Dish heaters

comfortably_numb · Jan 16, 2019

These three 76cm Winegard Dish Network dishes are on the rooftop of the Sonesta Hotel in Colorado Springs. We were on vacation there this past August.

The heaters look like they are on the front side of the reflector. Shouldn't they be on the back?!

Peter Parker · Jan 16, 2019

I am pretty sure that is correct and a quick google search shows install videos that show it on the front. It is a little counter intuitive since you woudl think it interferes with signal capture but I believe it is right.

comfortably_numb · Jan 16, 2019

Geronimo said:
It is a little counter intuitive since you woudl think it interferes with signal capture but I believe it is right.

Does it interfere with the signal capture?

I want to see about installing one

Magic Static · Jan 16, 2019

comfortably_numb said:
Does it interfere with the signal capture?

I want to see about installing one

Think about it. If you didn't put it on the face of the dish you would be crushing the heating element between the mount and the dish pan. They are made for the face of the dish. Any signal loss would be negligible compared to snow piling up.

comfortably_numb · Jan 16, 2019

Magic Static said:
Think about it. If you didn't put it on the face of the dish you would be crushing the heating element between the mount and the dish pan. They are made for the face of the dish. Any signal loss would be negligible compared to snow piling up.

How are they powered?

Magic Static · Jan 16, 2019

comfortably_numb said:
How are they powered?

Like a heat tape. Got to plug it in somewhere.

LocutusOfBorg · Jan 16, 2019

I have worked in the satellite industry (Harris Corporation) and I never heard of heat blankets being placed on the front surface. They were always attached to the backside of 6 meter Ku-band dishes. And these were AZ-EL motorized dishes.

raydio · Jan 16, 2019

Might want to watch this....installing dish heaters - Bing video

Edit: Solid Signal who is either the manufacturer or the dealer says either way is right...go figure -

If I were to install them I would take the time to put them on the back, putting them on the front has to degrade the signal strength.

comfortably_numb · Jan 16, 2019

We get frequent ice storms in this area in the winter (one is predicted for tonight). We also have the potential to get a lot of snowfall. So I wish I had installed these sooner

I guess I could go stand outside with a hairdryer and thaw the ice off the dishes (not while its raining, of course)

danristheman · Jan 16, 2019

Or put a trash bag over the dish.

raydio · Jan 16, 2019

danristheman said:
Or put a trash bag over the dish.

Lo-tech always wins the race -

Phalaenopsis · Jan 17, 2019

I think it would be better to spray paint the dish black rather than put on the heater.

comfortably_numb · Jan 17, 2019

Alexander Olar said:
I think it would be better to spray paint the dish black rather than put on the heater.

That won't help if its dark outside and water freezes on the dish

NYDutch · Jan 17, 2019

Alexander Olar said:
I think it would be better to spray paint the dish black rather than put on the heater.

I have a black Dish 1K4 dish at our upstate NY cottage. The color may help some when it's just ice and sunny, but the garbage bag works better for snow.

. Raine · Jan 17, 2019

Whenever there's a storm here I just take a broom out and gently brush the snow off all the dishes here when it gets heavy enough to affect reception. We rarely have ice to deal with here though, a broom would be useless for ice.

NYDutch · Jan 17, 2019

. Raine said:
Whenever there's a storm here I just take a broom out and gently brush the snow off all the dishes here when it gets heavy enough to affect reception. We rarely have ice to deal with here though, a broom would be useless for ice.

We're currently in southern Georgia, and the cottage dish is still in NY of course. We watch programming from the Hopper we leave there often enough with DishAnywhere that a snowed over dish would be really annoying since we obviously can't clear it. The garbage bag does a great job keeping the dish clear for us. Oddly, the only time we've had icing on our dish lately, was last weekend in southern Virginia when freezing rain partially coated our portable 1K4 dish. It never got heavy enough to cause any reception problems though.

ken2400 · Jan 21, 2019

danristheman said:
Or put a trash bag over the dish.

Or a white reflective tarp. Maybe tyvek from Lowes or Home Depot?

Titanium · Jan 21, 2019

In the Sierras, often see the heat shrink wrap used as covers on dishes. This is the material used for storage of boats, is cheap and easy to install. Recall one customer who used a small automotive 12vdc defroster blower running on low inside the cover during the winter to keep the dish clear (solid dish). Heat tape is often applied to the back of the dish (both solid and mesh/perf. types).

Helps to apply rainX or similar water beading non organic treatment annually to either the covers or to uncovered reflector surfaces.

Often the loss of signal doesn't occur due to snow on the reflector, but instead from a snow or ice build-up on or in front of the feed. We used to apply heat tape to the LNBF support arm to prevent build-up in front of the feed.

VictoriaFTA · Jan 21, 2019

. Raine said:
Whenever there's a storm here I just take a broom out and gently brush the snow off all the dishes here when it gets heavy enough to affect reception. We rarely have ice to deal with here though, a broom would be useless for ice.

I do this too. I have been surprised at how rarely the snow is a problem in WI. We usually have a snow storm severe enough to warrant grabbing the broom and manually clearing off the snow just a few times a season so I have to do this on average maybe three times a year. And it takes a lot of snow build up on the dish to start affecting signal. This storm last week managed to accomplish it though.

I don't think a dish heater is a critical accessory for the home user.

danristheman · Jan 21, 2019

I just wipe off my dish when it snows.

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