Ice Eater Installation in Shallow Water
Tips on how to properly install your Ice Eater in shallow water
An Ice Eater can be mounting in a number of different ways to best accommodate your application. One mounting option for your de-icer is the
shallow water stand. Common uses for shallow water application include waterfowl hunting, keeping water open for livestock or wild life, and protecting docks or water structures in shallow areas. Below we have compared typical de-icer mounting to shallow water de-icing.
Typical Mounting
Typical mounting of a dock de-icer or Ice Eater suspended under the dock using 2 lines requires a minimum depth of 5-6 feet. The de-icer should be positioned at 3 to 4 feet deep and should be at least 1 foot off the bottom to avoid pulling up bottom debris. If the water level fluctuates in a tidal area or reservoir, things are even trickier. The unit must always be submerged and must never contact the bottom. If the unit runs in the open air, it will quickly overheat and destroy the motor. If the unit is allowed to contact the bottom, it may pull in debris or even pull itself down into the mud, again risking serious damage to the unit.
Shallow Water De-icing Challenges and Solutions
We frequently talk with customers who have challenging de-icing situations. One of the common problems is what to do in a shallow water area? One solution that works well in this situation is to combine a Power House Ice Eater with a Mallard View Shallow water stand.
The shallow water stand was designed by a waterfowl hunter and allows the Ice Eater to be mounted in as little as 18” of water. The stand secures the unit in a roughly horizontal position (see Dock Deicing Patterns in Choosing the Right Dock De-icers ) and allows for the angle to be adjusted. Four legs of the frame will be pressed into the bottom up to the stops / foot pegs. The frame height can then be adjusted with thumb screws for use in 18” to 48” of water.
The Shallow Water Stand by Mallardview is designed specifically for use with Power House models P500, P750 and P1000. The stand mounts to the unit shroud with screws. The stand cannot be used with the Kasco Marine de-icer line.
Things to Consider When Using a Shallow Water Stand
- Be sure that you are not in a water zone that will freeze solid. If the ice reaches to the bottom, it will choke off the supply of water to the de-icer. If the de-icer gets frozen in or loses its supply of water, serious damage to the motor may occur
- Be sure that water levels won’t change and expose your Ice Eater
- To use this solution, you will need to get in the water to position the stand. This is more pleasant when the water is warmer than it is under arctic front conditions
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