Heater tape on dish for ice / snow removal

[drhydro]

Hey Folks,
Just wondering if anyone has tried applying heater tape to the back of thier 30" dish? I am refering to the heated "tape" that can be wrapped around water pipes and plugged in to an 110 electrical outlet. This stuff is widely used in VT to keep pipes from freezing. I'm thinking that i could just plug in the tape during a storm, and save myself multiple trips up onto the roof this winter.

 

[mkm4]

Spray the dish with a cooking oil spray, like Pam. It usually works great.

 

[PSB]

Let us know what route you go Drhydro and your results, I must be "crazy" coz I enjoy nothing better than cleaning down my dish with a BIG hot sponge in the winter!

 

[drhydro]

Ive already sprayed down the dish with Pam (i did that the day i put it on the roof), so far it seems to work for light snowfalls, no accumulation on the dish. We havent had any of our normal heavy storms that drop 12-30" yet this year tho, but of course 30" is going to pretty much bury half the dish....

Im thinking more about the ice storms we have every winter, the ones that cover every possible surface with 1-2" of ice. Making a trip up to my roof wont be possible if said roof is covered with ice. I tried that once to clean off my 18" dish a couple of years ago, scared the bejeesus out of me.

And while I wont comment on your sanity PSB, I will say playing with water of any temp when air temps are below zero F. doesnt strike me as fun

 

[ken2400]

What about a dish cover?

 

[charper1]

or maybe a hotshot (?) dish they have them at skyvision

 

[drhydro]

ken i hadnt thought about a dish cover, but i think i might have problems with it being coated with ice, and im sure KU signals do not pass thru ice that well

 

[drhydro]

well i went and looked at the hotshot and zia dish heaters, both seem expensive and neither is set up for a 30" dish. guess ill go pick up some heater tape and try it, ill let ya all know how it turns out.

 

[Diamond Jim]

I use a push broom, it would take a couple of cases of PAM to do the BUD.

Has any one tried silicone?

 

[charper1]

on the covers: they are teflon coated, at least my mother-in-law's is, and if you spray it down with rain-x it will not let water or snow adhere to it to freeze.

 

[ken2400]

I agree ice can be an issue. I have a car cover I use that I bought at Pep-Boys that is sliver has a slick surface.. It does keep the ice off. The tievek(sp) one I have did not.

When you find something that works/helps please write back to keep us informed.

Ken

ken i hadnt thought about a dish cover, but i think i might have problems with it being coated with ice, and im sure KU signals do not pass thru ice that well