Thaw/melting question

SS MAYFLOAT

SS MAYFLOAT

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I have a 350' steel cable that is elevated about 10' off the ground. I use this for my dogs run of the yard. With the last snow storm, we had a brief period that it rained. So now the cable has about a quarter inch of ice built up on it. This won't allow his pulley to travel the cable. Tried using a pole to smack it, but it won't release from the braided steel cable.<br /><br />Any ideas? Keep in mind that there is between 15" and 22" of snow from one end of the run to the other. I just may have to wait until next week when the temps hopefully go above freezing.
 
Kenneth Brown

Kenneth Brown

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Re: Thaw/melting question

Run some electricity through it. :) I don't know SS. I would figure the smacking would release it but I can also see why it wouldn't. We don't have problems like that in my area too much. Good luck with it.
 
SS MAYFLOAT

SS MAYFLOAT

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Re: Thaw/melting question

Thanks KB, I was going to try the battery charger, but with the run being that long would be just too much.<br /><br />After work today I'm going to get another piece of cable to throw over the dogs cable. Then I'll try using a sawing action to see if that knocks it off. I'm only going to try to do about 20'. Then I'll let nature thaw the rest out.
 
bubbakat

bubbakat

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Re: Thaw/melting question

SS if you have a portable welder just hook one lead to one end and the other to the other end and turn on low setting and it will melt it off.<br />Jumper cables can be used to get more distance.
 
Bob_VT

Bob_VT

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Re: Thaw/melting question

Once you get the ice off put some 30 weight or thicher oil on the cable. That will facilitate knocking off future ice build up.<br /><br />Bob
 
Boomyal

Boomyal

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Re: Thaw/melting question

Originally posted by bubbakat:<br /> SS if you have a portable welder just hook one lead to one end and the other to the other end and turn on low setting and it will melt it off.<br />Jumper cables can be used to get more distance.
Click to expand...
Maybe you could unhook one end of the cable and drag it around to the the other end to hook the cables to it. <br /><br />Is there any other electrical power source you could hook it up to without causing a dead short??
 
bubbakat

bubbakat

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Re: Thaw/melting question

Electric fence charger, A might slow but will do the job. Use a propane torch and just melt the surface ice off and the dog will do the rest. Rubbing effect with the pulley.<br />But with 15 to 22 inches of snow I doubt the dog even wants out of his house. I know I wouldn't
 
SS MAYFLOAT

SS MAYFLOAT

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Re: Thaw/melting question

Thanks for the great ideas. I know that the cable does need greased. As for unhooking the cable, that is a major job. I had to use a winch (come-a-long) to get it taught. 350' steel cable tends to get heavy especially when you are anchoring it up in the air about 10'.<br /><br />Thanks to the -12F temp, it pretty much evaporated most of the ice off the cable. Put the dog out Xmas morn. He then spotted a cat at the other end of the cable by the tree line. Of course he wanted a kitty snack so he took his 120lbs of dog butt and forced the ole pulley to knock off the ice. So now he is able to run the full length of the yard again. <br /><br />When things warm up some, I was told that I can drive a ground wire in at the one end furtherest away from the house. I then can hook up a hot lead from my breaker panel to the end closest to the house. Not sure if I really want to try this, but if it happens again I just might try it. Of course I will start off usning a 15 amp breaker first and working my way up. I'll put my clamp on amp meter to monitor the amp draw.
 
B

Bass Man Bruce

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Re: Thaw/melting question

"When things warm up some, I was told that I can drive a ground wire in at the one end furtherest away from the house. I then can hook up a hot lead from my breaker panel to the end closest to the house. Not sure if I really want to try this, but if it happens again I just might try it" Quote by SSMAYFLOAT<br /><br />Hey SS ya better make sure the dog ain't on the chain when ya try this or your gonna hear some serious whineing :D :D
 
SS MAYFLOAT

SS MAYFLOAT

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Re: Thaw/melting question

Bass Man, No problem there on taking the dog off. It always scares the heck out of me when thunder storms pop up. I think that would be another good reason to have a ground rod sank into the ground. I've got 20+ years of working with electricty without any problems. Stay by the guidlines of the NEC and nothing should go wrong. However I know the NEC does not cover thawing dog run cables.... :D
 
M

mattttt25

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Re: Thaw/melting question

"Stay by the guidlines of the NEC and nothing should go wrong." and you're thinking of ways to electrify a steel dog run using your breaker panel to melt ice. you guys crack me up. good luck on the project.
 
E

Elmer Fudge

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Re: Thaw/melting question

Nate's idea sure looks like a winner to me,and a lot less effort to boot :)
 
E

ebbtide176

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Re: Thaw/melting question

uh SS, even with 350', that will be a short to the breaker, and a no-no, i do believe :D i guess you might could get away with it by putting a welding rod inline on that ground side, maybe a carbon arc... clamp it to rebar driven in grd, clamp wire to w/rod. LOL <br /><br />probably highly likely to go down trees to trip brkr without ever heating up cable tho <br /> ;) i think you'll have to keep using the torch, and then greasing the cable, but using an actual welder/welder leads sounds like a possibility, if you could make the stretch.
 
SS MAYFLOAT

SS MAYFLOAT

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Re: Thaw/melting question

Good News! I won't have to play Eddy Killme-alot. The temps are to get over freezing for the next couple of days. So I won't be playing with the juice.<br /><br />Since the snow is still going to be a slight problem, I'm going to take a old towel and grease it up real good. Then I'll wrap it around the pulley that runs on the cable. Then get the dog to pull the rag with grease up and down the run.<br /><br />I know next fall when things are dry, I'll use my bucket truck to grease/oil the sucker up before winter comes. Right now driving anything in my back yard will have to stay there until things dry out.<br /><br />Thanks for the ideas and concerns. I promise I won't experiment with the power.... :D :p
 
R

rwise

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Re: Thaw/melting question

SS<br />any current flowing through the cable WILL damage the cable. It causes it to crystallize and the individual strands start to brake, it looks like the cable is growing hair (worse with DC current). I would say when it thaws out rub it down with anti freeze. If it were where you could I would soak it, but I know how fast it gets heavy. Remember though anti freeze is poison to the dog!<br />Richard
 
B

Bass Man Bruce

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Re: Thaw/melting question

Dang SS I just figured it out! Let the dog stay in the house where it's warm and you stay on the cable outside. Since your not likely to want to run around in the cold and the snow, ice on the cable will not be a problem!!! :D Keep the pooch away from yer longnecks in the fridge though, if any!!! ! :D
 
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