# Got an unusual question - somewhat Honda related



## Breckcapt (Jan 4, 2017)

Here I am in the Rockies, fortunate to have my HSS1332ATD truckin‘ around, blowing a lot of snow, and grateful for all the experts on this site for helping me get to the promised land.

So, as I’ve said in the past, I keep it during the snow season covered but not under porch cover or in the garage. No problem: got her locked up and trickle charging as needed with my Optimate 4 all year round, starts up like a champ, but now I have another query.

Note that I always have it covered with a Honda cloth cover between use but you can see that after each use, no matter how well I clean out the tranny and auger area leading to the chute of snow, I invariably end up with a hell of a lot of ice buildup prior to the next use that my tranny has to cut through which puts some strain on the system not to mention the blades.

I have electricity and wonder if anyone might suggest something I could wrap around the auger blades - much like my roof gutter 6W heat tape - that could possibly give me a clear and unobstructed auger area, somewhat clearer anyway, when staring up in zero degree temps the next time I put her in service?

Wow. How about that question?

Anyway, I’d Ike to wrap some low voltage heat tape or something similar that I can plug in about 10‘ away that might make life easier for me. Got any ideas, you champions of snow throwing, masters of the Honda? TBH, I have resorted to using a hair dryer to date! Oh my!

here’s what I got.

















✌🏼 Delta and his two 🐶🐶


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## orangputeh (Nov 24, 2016)

make your dog sleep under cover.or better yet..the wife. 

with as much money you paid for that thing , set up an army tent or lean to. get them from army surplus. or a heavy duty covering anchored by those 3 trees in background that form
a triangle


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## CO Snow (Dec 8, 2011)

Spray your surfaces with DuPont Snow & Ice Repellant before using:


Amazon.com


It works the best of anything that I’ve tried to reduce snow sticking. 

After blowing, place a 25 watt (or similar low wattage bulb) in the auger housing and cover with a canvas tarp. The bulb produces enough heat for melting but no fire hazard. You can put a thermometer under the tarp to check the temperature to help select the correct wattage bulb.

Respray each time before using.


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## Breckcapt (Jan 4, 2017)

orangputeh said:


> make your dog sleep under cover.or better yet..the wife.
> 
> with as much money you paid for that thing , set up an army tent or lean to. get them from army surplus. or a heavy duty covering anchored by those 3 trees in background that form
> a triangle


That is a wonderful idea, wow! Why didn’t I think of that? You are a genius ORANGPUTEH! Thanks for such a thoughtful, smart, prescient idea. Unfortunately, that doesn’t solve the problem at hand. 😔


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

CO Snow said:


> after blowing, place a 25 watt (or similar low wattage bulb) in the auger housing


I second the incandescent light bulb, but may need to be larger... I used a pair of 100W bulbs (for redundancy) on a thermal switch to keep a wellhead frost-free at my parents' house.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

I would use a 60 - 100 watt bulb in the auger area, just make sure it's an incadescent, as you want the heat ... Make sure the bucket is covered, and there won't be any water dripping on the light.

I would do this about 12 hours before using .....


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Lol ... We responded simultaneously ..... Funny how is old timers have the little the bits .....


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## Breckcapt (Jan 4, 2017)

Oneacer said:


> I would use a 60 - 100 watt bulb in the auger area, just make sure it's an incadescent, as you want the heat ... Make sure the bucket is covered, and there won't be any water dripping on the light.
> 
> I would do this about 12 hours before using .....


Yeah, you and Tabora have a good idea. You don’t think under a cover that the heat from say a 60W bulb might be excessive? Perhps, something smaller in wattage? TBH, the hair dryer does work but can you imagine what my neighbors think when they see me putting it in the auger area And it’s making the noise of a ……hair dryer? 😉


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Bulb should be fine .... Or if your concerned, just use some roof/gutter heat tape.


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## BullFrog (Oct 14, 2015)

I'm not so sure about using heat. In the cold any snow that melts is going to re-freeze quickly not too far away, possibly trickling somewhere on/into the machine itself or the ground immediately under it for sure. You might not be able to do it this winter but I'd be putting it into cold storage like a small shed after knocking off as much snow as you can. That's what I've been doing. Shed or no shed its best to keep it cold.

Edit: At the very least use a hair dryer on the back side to help release the ice and snow.


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## tek9tim (Jan 17, 2021)

Bulb would be just fine. Use a trouble light so there's guarding around the bulb, and located it somewhere in the housing where the cover won't make contact. A 100w would be safe in that context. No idea if it'd be overkill tho.


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## tabora (Mar 1, 2017)

Breckcapt said:


> You don’t think under a cover that the heat from say a 60W bulb might be excessive?


As I stated, I used a thermal switch. It turns the light bulb(s) on at 35 degrees and off at 45 degrees. Switch down low and bulb(s) up higher.


Amazon.com


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## WrenchIt (Dec 6, 2020)

Yup, the bulb advocates have it. For the record, there are no low voltage heat tapes, they are all 120 or 240 volt. Heat tapes are a bad idea for several reasons. They are designed to melt a pathway through the snow for water to drain - NOT melt a lot of ice. They do not generate enough heat for what you want. Also, the cheap variety available at Hopot is not self regulating - if it crosses itself it generates twice as much heat in that spot and can short itself out. You cannot allow it to tangle. The self regulating types (Reychem is one brand that is excellent) can be tied in a knot. The conducting compound's resistance increases as it gets hotter and the current drops - net result is less heat is generated in the hot areas and it will not burn itself out.

When baking bread, I wanted a warm oven for the rising dough so I experimented by trying a 25 watt bulb for a while with a thermometer in the oven. I worked my way up to a 50 watt bulb that does the trick. You too might have to play with your setup. Lift the auger housing off the ground and put a 2x4 under the scraper bar to keep the metal off the ground. This way water will drain away and not freeze the metal to the ground.


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Parking it on a pallet if staying outside would keep it off the ground.


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## ST1300 (Feb 17, 2017)

You have got to be kidding, right? If I kept mine melted off and dry it would think it was in snow blower heaven! 
By necessity the 07 HS928 sits on the gravel beside my garage all winter long. After use I knock the snow off the auger, sweep out what is loose and park it under a blue plastic tarp. (just for comparison)-- Our weather this season has been small snowfalls of 2, 4, 6inch stuff totaling 15-20 inches, and a couple/three of weeks with the temperatures never getting above 20F in the day and single digits at night. Yeah, it might get some ice in the augers but these things are made to work and live in the snow and ice. And after a few minutes warm up I ease the auger clutch in and go for it, sometimes the auger belt will squawk briefly but that's it. (I do keep spare belts, but I'm still running on the originals) Last night we got 30 inches of powder fluff snow and since I don't have a bucket extension I had to make two-level passes over the whole area to clear it. 
Oh, yeah, off season I take care of it, all the maintenance, some times I even put a coat of wax on it, but when it comes time to blow snow, it's no baby, it's a HONDA.


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## Breckcapt (Jan 4, 2017)

Oneacer said:


> Bulb should be fine .... Or if your concerned, just use some roof/gutter heat tape.


Ya know, if I knew how to put a 110 plug ( need a junction box I guess) on a small section I would; but, the truth is - up here at least - a foot of heat tape is $10! Trust me, I renewed 450’ of heat tape two summers ago. Plus, my electric bill runs about $.60 a foot a month to leave on. Goes on around Halloween and off about Easter. Why leave on? If encased in ice, you’d need at least a 50 amp breaker to not trip when you turned on a 150’ section. (yes, should have changed to 220 but it was too late). I think I may start with a 25 watt bulb and work my way up as a function of time needed. ✌🏼


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## Oneacer (Jan 3, 2011)

Yeah,, I don't know your setup, but adding a junction box outside is actually pretty easy.

You mean you have no way of plugging in an extension cord where your machine sits?


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## PhilThefarmer (Dec 21, 2020)

The way I store my machine is in a small tempo, the bucket is sitting on 2 concrete block. I alway run the auger in white snow to clean the auger, then I just lift the unit until nothing is coming out from the chute, and I never had a problem with ice build up


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## deezlfan (Nov 8, 2017)

Got to ask. You took the photo through what looks like a nice wide door. Can't you bring it inside even if only to melt the snow off and then put it outside under cover?


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## vmax29 (Oct 19, 2017)

A construction heater (sometimes called “bullet” or “torpedo”) is great for melting snow and drying the bucket out. I use a diesel fired dynaglo heater to clear mine out. Only problem is, if the blower is stored outside it may be a good idea to give it a minute with the heater pointed at the bucket before starting up to melt any frozen parts prior to use.


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## Breckcapt (Jan 4, 2017)

Oneacer said:


> Yeah,, I don't know your setup, but adding a junction box outside is actually pretty easy.
> 
> You mean you have no way of plugging in an extension cord where your machine sits?


Thanks, buddy, I figured that. Believe it or not, in this resort town, the “building dept” thinks they’re so tough on code but it’s who you know, etc. maybe I I could get my electric buddy to help. You and tabora have been so gracious with your time and I think I can use one or the other. As an aside, if you’re a local (I got 25 years here and I’m not a local, get it, or a good ol boy with the town council you can ignore the restrictions and code but I have to run the gauntlet. Sucks actually. gauntlet. Thanks for your’s and Tabora’ s time, I’ll come up with some solution you recommend. I so much appreciate both of you.

Delta ✌🏼


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## Breckcapt (Jan 4, 2017)

I’m thinking I may go that route. Thanks ✌🏼


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## nikko7501 (Nov 12, 2021)

Don't forget mothballs or something for the rodents. A nice warm snowblower is like an invitation they can't refuse.


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## Breckcapt (Jan 4, 2017)

nikko7501 said:


> Don't forget mothballs or something for the rodents. A nice warm snowblower is like an invitation they can't refuse.


You got a point but besides foxes and moose, it might be a little cold at -10 degrees Fehrenheit….😵‍💫


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## Falstaff (Feb 17, 2021)

I have the same machine and the same problem. I keep mine in a large shed with no power 100 yards from the house. If the ice doesn't melt by the next time I use it I use this small propane heater. I place it in front of the auger housing and cover the heater and entire machine with a large folded over canvas painters tarp. I sit there and have a cigar while it thaws, about 20-30 minutes. If you did not want to baby sit it...... fab up a three sided aluminum cover to trap the heat.


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## Breckcapt (Jan 4, 2017)

Falstaff said:


> I have the same machine and the same problem. I keep mine in a large shed with no power 100 yards from the house. If the ice doesn't melt by the next time I use it I use this small propane heater. I place it in front of the auger housing and cover the heater and entire machine with a large folded over canvas painters tarp. I sit there and have a cigar while it thaws, about 20-30 minutes. If you did not want to baby sit it...... fab up a three sided aluminum cover to trap the heat.
> 
> View attachment 186157


Thanks, Falstaff, got it. Like it. Seems to have a broader expense of coverage possibly. I like the luminous aspect too.


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## WrenchIt (Dec 6, 2020)

Breckcapt said:


> Ya know, if I knew how to put a 110 plug ( need a junction box I guess) on a small section I would; but, the truth is - up here at least - a foot of heat tape is $10! Trust me, I renewed 450’ of heat tape two summers ago. Plus, my electric bill runs about $.60 a foot a month to leave on. Goes on around Halloween and off about Easter. Why leave on? If encased in ice, you’d need at least a 50 amp breaker to not trip when you turned on a 150’ section. (yes, should have changed to 220 but it was too late). I think I may start with a 25 watt bulb and work my way up as a function of time needed. ✌🏼


Sounds like you have self regulating heat tapes - the current draw depends on the ambient temperature - colder and it draws more until it warms up. Last time I bought some (a few years ago - wholesale) it was $4.50/ft. Here in northeast Ohio, the going rate was $10/ft installed. For Raychem, with a heat output of 7 watts/ft, 125' is the maximum recommended length for a 20 amp circuit. If you have 150', a thirty amp breaker might do the trick (guessing, haven't done the calculations) but the breaker is sized for the conductors that feed the cable. You don't want to burn the house down with an oversized breaker (though that would indeed melt the ice).

Good thing you don't know how to put a plug on a piece of the cable - it is not accepted practice to do that.


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## vangasman (Oct 21, 2021)

If you have to run a cord for a blow dryer anyway I use a oil pan heater on my satellite dish. It has adhesive and if properly installed would just stay on the machine. Heaters by Kat's


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## Breckcapt (Jan 4, 2017)

WrenchIt said:


> Sounds like you have self regulating heat tapes - the current draw depends on the ambient temperature - colder and it draws more until it warms up. Last time I bought some (a few years ago - wholesale) it was $4.50/ft. Here in northeast Ohio, the going rate was $10/ft installed. For Raychem, with a heat output of 7 watts/ft, 125' is the maximum recommended length for a 20 amp circuit. If you have 150', a thirty amp breaker might do the trick (guessing, haven't done the calculations) but the breaker is sized for the conductors that feed the cable. You don't want to burn the house down with an oversized breaker (though that would indeed melt the ice).
> 
> Good thing you don't know how to put a plug on a piece of the cable - it is not accepted practice to do that.


Thanks, buddy, we’re on the same page. ✌🏼👍🏻👏🏼


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