# Winterizing your Direct TV dish



## rob316 (Jun 29, 2008)

Guys any suggestions on how to winterize your Dish, I have a 5lnb and wanted to know if there was something I can spray on it so that the snow does not stick to it.


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## David MacLeod (Jan 29, 2008)

I use BFGoodrich ICEX used for aircraft leading edge deice boots. works great, but hard to get and expensive.
once in each fall I clean the reflector surface, dry it, apply a THIN and even coat of the ICEX.
dish never accumulates.
only issue I ever have is the lnb itself will sometimes get a buildup. I have never coated this and its so seldom I don't plan on coating it.


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## ccsoftball7 (Apr 2, 2003)

rob316 said:


> Guys any suggestions on how to winterize your Dish, I have a 5lnb and wanted to know if there was something I can spray on it so that the snow does not stick to it.


Move South.  That's what I did. Seriously, I never had an issue with snow on the dish when I lived in Indiana.


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## joe diamond (Feb 28, 2007)

PAM, the spray shortening .......or........ a black plastic trash bag...........or. If you have a constant ice problem there are electric dish heaters.

Remember these dishes are pointed SW so the first sunny afternoon should clear it.

Joe


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## whitepelican (May 9, 2007)

joe diamond said:


> Remember these dishes are pointed SW so the first sunny afternoon should clear it.


They're also fairly smooth and very nearly vertical, so it's almost impossible for snow to stick to them. I think I had snow buildup on my dish exactly once in the past 8 years here in Green Bay. I've never sprayed anything or covered the dish in any way, and I've never had signal problems even during snowstorms.


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## Hdhead (Jul 30, 2007)

A broom is my best friend in the winter. Fortunately I can reach the dish which is attached to the side of my deck. Unless it is above freezing and snowing hard it should not be an issue.


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## Mike Bertelson (Jan 24, 2007)

rob316 said:


> Guys any suggestions on how to winterize your Dish, I have a 5lnb and wanted to know if there was something I can spray on it so that the snow does not stick to it.


Even though I live in CT, I was born & raised in your neck of the woods. I grew up in Elizabeth. I'm pretty sure you have nothing to worry about. :lol:

Here in CT I've never done anything to my dish. 

Mike


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## Piratefan98 (Mar 11, 2008)

I think the Slimline 5lnb comes with optional flame-thrower. It should be effective at keeping all but the worst snow and ice off the dish.










All kidding aside, I've seen several threads on this topic during my time here, and quite a few people have mentioned the spraying of Pam as an effective (and inexpensive) option.

Jeff


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## capegator (Sep 14, 2007)

What's snow?


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

Silicone spray/WD40 works well too. I prefer the former since the carcinogens are (allegedly) fewer.


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## BattleZone (Nov 13, 2007)

All these folks are trying to be helpful, but the reality is that sprays and coatings don't work. There is also some concern that on warm, sunny days, the coatings can reflect too much heat and radiation and reduce the life and/or reliability of the LNB.

Rain by itself will run off on its own, but snow will stick if the dish is too cold no matter what you put on it. Fluffy snow doesn't cause too much of a problem unless it builds up really bad, but heavy, slushy snow or thick ice will cause dropouts and loss of signal.

The RIGHT answer is a dish heater. They WORK, and work well. If you really want a "do once and forget about it" solution, that's what you want.










http://www.solidsignal.tv/prod_display.asp?PROD=HS24KIT


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## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

IIP said:


> All these folks are trying to be helpful, but the reality is that sprays and coatings don't work.


I disagree. My personal experience shows that it does work.


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## David MacLeod (Jan 29, 2008)

actually icex does work, however it is not something an average consumer can get. it will prevent buildup in up to -60 deg as designed. there are no reflection issues with it. however last price we got it for was $80 per quart buying bulk. I got 2 qts for free and this will last 10 years for this application.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/bfgicex.php
this link is for $230 for 1 can.

but for average person without access to it heater is best route.


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## Matman (Mar 24, 2008)

A broom duck taped to a long pole has worked well up here, you just gotta be carefull not to hit the dish too hard.... =)


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## Thaedron (Jun 29, 2007)

whitepelican said:


> They're also fairly smooth and very nearly vertical, so it's almost impossible for snow to stick to them. I think I had snow buildup on my dish exactly once in the past 8 years here in Green Bay. I've never sprayed anything or covered the dish in any way, and I've never had signal problems even during snowstorms.


I think the nearly vertical point is somewhat relative. I've noticed somewhat of a pattern in that there seem to be more "non-northerners" complaining about snow-fade than those of us up near the Canadian border.

I've attributed that at least partially to the angle of the dish (more vertical in the north, less so further south). Also, "up north" I think we get more cold/fluffy snow during the winter rather than the heavy, wet, sticky, slushy stuff (that we get in late spring).

We've had some very snowy winters and I can only think of a couple of instances of snow-fade. Both were in late spring and of the heavy, wet, sticky, slushy variety.


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## mpaquette (Sep 25, 2007)

ccsoftball7 said:


> Move South.  That's what I did. Seriously, I never had an issue with snow on the dish when I lived in Indiana.


:lol: You beat me to the punch. I never had much of an issue with my dish when I lived in Michigan. It was mounted on a pole, so it was easy to get to for maintenance.


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## David MacLeod (Jan 29, 2008)

one thing many overlook when roof mounting is setting close to furnace/vent outlets. if furnace burns clean the heat from these can be beneficial too.
do NOT set it next a chimney if burning wood.


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

Those extendable dusters work good too.. Lot's of reach and lightweight.. Have to ask tfed where to get them tho :lol:


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## BUCKMEISTER (Oct 25, 2008)

houskamp said:


> Those extendable dusters work good too.. Lot's of reach and lightweight.. Have to ask tfed where to get them tho :lol:


Iheard that Pam cooking spray works.


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## Edr (Oct 29, 2008)

How do I post a question?


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## David MacLeod (Jan 29, 2008)

Edr said:


> How do I post a question?


click new thread top left of forum.


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## davring (Jan 13, 2007)

SPF50 repels the snow


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## PCampbell (Nov 18, 2006)

The slimline dose pack snow more than the old dish. The broom works 100% of the time if you can reach.


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## Dolly (Jan 30, 2007)

We have never done anything to our dish at all. And that includes cleaning the bird crap off


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Thaedron said:


> *I think* the nearly vertical point is somewhat relative. I've noticed somewhat of a pattern in that there seem to be more "non-northerners" complaining about snow-fade than those of us up near the Canadian border.
> 
> I've attributed that at least partially to the angle of the dish (more vertical in the north, less so further south). Also, "up north" I think we get more cold/fluffy snow during the winter rather than the heavy, wet, sticky, slushy stuff (that we get in late spring).
> 
> We've had some very snowy winters and I can only think of a couple of instances of snow-fade. Both were in late spring and of the heavy, wet, sticky, slushy variety.


"I know" your "I think". 
It's true. 
My dish is right at broom height so I can clean off the wet slop, that sticks to it.


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## joe diamond (Feb 28, 2007)

Dolly said:


> We have never done anything to our dish at all. And that includes cleaning the bird crap off


There are two groups of people in this world. One group has already cleared the bird crap. The other will eventually clear bird crap. Sometimes a combination of dropping from clouds and birds brings that day closer.

I wonder how the heated dish thing applies?........is this a new micro climate? Guano at a constant temp running down the dish .....could make the grass greener and germinate whatever has been through the bird...........

Gotta wonder?

Joe


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Depends on your positioning. My dish is at the peak of my roof and I have never had an issue with snow in 12yrs (and I live in MN where we get plenty!).

I had a problem with freezing ice once (water froze on the LNB), but it corrected itself by midday the next day from the sun melting it.


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## ansky (Oct 11, 2005)

It hardly ever snows in eastern Jersey. I don't think you have anything to worry about.


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

If you're going to use something like a broom to clean it, don't you have to be fairly careful not to knock the dish or LNBs out of alignment? 

Also, will a build-up of freezing rain/ice affect the dish, or will it see through this sort of thing?


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## David MacLeod (Jan 29, 2008)

mreposter said:


> If you're going to use something like a broom to clean it, don't you have to be fairly careful not to knock the dish or LNBs out of alignment?
> 
> Also, will a build-up of freezing rain/ice affect the dish, or will it see through this sort of thing?


yes, but its not that hard.
and it depends on where it builds up and the amount. due to wind directions I usually get freezing rain building up on lnb so I have to tap it every now and then.


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## ejjames (Oct 3, 2006)

I used to use a wallpaper brush duct taped to the end of a snow rake pole. I used it when I had my plastic 3 lnb dish. now that I have the 5lnb metal dish, i have no snow problems.


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## joe diamond (Feb 28, 2007)

David MacLeod said:


> yes, but its not that hard.
> and it depends on where it builds up and the amount. due to wind directions I usually get freezing rain building up on lnb so I have to tap it every now and then.


Men!

Today we will issue the 7 /16 wrench you have all been waiting for. As an additional proof of trust you will be given a 1/2 inch wrench for the new 
KA / KU dishes. I wish I could be with you as you go out into the field to show the difference between 7/16 inch and 1/2 inch.

Remember, tighten things up without breaking the bolts! Folks who depend upon you will be beating hell out of these dishes to break ice. The wind will tear at your settings.......I can't go on.....good luck!

Joe


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## David MacLeod (Jan 29, 2008)

joe diamond said:


> Men!
> 
> Today we will issue the 7 /16 wrench you have all been waiting for. As an additional proof of trust you will be given a 1/2 inch wrench for the new
> KA / KU dishes. I wish I could be with you as you go out into the field to show the difference between 7/16 inch and 1/2 inch.
> ...


LOL, good one. just remember to tap and do not take out your frustrations on the lnb


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

So my question may have been a little naive, but guys are talking about using brooms on the end of poles to clean off their dishes. That sounds a lot like bashing about would occur, and other posts here had mentioned that the 5 LNB dishes are much more sensitive to alignment issues, so before anybody goes beating their dish with a broom, I just thought I'd ask what the risks were...


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## houskamp (Sep 14, 2006)

mreposter said:


> So my question may have been a little naive, but guys are talking about using brooms on the end of poles to clean off their dishes. That sounds a lot like bashing about would occur, and other posts here had mentioned that the 5 LNB dishes are much more sensitive to alignment issues, so before anybody goes beating their dish with a broom, I just thought I'd ask what the risks were...


Only had to do it once last year (in MI).. the duster works well as it's a soft, lightweight brush.. Oh and you don't need it perfect, just get the excess off and it's fine..
The one I use is simaler to: http://www.homeandbeyond.com/prod-0236476.html


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## Hdhead (Jul 30, 2007)

Should not be an issue in the near future. Rumor has it that Al Gore addressed this question at a recent news conference.


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## itzme (Jan 17, 2008)

I found a Super Soaker type squirt gun on closeout at kmart for $3.50. It has a 35' range. I'll give it a "shot" this winter and let you know.


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## ccsoftball7 (Apr 2, 2003)

itzme said:


> I found a Super Soaker type squirt gun on closeout at kmart for $3.50. It has a 35' range. I'll give it a "shot" this winter and let you know.


That's a good idea...you might want to use some windshield washer fluid (anti-freeze) so you don't coat your dish with a nice glaze of ice.


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## msmith (Apr 23, 2002)

rob316 said:


> Guys any suggestions on how to winterize your Dish, I have a 5lnb and wanted to know if there was something I can spray on it so that the snow does not stick to it.


I don't think you're gonna need it. Here in NJ the dishes are so close to vertical that the snow doesn't really stick much.

In 10 years, I've never had a snow accumulation on the dish problem. I have lost signal during VERY heavy snow.


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## Jish (Jul 27, 2007)

Seriously - does a large black plastic garbage bag really work? I would be willing to try it if it did.



joe diamond said:


> PAM, the spray shortening .......or........ a black plastic trash bag...........or. If you have a constant ice problem there are electric dish heaters.
> 
> Remember these dishes are pointed SW so the first sunny afternoon should clear it.
> 
> Joe


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## curve72 (Oct 7, 2007)

Jish said:


> Seriously - does a large black plastic garbage bag really work? I would be willing to try it if it did.


Yes it does.


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## bobcamp1 (Nov 8, 2007)

ccsoftball7 said:


> That's a good idea...you might want to use some windshield washer fluid (anti-freeze) so you don't coat your dish with a nice glaze of ice.


This works well for the occasional ice storm. And is also fun.

Here in the snow capital of the U.S., no snow sticks to the dish. The wind just blows it off and the sun (if by chance we happen to see it during the winter) melts the rest. Snow doesn't affect it as much as ice does.

I've also experienced "snow fade" as well. When the rates get up to 4" an hour.


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## David MacLeod (Jan 29, 2008)

I get a lot of wet stuff and, due to location of hills, many cyclonic winds so sticking is an issue with me. however, due to using the icex II and having ability to reach dish (sticks to lnb) means any issue is fixed in 3 minutes.


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## PressureContent (May 5, 2008)

We average about 160 inches a year. I never have had to clean the snow off the dish because of a loss of signal. That said, it still bothered me so I used the hot water in the super-soaker method. Worked great.


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## yuppers519 (Aug 6, 2007)

yeah but would'nt that melt the lnb's?:hurah: :lol:



Piratefan98 said:


> I think the Slimline 5lnb comes with optional flame-thrower. It should be effective at keeping all but the worst snow and ice off the dish.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## yuppers519 (Aug 6, 2007)

That's why i pay for the protection plan



IIP said:


> All these folks are trying to be helpful, but the reality is that sprays and coatings don't work. There is also some concern that on warm, sunny days, the coatings can reflect too much heat and radiation and reduce the life and/or reliability of the LNB.
> 
> Rain by itself will run off on its own, but snow will stick if the dish is too cold no matter what you put on it. Fluffy snow doesn't cause too much of a problem unless it builds up really bad, but heavy, slushy snow or thick ice will cause dropouts and loss of signal.
> 
> ...


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## Phil T (Mar 25, 2002)

I have had issues twice with my roof mounted Slimline. Once a real wet icy snow coated everything. I had to take a towel soaked in warm water to melt the ice before I could get signal back. Another time it just took a broom.

This is a good reason not to do a roof mount. Unfortunately the WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) came into play now that the dishes are bigger.

It is not fun getting on the roof with 6-12 inches of snow on it. I may consider a heater if the price was right.


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## Proc (Jan 19, 2006)

Last year I went to Home Depot and bought one of those telescoping painter's poles for $18. I duct taped a broom to it. Several times last winter, I had to use it. I just extended it and lightly brushed the snow off the dish (which is on my garage).


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## Mightyram (Jan 9, 2007)

I live in West Texas ... my only problem is when we have freezing Rain/Sleet. This is worse than snow...the best solution that I have found is to get HOT water and pour on the dish.


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## cseutter (Feb 3, 2008)

ccsoftball7 said:


> Move South.  That's what I did. Seriously, I never had an issue with snow on the dish when I lived in Indiana.


I did have ice build up on my dish here in Indy once. The problem was that my dish is at the peak of the 2nd story and I had no way to get there and deice it. Had to wait a couple of days until we got enough sun to melt the ice.


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## timmmaaayyy2003 (Jan 27, 2008)

I've heard RainX, applied prior to winter, helps reduce accumulation of both snow and ice depending on the storm.


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## joe diamond (Feb 28, 2007)

yuppers519 said:


> That's why i pay for the protection plan


Your chances of getting a tech on a roof in snow or ice conditions is slim to none. You can't even carry a ladder on snow covered banks.

Use the Protection Plan to get freebees from some CSR in the south who has never seen snow.

Joe


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

So, a little extra car de-icer and a super-soaker and a soft broom and I'm all set for whatever old man winter has in store!


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## cweave02 (Oct 12, 2007)

David MacLeod said:


> one thing many overlook when roof mounting is setting close to furnace/vent outlets. if furnace burns clean the heat from these can be beneficial too.
> do NOT set it next a chimney if burning wood.


That is where they put the dish on my parents' house - attached to the chimney, which is used for a wood stove, and it has kept the dish quite toasty during the winter.


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## cweave02 (Oct 12, 2007)

ccsoftball7 said:


> That's a good idea...you might want to use some windshield washer fluid (anti-freeze) so you don't coat your dish with a nice glaze of ice.


Just make sure there are no puppies or kitties around - that stuff's poisonous to them.


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## joe diamond (Feb 28, 2007)

cweave02 said:


> Just make sure there are no puppies or kitties around - that stuff's poisonous to them.


Oh yeah!

Anti Freeze...which should be mixed with water in great quantities....... will kill animals that ingest it. Eythelene Glycol (sp ok?)........is a poison to dogs but they will dig in soil to get at it and, perhaps, other animals..........don't mess with automotive antifreeze and watch for the Ethyl / Glyc poison label.

Vodka , however, is no problem.........squirt away to break ice....but using a trash bag will keep your booze bill down.

Joe


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## LOCODUDE (Aug 8, 2007)

Edr said:


> How do I post a question?


You just did...............


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## ccsoftball7 (Apr 2, 2003)

cweave02 said:


> Just make sure there are no puppies or kitties around - that stuff's poisonous to them.


Is the windshield washer fluid with anti-freeze poison as well?


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## ejjames (Oct 3, 2006)

ccsoftball7 said:


> Is the windshield washer fluid with anti-freeze poison as well?


It's the glycol that gives it a sweet taste that makes it dangerous for kids and pets. But I think all deicers should be treated as hazardous.


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## tuff bob (Mar 5, 2007)

rainx doesn't work, i tried it. I got a heater and didn't lose it once after that


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## SatNoob (Aug 16, 2007)

I put a cover on my dish and never had any problems, live in Michigan and get a lot of snow too. Never lost signal all last winter, snow slides off to each side on my cover it doesn't accumulate.


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## nickg2 (Nov 28, 2005)

fortunately my dish is on a ground level pole and not roof mounted, so i can easily go out and brush the snow off the dish if need be. good thing is i very seldom ever had to do that!


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## firefighter4evr (Sep 17, 2008)

hell, just attach a extra vibrator to your dish and shake the ice and snow off.....


im kidding of course:lol:


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## piper28 (Sep 18, 2007)

I've had snow stick a couple of times to the dish. Unfortunately, that dish in question was on the top of the two story part of the house, with no way to get to it. So I'd go out in the middle of the snow storm and take the garden hose with a sprayer on it, and aim up at the dish. It was generally just barely in range. Never had any problems with ice buildup from doing that.

Snow generally only sticks to my dish when it's very wet, and the wind is coming from just the right direction. The 5-lnb dish was mounted in a more sensible place so I could get to it .


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## curt8403 (Dec 27, 2007)

rob316 said:


> Guys any suggestions on how to winterize your Dish, I have a 5lnb and wanted to know if there was something I can spray on it so that the snow does not stick to it.


no spray, try a dish heater...


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## Ryan415689 (Oct 7, 2008)

I heard pam is a bad idea because it sticks to the dish and leaves a really bad film on it.


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## DJTheC (Oct 31, 2007)

Ryan415689 said:


> I heard pam is a bad idea because it sticks to the dish and leaves a really bad film on it.


Oh no, that stuff attracts bees when it gets warmer. Always a good suprise to see a comb or a nest on the dish or in the arm.


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## gfrang (Aug 30, 2007)

I use spray silicone on dish and plastic on lnb. Staw away form oily stuff like wd40 pam because they attract dirt. I dont know why automotive paste wax wont work i just never tried it. That's all i need if my neighbors see me past waxing my dish they will think i really lost it.


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## Piratefan98 (Mar 11, 2008)

I think DirecTV signal will pass through clear plexiglass, so that's why I'm investing in a plexiglass roofing system for my dish.










Yes, the start-up costs are a little high, but the costs of continually buying more and more cans of Pam or WD-40 will be saved by this one-time investment.

Jeff


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## curt8403 (Dec 27, 2007)

You could always build a nice fancy Bird house to house your dish, but then you would have a problem in the spring with either Robins or Sparrows (Jack) trying to build a nest


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## iamqnow (Dec 26, 2007)

rob316 said:


> Guys any suggestions on how to winterize your Dish, I have a 5lnb and wanted to know if there was something I can spray on it so that the snow does not stick to it.


I was SO prepared for my first winter with a "dish." Made up a contraption with my pool brush extension handle and a soft paint brush. Never needed it. In south NJ, right on the coast, even though it snowed, nothing ever stuck to the dish. I guess further north, snow build up on the roof itself could actually be an issue.


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## jackpot (Mar 3, 2007)

a glass of hot water


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

jackpot said:


> a glass of hot water


Ices back up so you would need a lot of glasses and water. Then you'd have to clean all the glasses out of your gutter in the spring.


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## veryoldschool (Dec 10, 2006)

Shades228 said:


> Ices back up so you would need a lot of glasses and water. Then you'd have to clean all the glasses out of your gutter in the spring.


[DOH] you're not supposed to throw the glass at the dish. :lol:


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## curt8403 (Dec 27, 2007)

veryoldschool said:


> [DOH] you're not supposed to throw the glass at the dish. :lol:


that reminds me...

Rodney was to attend a ceremony, where he was to be made a knight. Rodney was very nervous, but his friend told it was easy and not to worry.
"You only have to do 4 things....
1. You Salute the Flag
2. You curse the Enemy
3. You Toast the King
and 4. Dash your glass in the fireplace."

A week later Rodney's friend asked him how it went. Rodney answered, "Rather Terrible, I have been banished from the kingdom, never to return on pain of death."

What on earth happened? his friend asked.

Rodney replied "I got confused and got things out of order. 
I cursed the flag, Toasted the Enemy, Saluted my glass, and then dashed the King in the fireplace"


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## David MacLeod (Jan 29, 2008)

when it -15 and the wind is blowing all the snow on the ground into the dish, you do NOT want to start throwing hot water around


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## curt8403 (Dec 27, 2007)

David MacLeod said:


> when it -15 and the wind is blowing all the snow on the ground into the dish, you do NOT want to start throwing hot water around


molotov cocktail perhaps?


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## David MacLeod (Jan 29, 2008)

curt8403 said:


> molotov cocktail perhaps?


lol, while the snow would clear the cracking of lnb would still be an issue 
did that to my 3 lnb oval dish 2 years ago.


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## HDinCincy (Sep 4, 2008)

There are several "pet safe" antifreezes. I cannot vouch as to their total safety. A couple other ideas... small hair dryer on the end of a long pole, or maybe a leaf blower (assuming it's not the wet, heavy stuff.)


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## David MacLeod (Jan 29, 2008)

I'm all set, the IcexII works great. 1 application each fall.
but again, most people don't have it and do not want to spend $200+ a quart.
I got lucky and got some for free when we closed the base.


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## timmmaaayyy2003 (Jan 27, 2008)

tuff bob said:


> rainx doesn't work, i tried it. I got a heater and didn't lose it once after that


I stand corrected. It was just something that an installer told me about.


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## newsposter (Nov 13, 2003)

wasnt the 2 inches of snow that killed my signal (had it as of 11pm but i guess overnight the bit of freezing mix built up just enough to kill things

i'm very disappointed that you cant even watch stuff on hr20 without a signal. What a sucky system to have it set up like this

Thankfully good ole hdtivo is watchable as is OTA of course.


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## sangs (Apr 2, 2008)

newsposter said:


> wasnt the 2 inches of snow that killed my signal (had it as of 11pm but i guess overnight the bit of freezing mix built up just enough to kill things.


Ditto. It had stopped snowing when I went to bed and still had signal. I wake this morning and all I have are SD channels. HDs are all gone with no signal on Tuner 1 or 2. (That includes locals, ESPN, FNC, etc...) Guess the buildup and icing is enough to disrupt the HD signals.


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## DogLover (Mar 19, 2007)

newsposter said:


> wasnt the 2 inches of snow that killed my signal (had it as of 11pm but i guess overnight the bit of freezing mix built up just enough to kill things
> 
> i'm very disappointed that you cant even watch stuff on hr20 without a signal. What a sucky system to have it set up like this
> 
> Thankfully good ole hdtivo is watchable as is OTA of course.


It was my understanding that you should be able to watch pre-recorded programs, even with signal loss. I have watched shows after rain fade loss of signal.

If you reboot your unit and it doesn't find signal, you have to let it fully boot up, put it in standby. After taking it out of standby, you should be able to get to your playlist. I have not tried this personally, but it has been reported to work.


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## captdusty (Jul 13, 2006)

Doesn't look like anyone posted this one:

http://icezapper.com

I've found that this dish heater, while designed for smaller single-sat dishes, actually works quite well on the D* Slimline. The 2 heating elements adhere to the back of the dish. As long as you space them out to roughly 1/3 and 2/3 width positions (and are not experiencing sub-zero Fahr. temps), they do a pretty good job keeping the whole dish clear.

I'm using them on several dishes (2 homes & 2 work locations) in the Baltimore area, where we get lots of mixed snow/sleet/freezing rain that just loves to stick to every surface.


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## oldengineer (May 25, 2008)

We had 3" of wet snow here in Eastern Pa and my dish is doing what Ralphie's fathers Olds did - it froze up. Its a 5LNB slimline model and there's some snow on the bottom and a an icicle or 2 hanging from the LNB. Its on the roof of a 2 story house. I'm waiting for the thaw.


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## Rodneyt (Aug 13, 2005)

Lost the HD signals so i went out and hit the ice off the reflector and rubbed the LNB's with my glove. Worked, now getting the channels.
The snow doesn't seem to effect it that much, but the ice sure stops the signal cold!
I guess I should look into those dish heaters (or follow the suggestion of my wife and move south).


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## Dominic26 (Jun 25, 2008)

newsposter said:


> wasnt the 2 inches of snow that killed my signal (had it as of 11pm but i guess overnight the bit of freezing mix built up just enough to kill things
> 
> i'm very disappointed that you cant even watch stuff on hr20 without a signal. What a sucky system to have it set up like this
> 
> Thankfully good ole hdtivo is watchable as is OTA of course.


Yes you can use the DVR. We did after we moved, but before I was installed under mover's connection. Reboot he box.


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## newsposter (Nov 13, 2003)

Dominic26 said:


> Yes you can use the DVR. We did after we moved, but before I was installed under mover's connection. Reboot he box.


the box rebooted about 15 times this morning 

no joy


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## DogLover (Mar 19, 2007)

newsposter said:


> the box rebooted about 15 times this morning
> 
> no joy


Is it possible that this is more than just weather interuppting the signal, but that you have a real hardware problem?


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## Piratefan98 (Mar 11, 2008)

We had about 2-3" of a snow/sleet/freezing rain mix the other night, which accumulated on my dish. I started getting searching for signal messages, and promptly went outside and swept/cleaned the dish off. Problem solved.

This is why I was hell-bent on a pole mount installation in my yard, rather than one 25 feet off the ground at the pitch of my roof. It sure is easy to clean when it's at ground-level.

Jeff


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## newsposter (Nov 13, 2003)

DogLover said:


> Is it possible that this is more than just weather interuppting the signal, but that you have a real hardware problem?


no this issue was snow

but my tuner 2 isnt working still on the old sats and the new software didnt fix it so i'm still not happy about that


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## DogLover (Mar 19, 2007)

newsposter said:


> no this issue was snow
> 
> but my tuner 2 isnt working still on the old sats and the new software didnt fix it so i'm still not happy about that


Well, sounds like it's stopped rebooting. I guess that's good news. It's a bummer that tuner 2 is still not working. I wonder if the issues are somehow related. (Maybe if tuner 2 is connected, but not working correctly, that caused the many reboots? Hardware stuff isn't my forte, so I could be grasping at straws.) If you haven't logged this in the issue thread, you might want to do that. Maybe it will help DirecTV figure out what the problem is.


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## GP_23 (Sep 13, 2007)

I used Rain X last year before winter and we had a ton of Snow here in Montrose, CO and never once had any problems. 

This year I was a little late and we had some snow day after thanksgiving and had all kinds of problems, the next week I got Rain X on it and it has been fine with the 3 storms since!


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## Talos4 (Jun 21, 2007)

Well, 13" of snow last night and this morning, 25-30 mph winds, lake effect etc. 

Picture never once skipped, burped or otherwise all night and during the day today. Pretty good snow cover on the the dish and LNB's. 

I guess that means I'm winterized


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## firefighter4evr (Sep 17, 2008)

Piratefan98 said:


> We had about 2-3" of a snow/sleet/freezing rain mix the other night, which accumulated on my dish. I started getting searching for signal messages, and promptly went outside and swept/cleaned the dish off. Problem solved.
> 
> This is why I was hell-bent on a pole mount installation in my yard, rather than one 25 feet off the ground at the pitch of my roof. It sure is easy to clean when it's at ground-level.
> 
> Jeff


I had the same issue the other night... nothing a little hot water on the reflector and a warm hand on the LNB could not fix..... i have my dish mounted on the second story ( that was the only place the landlord would allow)... I was lucky to have it mounted on the second floor tenant balcony so i have a set of steps right up to my dish!

When we move, should be in about a month or 2 i plan on taking that dish with us but, i do have a new slimline in the closet that i am gonna make sure is pole mounted.....


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## firefighter4evr (Sep 17, 2008)

newsposter said:


> no this issue was snow
> 
> but my tuner 2 isnt working still on the old sats and the new software didnt fix it so i'm still not happy about that


My tuner 2 stopped working also.....i replaced the cable from the muti-switch to the receiver and bam! it worked again


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## newsposter (Nov 13, 2003)

firefighter4evr said:


> My tuner 2 stopped working also.....i replaced the cable from the muti-switch to the receiver and bam! it worked again


oh i took my m/s out of the equation and it worked...for a few minutes..so put the m/s back in line.

there's simply no way to reproduce or narrow down why it's sometimes zero on the 6-8 transponders.


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## Matman (Mar 24, 2008)

20+ inches of snow since Friday, no signal loss or pixelation at all. Which is good, the dish is 3 stories up, woulda had to get creative with the supersoaker!!!


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## newsposter (Nov 13, 2003)

hey since i couldnt get to my list during the outage, what can i do to fix my box so i can watch recorded stuff during ice storms?


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## firefighter4evr (Sep 17, 2008)

Matman said:


> 20+ inches of snow since Friday, no signal loss or pixelation at all. Which is good, the dish is 3 stories up, woulda had to get creative with the supersoaker!!!


Perhaps a modified supersoaker with a connection to a air compressor is in order here??:righton:


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## Lyle Thorogood (Jun 27, 2004)

I have never had a problem with signal loss or pixelation problems. Just add more dishes and you will always have a great connection...  Wife enjoys using them for target practice too...


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## Matman (Mar 24, 2008)

firefighter4evr said:


> Perhaps a modified supersoaker with a connection to a air compressor is in order here??:righton:


I see a new "post Christmas" project in my future.


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## erickufrin (Oct 2, 2008)

whitepelican said:


> They're also fairly smooth and very nearly vertical, so it's almost impossible for snow to stick to them. I think I had snow buildup on my dish exactly once in the past 8 years here in Green Bay. I've never sprayed anything or covered the dish in any way, and I've never had signal problems even during snowstorms.


I agree.

In milwaukee we are just 21 days into Decmber and have had the highest December snowfall ON RECORD!

My signal is rock solid and the dish did not accumulate anything.
:nono:


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## jodavis (Jan 9, 2007)

We only get 1-2 snowstorms a year here, but I have always just gone with the black garbage bag method. I put it on while I am on the roof turning off the A/C and take it off in the spring. No problems so far.


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## bobcamp1 (Nov 8, 2007)

My dish lost signal due to snow. Of course, the entire dish was completely covered! Fortunately, it's on a 4 foot ground pole. Had to shovel around the pole as four feet just wasn't high enough. But now it's OK. Sometimes snow will collect on the arm and be piled so high that it completely blocks the signal from the LNB to the dish. I just whack it and it falls off. It typically doesn't do this, but the wind came from a different direction which caused the snow drifts to be in unusual places.

As far as ice goes, you can spray windshield washer fluid or 50/50 mix of antifreeze on it to melt it. You can coat it with RAIN-X or even wax it. Or you can cover it with a bag and just shake the ice off the bag. They sell really expensive covers or you can just use a plastic bag.

I wouldn't wax the LNB, but you should be able to use the other tricks on it.


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## bhelton71 (Mar 8, 2007)

I have had my first experience with an icey dish today - as part of the winter festivities we are having I had a nice coating of ice and 0 on every transponder. So after checking out this thread - I got out a pole I use for christmas lights, a plastic measuring cup and some boiling water. I appear to have gotten it all off, and the freezing rain is coming to an end so the Mrs has her tv back. 

I assume this probably would have failed if the ice had continued, but I think the hot water method is viable for snow/ice removal - when not expecting more.


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## sbl (Jul 21, 2007)

I tend to have the most trouble from sleet or very wet snow. The horrible ice storm we had in NH two weeks ago didn't affect my DirecTV dish at all. I deliberately had my dish mounted within "broom's reach" of a window and this has come in handy a few times over the years.

For the most part, though, snow and ice has not been an issue for me. When I was with cable, it went out far more often and for longer than DirecTV has.


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## newsposter (Nov 13, 2003)

weird. todays ice storm didnt cause any issues this morning for me. Maybe because no snow at all mixed in.  

cant they rig some electricity to be fed back thru the coax


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## mproper (Apr 15, 2008)

Ok, so apparently our dish is covered with a nice thick coat of ice. My wife (I'm at work) says there's no signal.

What's the best way to clear it? Spray it with a hose? Hot water? I assume hot water won't hurt it? Of course it's on the roof so it's hard to get to my dish.

Maybe it'll melt by the time I get home.


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## rdlugosz (Dec 8, 2008)

Just an FYI on my approach - 

I live in Cincinnati and the ice storm coated the dish and took us out. I used a 2 gallon sprayer (the kind you might use to apply pesticides, etc.) filled with hot water (not boiling - just the hottest you can get from the bathtub) and the sprayer set to a thin stream of water.

This did a nice job of melting through the ice and restoring the service. I've heard some caution associated with using hot water as it could crack the plastic with the sudden temperature change. It takes a little time to get it melted off, but I think it's a less violent approach than just throwing a bucket of boiling water on the thing!


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## bjdotson (Feb 20, 2007)

I live in Layton, Utah and when we get the really wet snow, I lose signal for quite awhile. triple lnb Dish is on the North edge of the roof. Standing on my deck I would be able to reach it with a long handled broom but the angle is wrong to be able to brush off the dish or shoot water at it etc ( I can't get to the front of the dish). Tried pam but it didn't work. Black plastic bag didn't survive the wind. I suppose I'll have to invest in a heater when I can afford it.


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## GregLee (Dec 28, 2005)

I don't think I've ever had snow on my dish, but I'm not 100% sure exactly what snow is.


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## bakers12 (May 29, 2007)

GregLee said:


> I don't think I've ever had snow on my dish, but I'm not 100% sure exactly what snow is.


Youse wanna come to Chicago so's I kin introduce ya?


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