I should suggest my city to install solar freaking stairs - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2017, 04:34:05 am
content: My city installed heated steps for like 170k a few years back. The very concept is a joke, the amount of heat needed to actually melt snow and keep up with it is ridiculous. Needless to say, they don't work.

author: retrolefty
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2017, 01:04:20 pm
content: It seems to be a real problem that needs an effective answer. The fact that it is city hall means there are 'deep pockets' for any injury suffered on those stairs. Or does Canada not allow sueing of government?Debunking is the easy part, suggesting a cost effective (operating & initial installation) solution(s) would possibly engage some creative and/or past experience that we can all learn something about the subject.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2017, 01:55:14 pm
content: Nobody put a bucket of salt next to it or is it too cold for using salt?

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2017, 03:24:46 pm
content: I suggest flamethrower.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2017, 04:36:29 pm
content: How about a cover over them, so they do not get too much snow. Clear sides, and a few buckets of sand liberally applied outside, along with some salt, and then a good few dirt trapper mats on each riser to catch the melt. then add in a wheelchair ramp with similar matting to catch the dirt.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2017, 05:18:28 pm
content: How about you take the entire city, and push it somewhere south!

author: tronde
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2017, 06:11:09 pm
content: Quote from: Red Squirrel on January 06, 2017, 04:34:05 amThen they must have done it very wrong. We have a lot of heated stairs and entraces and pavements in Norway. They work very well. You don't need to heat exept when it's falling snow (best result if you start an hour or two before it start to snow) or the weather conditions will give ice on the surface. For stairs 250 - 350 W/m2is recommended.

author: vodka
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2017, 06:24:11 pm
content: Quote from: wilfred on January 06, 2017, 05:14:42 amThe people have more possibility of to break the neck than they will become blindness by detached retina when they slip or fall .Quote from: Red Squirrel on January 06, 2017, 04:34:05 am

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 06, 2017, 07:50:39 pm
content: Quote from: SeanB on January 06, 2017, 04:36:29 pmYeah I think salt stops being affective after a certain temp, like -20 or so, but I don't recall.Best bet is they just shovel them like any other building. They basically threw tons of money for a solution to a problem that had a very basic existing solution. Typical of a municipal government though.The people that would normally shovel it are on duty anyhow.

author: raptor1956
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2017, 12:09:11 am
content: Many places have ordinances that require the snow be removed within a certain time period or face fines. How unsurprising that City Hall would feel no need to follow suit.Brian

author: Skimask
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 07, 2017, 04:56:39 am
content: Solar freekin' toilet seats