Propane Powered Ice / Snow Melter ???

   / Propane Powered Ice / Snow Melter ??? #1  

NC4AB

Bronze Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2006
Messages
61
Location
Wallburg NC
Tractor
B21 TLB; L4240 GST; 8N
I think all this summer heat has got me wishing for winter, which brings up the problem:

A steep gravel driveway ~ 400 feet long with a sharp turn at the bottom of the driveway. I can scrape the snow off but this leaves me with a thin layer of ice (think of a bob sled run). During the winter the driveway doesn get much sun to melt the ice, so the ice stays around for several days.

I searched the forums and couldn't find any info so here goes -

I'm thinking about building a propane or diesel powered ice melter similar to a Jet Dryers that NASCAR uses. Initial design in my head is a trailer type unit ~ 36 inches wide (think of an 3 sided box open at the bottom that I could hook behind the ATV to melt out the area where the tires run. The heat would be generated using a burner design like the ones used in a forge.

Any one done something similar?

Thanks
 
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   / Propane Powered Ice / Snow Melter ??? #2  
The cost of the fuel to melt ice may be out of this world. A lot of BTU's lost trying to heat from the top down.
 
   / Propane Powered Ice / Snow Melter ??? #3  
Think sand. As soon as you remove the heat the water you created will freeze. It can't go down in the winter. I tried one of those handheld propane units on an apron, the ice melted but it damaged the concrete as well...never again.
 
   / Propane Powered Ice / Snow Melter ??? #4  
I wonder if you buried a coil of pipe way down and circulated antifreeze in it up to the top, under the driveway, it would bring up enough heat to do anything?
 
   / Propane Powered Ice / Snow Melter ??? #5  
As soon as you remove the heat the water you created will freeze.

What he said.

I wonder if you buried a coil of pipe way down and circulated antifreeze in it up to the top, under the driveway, it would bring up enough heat to do anything?

It'll just freeze the ground that much deeper.
 
   / Propane Powered Ice / Snow Melter ??? #6  
I wonder if you buried a coil of pipe way down and circulated antifreeze in it up to the top, under the driveway, it would bring up enough heat to do anything?
Tried that too and only cracked the apron. Money ahead to shovel/plow and use sand or ashes.
 
   / Propane Powered Ice / Snow Melter ???
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Drive way is gravel.

The ground does not freeze all that deep here in NC but the past 2 winters have been exceptionally cold. Normally with in a few days the surface thaws out from the sun shine and I can make it in and out of the driveway. The problem I have had is a thin layer of ice makes the driveay like a bob sled run.

Ice melt works but I was trying to come up with a whiz bang solution that would impress the wife.
 
   / Propane Powered Ice / Snow Melter ??? #9  
Drive way is gravel.

The ground does not freeze all that deep here in NC but the past 2 winters have been exceptionally cold. Normally with in a few days the surface thaws out from the sun shine and I can make it in and out of the driveway. The problem I have had is a thin layer of ice makes the driveay like a bob sled run.

Ice melt works but I was trying to come up with a whiz bang solution that would impress the wife.
Ain't no whiz bang solution to ice on the driveway.

Sand will work unless you get a lot of water run-off, then that will wash the sand away. Coal ash works the best because it has larger pieces that will stick around, but will crush under the weight of a vehicle providing traction.
 
   / Propane Powered Ice / Snow Melter ??? #10  
Chains are very good on Ice, but a PIA to put on and remove just to get down your driveway. Up here, I put the studded tires on in November, and take them off in March.

We have a gravel driveway, and one year, (when I was a LOT younger) I heated water on the stove and pored it on the driveway, made a mess, and I am still trying to level the low spot it created.
 
 
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