Any experience with the IceZapper® dish heater?

**NutFlush920** · 12-05-2008 07:50 PM

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Well, has anyone started a D* email campain to discuss this issue directly with the ones in the know at D* yet ?

Jimbo

Jimbo, I would be willing to get things started. How do I go about setting up the email campaign? There appears to be several customers who are having the same problem and I think this would be a positive step forward to make us heard by DTV.

**Jimbo** · 12-05-2008 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by jtwex

Perhaps an email campaign will persuade them to mass produce some heaters that would otherwise be cost prohibitive. I will say that I always was surprised that I was reporting problems with snow fade (in Chicago) while others were saying, meh..maybe once a year. I had the AT9 from day one (three years ago?) and absolutely had snow fade issues; I attributed my problem to having a dish located high above the chimney where weather tended to affect it more. Maybe it just took time for everyone to climb aboard the Slimline series for complaints to pile up among the masses.

Just to clarify, the initial bad weather (i.e. the first time it snows & crosses the 32 degree threshold) tends to be the worst it gets. Maybe it's the metal on the dish acclimating to the temperature change, I don't really know.

I have found that silicone or (gasp Magic Dome) does help but others have said that hasn't helped.

Around the holidays I use a spotlight for our chimney wreath & a second spotlight (either regular or heat-lamp type) adjacent to the the Slimline. The heat from either type will melt any snow from within 3ft of the dish.

I will snap a picture of the setup when I get the wreath hung.

edit: it was actually purely by accident last year that I noticed the melted snow near the lights beam.

I too had the AT-9 from the beginning and never had much trouble with it at all, I think maybe once or twice I had to get out there and clean it off, but that was only when we would get the heavy WET snow.
Thjis is the first year for the AU-9 (Slimline) for me anyways. I do think the 99 and 103 are more prone to trouble than the rest.

I have tried the Magic Dome and had no luck, if you've had success with it, I would be happy to send you the rest of the can I have sitting in the garage

Jimbo

**jtwex** · 12-05-2008 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by Jimbo

I have tried the Magic Dome and had no luck, if you've had success with it, I would be happy to send you the rest of the can I have sitting in the garage

Jimbo

When I upgraded some equipment they came by and actually replaced the AT9 with the AU9 & me not knowing any different told them to go ahead. I actually liked the AT9-sidecar & think it might have handled the snow fade better though to be fair it was on a temporary non-penetrating roof mount shielded from the elements. They just left the AT9, the mount & the 4x8 switch for me to do as I please..lol.

Jim, I'd take the Magic Dome off your hands (It's like $25) as I use a lot of it around the marina but I don't think it's worth the cost of shipping here, plus I have a few cans anyway (thanks for offering). Maybe it's just psychological for me, but the thought of me on my roof & on a ladder spraying my dish is making me laugh my azz off anymore.

Wait until you see my light contraption.

**Jimbo** · 12-06-2008 12:32 AM

Originally Posted by jtwex

When I upgraded some equipment they came by and actually replaced the AT9 with the AU9 & me not knowing any different told them to go ahead. I actually liked the AT9-sidecar & think it might have handled the snow fade better though to be fair it was on a temporary non-penetrating roof mount shielded from the elements. They just left the AT9, the mount & the 4x8 switch for me to do as I please..lol.

Jim, I'd take the Magic Dome off your hands (It's like $25) as I use a lot of it around the marina but I don't think it's worth the cost of shipping here, plus I have a few cans anyway (thanks for offering). Maybe it's just psychological for me, but the thought of me on my roof & on a ladder spraying my dish is making me laugh my azz off anymore.

Wait until you see my light contraption.

Which is safer, going up to spray the dish or replace a light bulb ?

Jimbo

**HammerHead001** · 12-08-2008 12:16 PM

Jimbo,

It took about a week. I got it from
Montana Satellite & Wireless

The one thing the guy told me when trying to decide from thermostat vs. the always on option was that he had heard some complaints that the thermostatically controlled ones took a while to heat up. So, if it is 45 degrees today and snow tonight I might have some issues. In my case the cheaper option seemed like the better choice.

Great Service!

I am in KC with the slimline dish. We are due for another snow late tonight into tomorrow - I'll give you an update if we get any accumulation here.

**NutFlush920** · 12-08-2008 12:58 PM

Here in WI we are going to get dumped on tonight and tomorrow. 8-14" of snow expected. We'll see what happens.

**MikeinBaja** · 12-08-2008 03:37 PM

I'm not located in snow country, but reading this string did give me an idea. I've been futzing around with a discarded Direcway (now Hughesnet) dish for FTA. They are fiberglass or plastic (have seen both kinds). Wonder if they would work better in snow country since they aren't metal?

I have a spare Slimline LNB and will fashion a bracket and hang it on the old DW dish to see how well it performs signal strength and quality wise. If it is up to snuff, this might be a "non-wired" solution since I rarely read anything with snow issues on the HN sites.

Worth a try?

**NutFlush920** · 12-08-2008 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by MikeinBaja

I'm not located in snow country, but reading this string did give me an idea. I've been futzing around with a discarded Direcway (now Hughesnet) dish for FTA. They are fiberglass or plastic (have seen both kinds). Wonder if they would work better in snow country since they aren't metal?

I have a spare Slimline LNB and will fashion a bracket and hang it on the old DW dish to see how well it performs signal strength and quality wise. If it is up to snuff, this might be a "non-wired" solution since I rarely read anything with snow issues on the HN sites.

Worth a try?

Sure, give it a shot. Anything is worth trying.

**MikeinBaja** · 12-08-2008 08:42 PM

Well, got the LNB firmly attached to the modified arm (needed to cut some of the aluminum bracket housing away to get roughly the right angle) - that's when I ran out of daylight.

Need to be gone all day tomorrow (Tuesday) but will mount tweak and test this puppy on Wednesday.

Mod looks strange - but it's secure - and it's only a test anyway (right?).

WAY too much time on my retired hands I guess!

**Jimbo** · 12-08-2008 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by HammerHead001

Jimbo,

It took about a week. I got it from
Montana Satellite & Wireless

The one thing the guy told me when trying to decide from thermostat vs. the always on option was that he had heard some complaints that the thermostatically controlled ones took a while to heat up. So, if it is 45 degrees today and snow tonight I might have some issues. In my case the cheaper option seemed like the better choice.

Great Service!

I am in KC with the slimline dish. We are due for another snow late tonight into tomorrow - I'll give you an update if we get any accumulation here.

You make a good point ....
eeing I don't want it on all the time during the winter, I think the always ON one might be the better idea, that way I can plug it in when I think I'll need it.

Have you checked to see how long it takes to heat the dish yet ?
How warm does it actually get ?

Jimbo