SNOW AND ICE MELTING SYSTEM AND SENSORS THEREFOR

摘要

Embodiments of the invention provide a snow and ice melting heating system that can include a capacitive probe, such as an aerial probe, having a capacitive sensor to improve detection of the onset or accumulation of snow or ice. The capacitive probe provides uniform response to the presence of snow and ice on the capacitive sensor, and the capacitive sensor can be protected from galvanic corrosion by one or more coatings without affecting the detection of snow or ice. The capacitive probe can indicate when heaters should be turned on to melt snow or ice. The system can include a light probe having a color sensor to detect snow cover, or lack thereof, on a monitored surface from the color of reflected light. The light probe provides a monitoring device that can detect when the snow cover has melted and signal for the system heaters to be turned off.