Water Supply Line Heat Tape Control and Monitoring Suggestions?

[jrfarrar]

@SteveV

r GE Z-Wave outlet. This all seems to work well enough but there’s currently no way to tell if the heat tape is actually doing anything. Failure of the heat tape or thermostat block is likely to eventually happen so I’m looking for a temp sensor with an external temp probe that I can attach to the surface of the water pipe to confirm that the heat tape is actually doing s

If it was me I think I'd be looking to put a shutoff valve at a better point in the line...that would make me feel like a real plan B.

I have a similar setup in my garage...but it's the garage in the house I live in everyday...so worst case scenario I'm 15min away from home. Also I would have the trigger earlier than 32degrees. Maybe more like 35 to be safe and give you a warning buffer. Also as a complete backup plan in the event of failure. You could string together some incandescent lightbulbs in that area on another mains powered switch. Worst case scenario you start getting some heat around that pipe to give someone time to get down there. (or a second heat strip on a second outlet for backup)

EDIT: after I hit save...that last plan I think is a good one. Have the first strip fire at 35deg and the second strip fire at 32deg and send a text. Pretty simple rules, straightforward and double the heat protection for failure. (also double the cost) coupled with a mains powered temp sensor of course.