Snow Ice Winter Dish Heaters Warmers

[Thinker3932]

So, an ice storm in central Illinois took out my service yesterday. My first idea was to go to Toys 'R Us and buy one of those Super Soakers and fill it with de-icing solution used for windshields ... but alas, not quite the season to be in stock. I am very curious if anyone has tried this.

What I did in the end was go to Lowes, buy two 25' mobile home hoses, a valve to go in the middle of the two hoses, a pressurized spray tip at then end, and two heavy 10' PVC pipes to help direct the spray (I mean heavy...if you go to lowes, any individual 10' section seems stiff enough, but when you put two 10' together, only the bigger ones are stiff enough to be controlable at 20') . I hooked the hose up the the utility tub in my basement, ran it out a basement window, threaded the top hose through the PVC (the spray tip was at the top; the valve was at the bottom turned off), turned on the hot water, went outside, open the valve, lifted up the PVC and squirted my dish with the hot water. 60 seconds later, I was back in buisiness.

If you're dumb enough to try this, please at least be smart enough to use PVC and not any conductive materials and stay away from power lines.

P.S. Love to hear about someone's success with a super soaker...that will likely be my long term solution.

If I do one of those dish heaters, do I need to have a power cord running down the side of my house all year? That's why that\s not an option for me...

[bosco10021]

I use a dish cover...no power required.

http://www.wedgiecovers.com/

[jcricket]

I use a dish cover...no power required.

http://www.wedgiecovers.com/

Interesting. So there's really no signal loss? And how does it reduce rain fade?

[carl6]

I really don't see how it would help with rain fade.

As to snow/ice, just depends on whether it can accumulate on the sloped upper surface of the cover. I've never seen one of these in person, so have no idea.

Bosco - are your "parts unknown" where you get serious winter weather (snow and ice)?

Carl

[248 F1]

Way back when I had a single lnb dish mounted on my roof, every winter I would cover it with a black plastic contractors grade trash bag and cinch it at the rear of the dish with a zip tie and cut off the excess. The bag would last all winter and the snow and ice would slide right off. Might work with a Slimline but the width of the 5 lnb might make for more of a "shelf" for the snow or ice to lie on.

[rangertdc]

I tried the super soaker method last night...worked great. Took a bit more de-icer solution than I thought, but my singal is back up to viewable levels again. If I keep having issues though, I'll probably be purchasing a cover or a heater.

[rotohead]

I live in a high snowfall area and with my 3lnb dish I tried a cover but all it did was act as a platform to snow to pile up on. It did make it easier to remove with a light brush with a broom (and sprayed cover with Pam at the start of winter) but that is if you can reach the dish??? With my new slimline alittle higher on my roof I'm going to spend the money and try this
http://www.montanasatellitesupply.com/index1.html
I'm looking at the Hot Shot unit. Anybody have experience with this product?
Chuck

[davring]

Maybe I should have mounted mine on a taller pole because when I mowed today it got covered in grass clippings:)

[Jimmy 440]

I used a HOT SHOT on my old round dish.The heater was built right into it.I plugged it in when I needed it.We get allot of ice here in the winter along the Bayshore.It saved me on more than a few occasions !

Jimmy

[lostman72]

I use a dish cover...no power required.

http://www.wedgiecovers.com/

What do they mean by "Protect your privacy" ? Does the cover hide the fact that you have a dish? I guess it would make people guess if you have Dishnet or Directv?

[248 F1]

http://www.montanasatellitesupply.com/index1.html
I'm looking at the Hot Shot unit. Anybody have experience with this product?
Chuck

.... and then they go and say "...and can also reduce rain fade by up to 75%"
throwing any credibility right in the dumper.

[randyk47]

Since most of the rain fade I've ever experienced was during thunder and lightning storms I can't imagine the cover would do much good. We experienced snow storms, when we lived up north, so heavy that you could barely see across the street and still got signal. Where I live now I'm more worried about high winds ripping the whole dish off the house. I may be way off base here but I'd think the cover would provide even more wind resistance and put a heavier load on the Slimline and mount. As for privacy....well....that one has me stumped. It's not like somebody can steal the signal off your dish. :)

[rotohead]

.... and then they go and say "...and can also reduce rain fade by up to 75%"
throwing any credibility right in the dumper.

And this lessens it's ability to melt snow...how??? I dont' care about rain fade or improving rain fade. Just want it to melt snow. If signal strength decreases when I install this product then it will be returned for a full refund.

I do think that 'covers' have limited applications. This is a heater.

[redwoode]

I'm puzzled on the rain fade reduction claim as well. We have a domed Winegard dish on top of the motorhome. Internal dish is so small rain droplets on dome can affect signal strength and reception. There are products available that 'supposedly' make it so slick the rain runs right off (Rainex on windshields). Maybe heater heat evaporates the rain..............ha!

[248 F1]

And this lessens it's ability to melt snow...how??? I dont' care about rain fade or improving rain fade. Just want it to melt snow. If signal strength decreases when I install this product then it will be returned for a full refund.

I do think that 'covers' have limited applications. This is a heater.

My point was their claim that it also reduces rain fade, by 75% no less, is misleading to any potential buyer and lessens their credibility.

Atmospheric conditions heavily laden with water cause "rain" fade, not rain drops on the dish. Snow or ice accumulation yes, rain drops no. As a heater to prevent snow and ice accumulation, it might work (the lnb's need to be snow and ice free also) I know, I live in the northeast.

When a heavy rain storm moves into my area I experience rain fade sometimes 5 or 10 minutes before the rain begins to fall. Once the heaviest cloud cover passes my signal returns even though it is still raining and the dish is wet. You can prove it to yourself by going out and hosing down your dish.

[Thinker3932]

I tried the super soaker method last night...worked great. Took a bit more de-icer solution than I thought, but my singal is back up to viewable levels again. If I keep having issues though, I'll probably be purchasing a cover or a heater.

Less than a gallon I hope? Was the excess due to practice getting the aim right or just took that much?

[Thinker3932]

I'm puzzled on the rain fade reduction claim as well. We have a domed Winegard dish on top of the motorhome. Internal dish is so small rain droplets on dome can affect signal strength and reception. There are products available that 'supposedly' make it so slick the rain runs right off (Rainex on windshields). Maybe heater heat evaporates the rain..............ha!

Yeah, the marketing department doesn't know what rain fade is--unless the rain God s are so afraid of what weapon might be hiding under the dish that they decide to go rain somewhere else that day....

[qprhooligan]

We had some problems with snow collecting in the dish when we had a 3 LNB setup. This year we have a 5 LNB dish and I bet we will have more problems. How does spraying the dish with Pam cooking spray work to keep snow off the dish?

Thanks.

[Thinker3932]

We had some problems with snow collecting in the dish when we had a 3 LNB setup. This year we have a 5 LNB dish and I bet we will have more problems. How does spraying the dish with Pam cooking spray work to keep snow off the dish?

Thanks.


I hear spraying it with silicone spray works well--prob better than cooking oils.

[jimmyv2000]

i have used pam on my older 18" dish that was on my deck rail.
My snow issue as is follows for my roof mounted SLIMLINE
1 fire up air compressor and wait 5 minutes
2 while comressor is builing pressure pass hose (with adapter at end) through 25 ft conduit and clip at top.
3.raise pipe to dish.(at edge of roof)
4 open valve at bottom end
5 snow off dish/put stuff away/DONE
:D

[glennb]

I live in Minnesota and I've never had any problems with snow/ice build up on the dish.

I thought the "protect your privacy" line was pretty funny.
As if you put the cover on and no one can see whether you have a DIRECTV dish or DISHNETWORK dish. Who cares !!

[rotohead]

... (the lnb's need to be snow and ice free also) I know, I live in the northeast.


The Hot Shot product has a optional heating element that attaches to the lnb arm and to the lnb's themselves, plugs into the thermostat, to keep the entire dish ice/snow free. Mine works great during the last two big snow storms in the Sierra.

[Larry G]

Maybe I should have mounted mine on a taller pole because when I mowed today it got covered in grass clippings:)

Very good. You made my morning:lol:

[HeckSpawn]

If you're looking for something like the water cannons the boats use on each other in the summertime, try looking at West Marine. I picked up a water bazooka (in December) and use it with a bucket of hot water (cheaper than de-icer) to melt last of the snow off my dish. Of course, having it mounted just above the water heater flue helps alot too. Some of these storms that drop a foot or more need more than the heat generated by the wife's bathwater...