Ice on Roof solution?

[TeamCaffee]

Found this little tidbit in the MATS truck show catalog and of course it was after the show was over.

http://heatmattproducts.com/

Has anyone see or heard of this product? The laws are getting more intense on this issue as well as the fines and penalties if you are accused of ice coming off of your roof and damaging another vehicle.

The idea of a team scraping the ice or buildup of snow off of a trailer or box sounds nearly impossible. The idea of a solo doing this is almost impossible.

Is someone finally realizing there is money to be made by coming up with a product we can all use?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I would explore 2 possibilities that come to mind....the matting they use to heat bathroom floors and especially the grid like system you see that melts the snow and ice off house roofs as this is already for outdoor use...

Example: Roof Gutter Deicing - Melting Ice Dam on Roof

 

[layoutshooter]

Sounds like a good idea, wonder how it would affect Reefer oporations? Layoutshooter

 

[OntarioVanMan]

You Tval guys already have an advantage of having a heated box....only have to channel the heat more upward...since heat rises anyhow....piece of cake

 

[layoutshooter]

That would work if we are not under load. Any Temp control unit that has the ability to heat could do that, not just TVAL. Layoutshooter

 

[bluejaybee]

"A rolling stone gathers no moss".

Keep your truck rolling and it will build no ice.

When in icy conditions, call your dispatch and demand a load. They will understand.

Try it next time. You never know!

 

[layoutshooter]

That might work, or, shut down all trucking in winter therefore eliminating the problem entirely. Then just the 4 wheelers would be driving around with snow and ice all over thier vehicals, like on the windshield and rear window. Layoutshooter

 

[bluejaybee]

We need iceroadtrucker's opinion on this. Where is he? This would be right down his alley.

 

[greg334]

I haven't heard about the fines increasing over here and would think that there is a lot more that the state DOT officers can be doing other than chasing millions of trucks with ice on them.

I've seen this before, it comes from Europe and there are laws and fines over there over not removing the ice off the rood of the trailer/box. But again there are laws over there on everything else too.

You can't melt the ice off of a reefer box, it is insulated. If you could then you have a problem.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

The floor warming system could be built into the roof prior to insulating the box....would be cheaper that way...

 

[layoutshooter]

I know it is a problem for us reefers. I see where a low voltage system like used on house roofs to keep ice ****s from builting up might work. I would have to think on how to retro-fit it. I would raise roof hights a bit. Layoutshooter

 

[bluejaybee]

My idea is the best (for me anyway). There'll be no retrofitting. No exessive heights. No additional expense to implement it. What is it?

My idea is to do nothing. Gotta draw the line somewhere.

 

[layoutshooter]

Heavy ice build ups is a real problem for us. That weight and loss of aero-dynamics will have an impact on fuel mileage. If you build up enough weight on the roof it can also affect handling, you become more top heavy and your center of gravity is higher. It would be to our advantage to solve this problem. Not because of the laws just because in could increase our bottom lines.

Ice dams is what I meant to type. geez. Finger Flub!! Layoutshooter

 

[greg334]

I'm not saying that this is not a problem for the truck or driver but the statements made on the unfinished website (poor marketing) make it clear that they are selling it based on safety and fines and that the government wants a solution.

Speaking just technically, The energy needed to melt 4 inches of ice on a 433 sq foot surface that is being cooled by a cold wind is a lot more than one would think and could not come from the truck but from the power grid. The roof deicers for homes are a few hundred of watts to a a lot of thousand watts when they are combined together and take a long time to melt ice.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

To that I would say...when the truck is parked it could be plugged in like a block heater....the snow would melt as it fell...like a driveway or sidewalk...

 

[layoutshooter]

It would take a lot to melt exsisting ice, the key is to make that roof warm enough to not allow the build up to start. It would have to been done so as not to interfere with reefer ops. No easy solution I am sure, BUT, this is America and we will find the answer, as long as we can make a "BucK" at it. The positive side of Capitalism. Layoutshooter

 

[TeamCaffee]

There are drivers that have been affected by this in the past year. They are being chased down and told the ice off of their truck has broken a windshield. It is happening more and more often. If they do not stop the truck they are getting the truck number and calling into the company. Right now you are being charged an incident but when will that change?

Guess what you get to buy a new windshield for this person as you cannot defend yourself.

 

[TeamCaffee]

You are right about the buck!! I am hoping that we start to see more and more reasonable solutions to this problem as the buck stops here when we have to pay for a windshield or even worse?

 

[layoutshooter]

It is a shame but I do see a really big scam industry starting up. Need a new windshield? Claim that ice came off a truck, they will buy you one. Want a lifetime of freedom? Claim ice came off a truck and did you a "lifetime of damage". Not one good single way to prove it either way. NO carrier will go against it, too much involved. We are at the mercy of Lawyers!! There is or will be a reasonable solution found. Maybe I should get out my drawing board? MMMM. Layoutshooter

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Some truck washes have a bridge system(catwalk) that the truck passes under....an operator with a high power sprayer could peel the ice off in no time for a fee of course and no extra expense would be necessary...