BriskHeat HSTAT051004 XtremeFLEX Heating Tape with Adjustable Thermostat Control, 144W, 120 Volt

Just what I needed. Problem of waiting 2-3 min to get hot water is gone. Mounted on under side of copper pipe. Only installation problem is mounting the control box so the temperature sensor (located directly below center of dial) is touching the pipe. The instructions are poor. More time was put into making instructions for multi language than information.UPDATE - Worked perfect for about 6 months. - Then, didn't go on an normal. Tested and set to just go on at current room temp. worked fine for another couple weeks. - Then I smelt something hot and maybe burning. Found unit running so hot insulation was falling off of pipe.Rechecked mountings and found thermostat still firmly attached to proper location on pipe.My wife is now scarred of this thing and said 'It is not worth a fire'.

Update 6/18/2018I purchased the HSTAT model installed it on a copper drain line that only has water in it 5-6 times a day.4 tapes burned out because in my option they are not enginnerd to be installed on an empty copper pipe (drain line) my guess is the thermostat is not sensitive enough to detect temperatures at that density/mass of an empty copper pipe.I was determined to get this tape to work as i need the heat output watts/amps this product supplies.I should have contacted the mfg sooner they are in process of suggesting a different solution.FYI: I had no success in insulating and wrapping a copper drain from a HVAC evaporator .Beware the model sent me was a BSTAT101004That model BSTAT is NOT thermastically controlled,.it is a time and percentage controller. I called tech support at BriskHeat because it would cycle on and off in no set or predictable time frame. They said you had to experment to detrmine the time in between on and off to heat to your target temp. I used a temp gun and set the timer so the copper pipe would reach about 100 degs which was less than a min i monitered as often as could i never came back and found it on and my pipe was warm but not at close to the 100 degs i needed.Caution: if left if on long enough (setting time longer) will heat to around 400 degs. Which will melt most rubber pipe insulation. This is what happened to me as i increased time hoping to keep pipe at close to my target temp.

If you are heat a pipe to room temperature, this is OK. If a higher temperature, grab some marshmellows to cook over the smoldering mess. The control know is also very flimsy and mine was lying in the box upon receipt, hence very inaccurate temperature settings. I thermocoupled since I did not trust and the rubber burnt at a little over 200-degree.

I like the product. It seems to work well on brass and or copper fittings and pipes. It does not mention plastic pipes such as Pex. The thermostat is a bit out of sink and it would be nice to have a better labelling system on the dial. I had to use zip ties to hold it in place so hoping those will not melt. So far so good not more frozen pipes. If it works for a few more months I will recommend it to our tankless water heater providers and installers for freeze prevention product.

This can heat up incredibly hot, the temperature is very difficult to control.The only work around is a programmable outlet, one 1 minute, off 10 minutes. You will need to play around with the timing. Otherwise it's good.

The instructions are incomplete. I don't know where the temperature sensor is, so I'm not certain what to put in contact with the tube I'm heating. I almost had a fire because of this.

gets very hot very fast, but the temperature dial is way off!!! We took digital thermometer readings and when the temp is set to just the 50 degree ferinhiet mark, the heat tape reads at about 134 degrees ferinhiet