The ones I use are sold for the purpose of keeping exposed water pipes from freezing. I guess I took the simplistic view that a palm trunk is just a water pipe. 😯
The built-in thermostat turns the tape on when the temps drop to about 35oF and off a bit above that. They do not draw much current.
I've been happy with them and plan to use more this winter.
Remember, I'm a palm novice. Be sure to get input from folks who have been doing this a lot longer than me, and in places much colder than down here.

Check Canadian tire. I think the brand name is easyheat.

DOnt worry eric, experience is experience. And look at how a " simpstic veiw" helped macguiver lol.

Thanks paul ill have to check it out...

I took a good look. They range from 3 ft - 12 feet long, and range in price from 15- 30 bucks. Not to bad. You guys know how much these may raise the hardiness rating??

I took a good look. They range from 3 ft - 12 feet long, and range in price from 15- 30 bucks. Not to bad. You guys know how much these may raise the hardiness rating??

If they keep the ground around the roots and trunk from freezing, you are in Zone 8 territory.

excellent 😈

Jack, I hope you are right!
Last winter was my first to use them. The kept a Chamaerops and Butia happy through our worst winter in a long time.
The Butia died recently (unrelated, I assume) but the Chamaerops has done splendidly. It will get a little (3' / 1 m) one again. More ambitious will be the new but fairly large Sabal mexicana (x2) and S. palmetto. I'll need a long extension cord to get juice out to them. A nice feature of these tapes (assuming we're talking the same thing) is that they do not draw much current. The longest one for sale locally is 30' (9 m) and draws 60 watts.
I seem to be the only one who uses these. Is that correct? --Erik

The ones im refering too looked like extention cord.... but it had a small box thing, ( im assuming to determine temp). Damn i should achecked the wattage:S

How was it on the hydro last year eric?

Dont worry dude, next year, I wont be too far behind you. Im going to expereiment with a few plants. Thanks to paul, I found a good source for ficus carica 😈

Jack, I hope you are right!
Last winter was my first to use them. The kept a Chamaerops and Butia happy through our worst winter in a long time.
The Butia died recently (unrelated, I assume) but the Chamaerops has done splendidly. It will get a little (3' / 1 m) one again. More ambitious will be the new but fairly large Sabal mexicana (x2) and S. palmetto. I'll need a long extension cord to get juice out to them. A nice feature of these tapes (assuming we're talking the same thing) is that they do not draw much current. The longest one for sale locally is 30' (9 m) and draws 60 watts.
I seem to be the only one who uses these. Is that correct? --Erik

Just a guess actually. My cousin lives in Myrtle Beach which has its share of palms. She says while it does get cold, the ground does not freeze thus enabling lots of palms to flourish.

Does anyone know the temp (in degrees) that these cables heat up to? I need something to use as germination bottom-heat for an area about 8' x 8', and I was thinking about using these heating cables underneath the containers 😀

The pipe heating tape I use would be useless, assuming you are germinating seeds indoors. They are really only intended to keep a pipe from freezing. I think you want a mat lke what Barb shared a photo of. Bill uses some kind of heating cable intended for seed starting. I keep thinking that folks confuse the two types--they are very different products.

Thanks! I'm trying to find something that will work but won't break the bank 🙂 If I were to use the jiffy style growing mats, I'd be looking at nearly $500 !