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Eastern Pennsylvania

I’m sick and tired of digging up these cheap soil cables, inevitably breaking them several times, and having to repair them. These use a special type of wire, I forgot what metal it is made of. But the concept is very simple and we should be able to replicate the system pretty easily. Even at $35 for 48 ft they are a ripoff and lets face it 48 ft isn’t as long as we’d like anyways. Has anyone else felt like me made the plunge already and built their own, maybe converted ice melters or totally from scratch and can you share your experience?

2/20/2020 12:20:49 PM

Central NY

And to piggy back here...those that have zip tied to the safety nets to pull up easily in the fall....did that work out?....do the cables hold up?....that seemed like a good idea....

2/20/2020 1:57:47 PM

Central NY

( although that’s one of the things you don’t want to fail either...)...

2/20/2020 1:58:40 PM

Brandon,WI.

Hey Porkchop, I did attach my heating cables to a plastic type of fencing and they did come out of the soil very well and they still work.Will be using em again this season

2/20/2020 6:19:33 PM

Deer Park WA

We buy rain gutter heaters and control them with a cheap digital remote sensor thermostat. They work great are cheap and last for years. Check out our 2017 and 2018 diary for a reference.

2/20/2020 6:35:23 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Gutter Heaters attached to a thermostat are the way to go.

2/21/2020 6:41:37 AM

Sault Ste Marie, MI 49783

Gadberry's or Engel could you provide a link for the thermostat you use. I have been using the thin 48' cables and they work fine but I always fear they might burn out or just stop working for what ever reason Thanks.

2/21/2020 3:58:17 PM

Stanwood, Washington

I ordered this one. Its arriving tomorrow. I'll let you know how it works.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PN7HCG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_9YkuEbJGWFSXH

2/21/2020 11:26:05 PM

Central NY

Thanks gusto!!...

2/22/2020 3:41:43 PM

Cheshire Ma USA

I have 80' ice melt cables that go on the eves of a roof, plugged into a soil temp thermostat that I can set to whatever temp I want it to go up too

2/22/2020 4:02:41 PM

Stanwood, Washington

I am restoring mine out and it is working well so far. it's taking a while to get it up to temperature but so far it has raised the soil temp from 45 to 61 degrees in the last 24 hours and it's still climbing. I buried it 8" deep and spaced the cable about 6" between loops. There is no hoop house over it for this test and it was about 42 degrees last night with quite a bit of rain. The high today was 47.

2/23/2020 7:56:06 PM

Stanwood, Washington

Testing not "restoring" auto correct got me.

2/23/2020 7:56:49 PM

Stanwood, Washington

I am using a seed starting mat thermostat to control the temp.

2/23/2020 7:57:42 PM

Hanson Ma

Go look in my diary from 2018. Last entry was in July. You can see the cables I bought. There not the cheap ones. I ruined those the first year. The new ones are extension cord thick. I tie wrapped to the netting. As long as you pull the cable and netting at the same time they come up. Very easily. You have to dig up some dirt. They’re not indistructable. But I’m now on year three and there fine.

2/23/2020 8:13:41 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Great info guys thanks.

2/23/2020 8:52:20 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

Can somebody provide a link to the thermostat for controlling the rain gutter heaters? TIA

2/24/2020 10:33:57 PM

Deer Park WA

Here ya go

https://agron.io/products/titan-controls-zephyr-5-digital-cooling-thermostat-controller

We put the t-stat in a bucket and plug the heater and extension cord into it to keep everything dry in the field.

2/24/2020 11:12:27 PM

Deer Park WA

Check this one out too it opens on rise (for heating) https://www.amazon.com/Century-Thermostat-Controller-Germination-40-108%C3%82%C2%B0F/dp/B01I15S6OM/ref=asc_df_B01I15S6OM/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=193150648923&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2924835410576526009&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9033789&hvtargid=pla-314068780962&psc=1

The first one closes on rise for cooling, used it for turning on fans, misters etc.

2/24/2020 11:20:10 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

Thanks Gads. So how deep do your bury the probe?

2/25/2020 10:15:55 AM

Pittsburgh, PA

And how deep do you bury the cables?

2/25/2020 10:36:32 AM

Pittsburgh, PA

If the gutter cables automatically turn off and on at a set temperature, what good is it to have a separate thermostat? Sorry for all the questions.

2/25/2020 7:55:42 PM

Edgar, WI

Gutter cables run way high on temperature if you dont use a secondary thermostat you'll cook your roots

2/25/2020 8:21:34 PM

the store bought automatic thermostat gutter cables turn on at 32 degrees for snow ice, I use plain gutter cable no auto but add my own adjustable thermostat-also learned to always stick thermometer in dirt to check temps my self

2/25/2020 8:31:16 PM

Susquehanna Pa

Why couldn’t you use a timer on gutter cables on for a certain amount and off for a certain amount of time if you keep track of soil temp with thermometer.

2/25/2020 9:29:09 PM

Deer Park WA

We buy the 45 to 60 foot gutter cables that do not have built in thermosyats. We bury the cables about 12" deep the soil probe is about 6 inches deep. Check out our diaries from 2016 2017 2018 and you can see exactly how we set them up.

Good luck almost time to get started!

2/26/2020 9:53:37 PM

Pittsburgh, PA

Thanks Gads. I found a great deal on some brand new 80’ gutter cables on marketplace so I grabbed them. Cost me $50 for all three so can’t beat the price. I might try to monitor the soil temp with a thermometer that I just stick in the ground. If things get too hot, I’ll pick up some adjustable thermostats.

2/27/2020 4:02:27 PM