From

Location

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Date Posted

Deer Park, WI

wondering if anyone can offer a recommendation as to where I can find heavy duty soil heating cables with built in thermostat.

I got the HD ones from Holland's years ago and their time has come and gone. Unfortunately, the internet is littered with these pathetic hair-strand style cables that will not survive more than a single season in my patch.

Can find the heavy duty style out there, but all seem to require an additional thermostat. That's a pain in my ass and another expense. I want simple and straight forward.

3/4/2018 2:27:02 PM

Hanson Ma

Go to mor electric on line. They have heavy duty cables. I just bought 4 60’ cable and then bought 4 heat Matt controllers from another site.

3/4/2018 2:42:06 PM

Hanson Ma

I can’t post a pic right now. But I will as soon as we get power and internet back. And my wife says hi.

3/4/2018 2:54:04 PM

stoughton WI

You can try using heat cables for melting ice on the roof. They come in different lengths and you can get them at most hardware stores, I used some last year, seemed to work fine.

3/4/2018 3:20:32 PM

Deer Park, WI

Thanks guys, appreciate the help. Hello to your wife, Mike.

Rick...what i read about roof ice cables is that they kick out at 50 degrees?

3/4/2018 3:47:27 PM

Anchorage Alaska

joe , I use to use non thermostatic roof cables 100 footers , then plug those into a digital heat mat thermostat with soil probe built in .. buried the probe a few inches above and 6 inches away from the cable , and it worked pretty well for me

3/4/2018 3:57:13 PM

Littlerock, WA

Joe, I have 1 of those flimsy wire cables, and several heavy duty ones. I dont know if it's a coincidence or not, but the last 2 years, the flimsy one has grown me a 1910 and a 2002, both my pb's for the year. I know Ron also uses the thin gauge cables, and he certainly has great results too. Anyway, I've used all 3: HD, thin, and roofing, and they all seem to work fine.

3/4/2018 6:36:00 PM

Western NY

I've started using the thinner ones the last few years. I snap one a fall on average pulling them up, but they seem a lot easier to install.

3/4/2018 6:48:00 PM

Flat Rock, Michigan

I agree with Mike F. Mor electric nice heavy duty cables no built in theromostat would have to buy a separate controller . Im on my 4th year with them .

3/4/2018 7:21:01 PM

Pocatello (cliffwarren@yahoo.com)

I used a cable designed for the roof last year and it raised cold soil up to 70.

3/5/2018 9:50:25 AM

Muddy Waters

Use & toss till the cheapies under & forget them.Time is money We are burning day light. Grow Jowe Grow!! lol

3/5/2018 11:56:19 AM

Hanson Ma

Yes you have to buy thermostat controllers. I found some for 11 and change on some site out of california. I just cant remember the name. It think it was bizright or something like that.

3/5/2018 12:30:29 PM

Hanson Ma

I just found them again. It was Zen hydro but they are out of stock. The best price I found was on amazon 16.99. Search Ipower heat mat thermostat and it will come up.

3/5/2018 12:45:22 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

I use roof cables on a thermostat. I got a 100' someone who doesn't mind a huge energy bill can have. Jodi picked them up at a Thrift Sale. My 6 x 8 green house can't fit 100'

3/5/2018 12:58:00 PM

west central IN/East central IL

I use roof cables and just have them plugged in half the day. This maintains soil temp well. Plus when I'm done, I just pull them out of the ground. Caution they will heat soil to 100 degrees if not controlled.

3/5/2018 7:08:23 PM

Stanwood, Washington

I don't think the heavy duty ones with the thermostats are available any longer. I searched quite extensively this winter. I tried one of the thin gauge ones last year and it literally did nothing to my soil temperature. i ended up buying one of these.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06X9VC5KR/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and then got one of these for a thermostat

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I15S6OM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

3/5/2018 7:19:23 PM

Hanson Ma

Captain. Exactly what I bought only the 60’ers.

3/6/2018 9:46:46 AM

Tasmania Australia

I am interested to see if anyone has some photos in their diaries of these heavy duty cables,
I am interested to see how you lay them out and the spacing that you use between the cables.
How deep you place them and where you actually lay the thermostat probe in relation to the cables.
I did use the thin light duty ones a few years back, but think they didn't do to much at all.

3/13/2018 1:52:21 AM

Here is a picture that might help. you might want to start a new thread as this one is going to move pages soon.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=252288

3/14/2018 9:06:22 PM

Tasmania Australia

Cheers for the link.
Yes, think i might, appreciated.

3/15/2018 6:03:17 AM