Need dish cover for 8' and 10' dish
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I have read that coating solid dishes with RainX works great for snow and ice but have never tried it. Don't know how/if it would work with mesh?
Most large commercial dishes have heating elements behind the reflector. Residential dishes usually use a broom! 
I had a few ski resorts that I would service and the dishes were difficult to access. They had an upholstery shop create covers from uv resistant vinyl. They initially experienced more problems with signal loss due to snow and ice build-up on the cover until they added a small heater and rotating fan inside the enclosure. Every year they would treat the cover with something like RainX.
PITA in my opinion, but safer than sending an employee up on the roof to sweep dishes.
I had a few ski resorts that I would service and the dishes were difficult to access. They had an upholstery shop create covers from uv resistant vinyl. They initially experienced more problems with signal loss due to snow and ice build-up on the cover until they added a small heater and rotating fan inside the enclosure. Every year they would treat the cover with something like RainX.
PITA in my opinion, but safer than sending an employee up on the roof to sweep dishes.
Well you see what the guy did to the one I helped install. Makes me sick! Like I wrote I can see messing up two or three BUT six is too much.
If it's snowing heavy, simply aim the dish as close to the horizon as possible, Coat a metal dish with WD40? I dunno.
BITD I know there was a 'shaker' that was an electric motor with a counterweight that could be run to shake most snow out (but required moving the dish to the horizon, to be most effective)
EDIT: found Why not to use a shovel on a dish.
BITD I know there was a 'shaker' that was an electric motor with a counterweight that could be run to shake most snow out (but required moving the dish to the horizon, to be most effective)
details? Pictures?
EDIT: found Why not to use a shovel on a dish.
RainX is nothing but isopropyl alcohol. Buy a bottleof IPA in a drug store for a lot less then RainX itself goes for.
Actually, it's not just alcohol. If it were, it wouldn't repel water on windshields like it does. I have used it for years on our vehicles, just never tried in on a satellite dish.
http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=brands&id=21003001
Do not use WD40 or any other petrol or bio lubricant!
Dust, dirt, pollen and everything else will stick to the surface. It will make a MESS! I remember servicing some dishes several years ago that the owners had sprayed with Pam. The next summer the area wreaked of rancid oil and dead bugs were stuck all over the surface. They spent a few hours removing the stinking, sticky coating with soapy water, a scrub brush and pressure washer.
Dust, dirt, pollen and everything else will stick to the surface. It will make a MESS! I remember servicing some dishes several years ago that the owners had sprayed with Pam. The next summer the area wreaked of rancid oil and dead bugs were stuck all over the surface. They spent a few hours removing the stinking, sticky coating with soapy water, a scrub brush and pressure washer.
only place I've seen the covers (not heater type for offset antennas) is here but they are expensive http://www.satcomresources.com/Walton-De-Ice-Snow-Shield?sc=8&category=7081
Ever go by a boat storage lot,and see how they seal boats for the winter?They use this plastic covering material and heat shrink it over the boat.I'm gonna see if I can buy some.The stuff seems to hold up to the the weather pretty good,god help you if you had to change out the lnbf though.Better check everything before you put it on.All you need to take it off is a knife.I'm gonna see if I can buy some from my local boat storage.I've also seen it used on cars in storage.
There is an automotive polish that advertises on TV where everything slides off the vehicle after polishing. Can't remember the name but I polished my 7.5 KTI with it and it works great. If some snow accumulates on the dish I just rotate it down to the horizon and the snow slides right off. Lasts all Winter, not sure one application of RainX will.
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