Any experience with the IceZapper® dish heater?

[Jimbo]

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?

Anything is worth a try, particularly if you already have it and not buying it for this experiment.
I was just wondering if the reflector is in the same shape, so that the focal points would line up correctly, I would guess that they are NOT the same, but give it a try anyways !

Jimbo

[johnm356]

Where did you order it from and how long did it take to get, I've been debating for awhile now.

You can get one direct from the manufacturer at
http://www.icezapper.com/

, even though their site suggests contacting a local dealer through their "Buy Now" link. I live in PA and I called the nearest dealer listed only to find they don't (and never did) carry IceZappers. So I called their toll-free # and was told no problem, I could buy one direct from them.

If I recall, I was quoted a price of about $65 for the "always on" model.
I really don't see the need to spend the extra $ for the one with the built-in t-stat since I didn't plan on leaving it plugged in all the time anyway. Besides, those inline t-stats tend to fail and aren't easily replaced. I figure I only need to plug it in when it's actually coated with snow/ice.

[dchamberlain]

I would suggest for those using any kind of electric heater to get the always on model and then if you want a thermostat just get one of these.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Thermo-TC-3-Thermocube-Energy-Saver/dp/B0006U2HD2]Amazon.com: Thermo Cube LTD. TC-3 Thermocube Energy Saver: Automotive[/ame]

I use one on my weather station's rain gauge heater and it works well. As long as the thermocube is outside where it's as cold as it will be at the item to be heated. You can get them darn near anywhere, they're targeted towards farmers with stock tank heaters. They're cheap enough where if it quits working, you can just replace it. You can also just unplug it if it's going to be cold but there isn't any forecast precipitation.

[truckracer]

On the cheap...You could use a heating tape for a pipe 12-15' long wrapped on the back of the dish with some type of heat resistant adhesive. Run an extension cord to your roof hiding the cord (white cord if your house is white etc) from a ground fault outlet outside.

A heat tape costs (around here) about 20-25 dollars.
Some adhesive to line the rear of the dish with the heated cable part of it. The heat tape's thermostat would kick it on and off according to temp.

[jtwex]

Just god awful weather here in Chicago (-16) & my modified dish heater (Yes Jimbo, I promised a picture) has turned my dish into a giant block of ice similar to the tree squirrel in the Ice Age movies. When it's this cold, just like ice damning warmers for gutters, it's better to leave them off.

Ironically, I'm getting the HD channels & it's a scattering of SD stuff that I'm missing....Military, Encore, etc. Thankfully, I didn't lose all the 101's or I'd be reading a good book tonight.

End rant.

[jjnemoiii]

[QUOTE=jtwex;1665808] my modified dish heater (Yes Jimbo, I promised a picture) QUOTE]

Details please that sounds like something I would "rig" together...

[Jimmy the Dish]

Being in Chicagoland, we use a heater called the HOT SHOT. I put them on all of my commercial accounts. I charge $200 for the product and the installation. They have to be put on the Slimline before the dish is assembled due to the hole patterns and warming the entire dish. They due have a thermostat built in and I tell my customers to turn them on in late November and turn them off in March.

Sprays can help PAM, slick 50 etc but if get a sticky wet snow blowing out of the south, you'll end up with a snow build up.

Here's a tip! Get a super squirter (giant squirt gun) fill it with wiper Fluid that has ice melting added. Shot your dish if you can ( they can reach 20 ft+ vertically) and it won't be long till the snow drops off.

I've been in this for twenty years, good luck.

Jimmy the Dish
Southwest Satellite Inc
Crest Hill, Il

[jtwex]

Here's a tip! Get a super squirter (giant squirt gun) fill it with wiper Fluid that has ice melting added. Shot your dish if you can ( they can reach 20 ft+ vertically) and it won't be long till the snow drops off.

This is actually a good way of doing it if you have 20ft line of sight to the dish; unfortunately, I don't. I'll get you a picture of it when it's safe for me to mount a ladder to get on my roof, but it's a simple setup that wouldn't cost more than $20. It's a modified flood light hooked up to a 2x4 that I use to light up my Christmas wreaths over the holidays. I noticed the light melted the snow around the wreath (about 3 ft circumference) & the rest is history. Upgrading the light to a heat lamp (like what you see in fancy bathrooms hooked up to timers) improved the range to about 8ft.

[engdork]

I have followed this thread and a couple of others each winter looking for solutions to clear my dish of snow. I live in Colorado and have signal strengths in high 70’s and 80’s, but if I get about a quarter inch on snow on the dish I loose HD signal. I use to use the hose with a high power nozzle to knock the snow off, but when it’s really coming down I have to do that about every 45 minutes – plus there is nothing worst than having to do that first thing in the morning. Didn’t want to use any other fluid than water so as not to introduce it into the water table or our dogs which have eaten stranger things. So I finally decided to try a dish heater. I went with the ice zapper 2, because it’s cheap ($69) and only use 120 watts (1 amp). It has two rectangular heating elements and attaches to the back of the dish.

Last night out first storm came in and I lost the signal when about a quarter inch of snow had stuck to the dish face. Plugged in the heater and got the signal back in less than 3 minutes. I got the model without the thermostat and just plan on turning it on when I need it. I plan on hooking it up to a plug with a switch inside so turn it on when needed, maybe a timer, but on days like today when it is going to come down all day the timer might be more of a pain that it worth. I have attached a couple of pics from this morning, we got about 3-4 inches of snow overnight and the temperature is right about 30 degrees. I am interested in seeing how it performs once the temperatures really drop, although at temps where I think it might have problems keeping the dish clear would be too cold to snow. Just wanted to relay my experience so far hoping it helps others dealing with this same problem.

Hope this helps.

[addnol]

In the time being you search for a Dish Heater you can try applying some RainX or a light layer of Pam. I've heard good results but not tried it myself.