Cold weather reminder for all

[truckracer]

I just wanted to remind everyone to lube your dish actuator arms and really would be a good idea to wrap the arm with a heat tape (like that is used to keep pipes freezing). It will keep the grease/oil warmer and lessen the load on your receiver/dish mover - vbox or whatever you use.

I always wrap the entire length of my actuators every winter with a 12ft heat tape including the motor itself. No external insulation necessary (at least here in my area).

Leave the thermostat hanging exposed and the unit will heat the whole time it is below freezing.

Your dish will move faster too.

I think it is a good thing to make those expensive arms and motors last longer.
Be sure you do not overlap the heating tape or heating cable.

 

[jsattv]

Good suggestions Truckracer, I really greased my rebuilt Actuator in June and so far have had no trouble with cold weather up here in Canada. Temperatures are at -25 degrees celcius today with a -30 degree wind chill. I'm trying to move the Dish and Actuator each day back and forth from my south Sat 97.0W over to 87.0W and 101.0W and so far everything is working okay.

 

[truckracer]

The top rubber seal on my arm is leaking rain down into the worm gear. The other night I tried to move the dish and the reset breaker on the back of my ORB receiver tripped,
Ice was causing the motor to seize and not move.

I need a new seal on the arm. I rigged some tape and plastic over the exposed part.
Like a little shelter sort of.
The extra heat will keep ice from forming until I get a new seal

 

[tvropro]

The top rubber seal on my arm is leaking rain down into the worm gear. The other night I tried to move the dish and the reset breaker on the back of my ORB receiver tripped,
Ice was causing the motor to seize and not move.

I need a new seal on the arm. I rigged some tape and plastic over the exposed part.
Like a little shelter sort of.
The extra heat will keep ice from forming until I get a new seal

I have the factory rubber accordion boot and a motor cover on my Thompson Saginaw. All I ever do is lube up the gimbals and put some wd40 on the boot. That accordion boot is the way to go to protect the arm.

 

[stogie5150]

I have a cold weather reminder for those of us in South Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama/Texas/Florida:


There may be some days that you have to wear a long sleeved shirt and long pants. Don't worry, in 8-10 weeks we'll be in shorts and t-shirts again.

That is all.

(Ain't I a stinker?)

 

[sergei]

All I do for my dishes is spray each actuator arm with a heavy coating of white lithium grease, no problems then with ice or water.

 

[tvropro]

I have a cold weather reminder for those of us in South Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama/Texas/Florida:


There may be some days that you have to wear a long sleeved shirt and long pants. Don't worry, in 8-10 weeks we'll be in shorts and t-shirts again.

That is all.

(Ain't I a stinker?)

Hey Stogie want to blow some of that warm air up here? it's 8 degrees right now in northern Illinois. What do you guys call cold 60?

 

[Lak7]

There may be some days that you have to wear a long sleeved shirt and long pants.

Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah!

 

[Cadsulfide]

Right now it's a balmy 3F and snowing, been doing some inside rewiring. On the up side, no bugs to speak of. Moving the recievers to the utility room and using Powermid remote extenders, wife does not like the JPL look in the family room.

Got one of those EMP Centauri 8x1 switches, am anxious to hook it up. Only four feeds to the house, it's going outside.

 

[guapoharry]

I have the factory rubber accordion boot and a motor cover on my Thompson Saginaw. All I ever do is lube up the gimbals and put some wd40 on the boot. That accordion boot is the way to go to protect the arm.

WD-40 serves what purpose for the boot?

 

[tvropro]

WD-40 serves what purpose for the boot?

I put WD 40 on the boot to keep the rubber flexible, otherwise it will get hard and start cracking. My arm & boot are 19 years old still looks and works good. use that method on car weatherstripping too.

 

[stogie5150]

Hey Stogie want to blow some of that warm air up here? it's 8 degrees right now in northern Illinois. What do you guys call cold 60?

It was actually 28 with some frost here last night....LOL....but it'll be 60 or so here during the day today....

 

[tvropro]

It was actually 28 with some frost here last night....LOL....but it'll be 60 or so here during the day today....

I'd kill for 60, it's 17 now we may hit 21. As I get older I hate the cold & snow. I think I need to move down south.

 

[truckracer]

cold weather

it will be warm here in about 5 month -sucks!

I have a cold weather reminder for those of us in South Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama/Texas/Florida:


There may be some days that you have to wear a long sleeved shirt and long pants. Don't worry, in 8-10 weeks we'll be in shorts and t-shirts again.

That is all.

(Ain't I a stinker?)

 

[Larobpra]

I think I need to move down south.

With the bugs and snakes and hurricanes?

 

[14karat]

We call 'em skeeters.

I'd kill for 60, it's 17 now we may hit 21. As I get older I hate the cold & snow. I think I need to move down south.

Heh... My wife's folks live in Michigan (around Bay City / Saginaw area)
Her bro-in-law made his first trek to Arkansas several years back. First week of August! (Stogie, you know what I'm talking about )
Told us he'd rather shovel snow...

Everyplace has it's drawbacks... ours are from late June to early September, with late July - early August being 'pure hades'.
Hey, forget the mosquitoes, just don't step on that copperhead there...

 

[Dishman Dan]

I just wanted to remind everyone to lube your dish actuator arms and really would be a good idea to wrap the arm with a heat tape (like that is used to keep pipes freezing). It will keep the grease/oil warmer and lessen the load on your receiver/dish mover - vbox or whatever you use.

I always wrap the entire length of my actuators every winter with a 12ft heat tape including the motor itself. No external insulation necessary (at least here in my area).

Leave the thermostat hanging exposed and the unit will heat the whole time it is below freezing.

Your dish will move faster too.

I think it is a good thing to make those expensive arms and motors last longer.
Be sure you do not overlap the heating tape or heating cable.

You gave me similiar advice for my 10' BUD with the snow build up problem I have been having this year. You suggested putting this heat tape on the back of my BUD to help melt the ice or perhaps to prevent the problem. I was at LOWE'S and they had the roof deicing cable for roofs and downspouts and whatever. This is available in lenghths over 200' long! Do you think that this type of cable would work for defrosting my BUD plus if it is plenty long to keep the actuator snug and warm??? How much cable should I guesstimate for a 10' BUD for total winter protection???