For many that means UPS ground, but for locations that UPS doesn’t go to –or is too expensive, we substitute a different carrier. 

We are based in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul) metro area, so depending on where you are located, your shipping time will vary.

Here’s A link to shipping distances with Approximations of Lead times

2-Day Shipping

If you can’t wait for your product to arrive via UPS ground, Radiant Solutions also offers a paid, 2-day shipping option. One thing to keep in mind: our cables are fairly heavy, which mean they are expensive for us to ship. This means that they are even more expensive to ship expeditiously. A little bit of planning ahead can save you some good money.

Yes!

Installing our heat tape on your standing seam roof can be very effective in combating ice dam formation. There’s two main products used to install heat tape on your standing seam metal roof: The S-5 SR Heat Tape Clip, and the standard ice dam heat tape clip.

S-5 SR Clip for Heat Tape & Standing Seam Roofs

Installing Heat Tape on a Standing Seam Roof with the S-5 SR Heat Tape Clip
The S-5 Heat Tape Roof Clip is a new, patented roof clip design specifically for standing seam applications with a focus on ease of install and effectiveness. It is used in conjunction with the S-5 Base, which needs to be purchased separately. The S-5 base is designed to clamp onto the seam of a metal roof as the S-5 Clip holds your ice dam heat tape into position. Can be set up in a single or dual-clip configuration. (See product page for more info)


Installing Heat Tape on a Standing Seam Roof with Standard Roof Clips

There are specific ways/configurations used when installing heat tape on a standing seam / metal roof using standard heat tape clips. The following (2.6 – figure 16.0 & 17.0) shows a snippet of the HeatTape Pro installation manual showing two different clip configurations, more info can be found in the manual itself: Heat Tape Pro installation Manual

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.

If the product you need is currently out of stock, don’t worry. 

We are frequently restocking products and the one you need will soon be available. You can make a request to be notified when out of stock items are re-stocked. 

Click Here to Submit your information to be notified of a Products Restock

No plug-in ready Heat Tape should be cut, modified or altered.

Heat Tape Pro and Pipe Freeze Pro are offered in many lengths from 6-foot up to 150-foot. These products are not designed to be modified, so you should pick the length you need and work with that length. These cables should not be altered and doing so would void any warranty on the product.

Radiant Solutions DOES offer heat tape on spools that can be cut to any length by you.

We offer heat tape on spools from 250-foot to 1000-foot. These spools are designed to be cut to length, made into multiple cables, etc. Heat Tape on spools needs to be hard-wired into a junction box, or have a power connection plug-in manually added to it for use. It also requires ends to be properly sealed and terminated. When working with Heat Tape on spools, a Licensed Electrician should be utilized to assure proper wiring per regional codes and standards.

Yes. Heat Tape Pro can be used on your flat roof and will not harm the roofing material.

Radiant solutions has developed several accessories and installation components that work well for flat and low-pitch roofs. Installing heat tape on a flat roof often requires more unique considerations than standard serpentine patterns used on pitched roofs.

Check out our Case Studies for examples of Heat Tape installations, including information on flat roofs.

Also refer to the Heat Tape Pro Product Manual for information on flat roof installations of heat tape.

Yes We Do. However, it is fairly costly.

We have a calculated rate based on the product in your cart if you choose to ship to Canada or Alaska.
More can be found here.