[BC] Re: Sat dishes vs snow

[Cowboy]

On Wednesday 04 January 2006 04:36 pm, Dennis Cope wrote:

> How's this ?
>
> A pump, and some creative plumbing, and a catch basin.
>
>Problem, because the dishes are moveable and must be able to track several
>different satellites on the Clark belt the catch basin would have to be
>fairly large.

 Two solutions :
 1. The concrete pad foundation could be engineered to include
   such a basin. ( not practical on an existing install )

 2. The "catch basin" could be a "rain gutter" type affair installed 
  on the bottom parts of the dish, such that it remains the bottom 1/2
 at all angles the dish might be steered.

> A small pump to constantly feed de-icing fluid, keeping a constant spray
> on the dish during a snow storm.
>
>Problem, on large dishes of this type the sections (petals) have to have
>gaps between them to allow for expansion and contraction.

 A catch backing at the seams. Not much more than a strip of plastic
 or rubber to prevent fluids from passing, and re-direct to the catch basin.

>Also the dish must 
>be aligned every several years, so each petal is adjustable.

 You want me to engineer a fully self-adjusting, self-compensating solution ?
 THAT's gonna cost ya !
 ;-)

>Now, if we can get around these little problems and the EPA, we will have a
>working fix...

 Mechanicly, it's doable.

 The EPA shouldn't be a problem, depending on the fluid used, or proposed.
 I haven't researched that, but if you have budget......

-- 
Cowboy

http://cowboys.homeip.net

If I had a plantation in Georgia and a home in Hell, I'd sell the
plantation and go home.
		-- Eugene P. Gallagher