The HELIXX™ Triple Threat Fully Explained

When you’re looking for a versatile ice control machine, be sure to check out the SnowEx® HELIXX™ hopper line up. There’s no other spreader on the market this flexible for de-icing and anti-icing service. Simply add a liquid kit (pre-wet tank, pump, and sprayer) to upgrade your setup to be a triple threat. Why have a machine that only spreads solid material, when you can have one with pre-wet capabilities and a liquid sprayer? This is the perfect entry level machine for snow and ice contactors getting started with liquid brine.

Stainless Steel & Poly Options Available With a Wide Range of Tank Capacities

The compact stainless steel hopper has a 50-gallon tank for compact, half-ton vehicles. While the larger units have higher capacity tanks for class 2 to 6 vehicles to efficiently take care of larger property types. Depending on your needs, choose from a 100-gallon, 200-gallon, or 300-gallon storage tank capacities (the 300-gallon combines a 200-gallon and 100-gallon expansion tank).

• HELIXX Stainless Steel Hopper (0.7 cu yd)
• HELIXX Stainless Steel Hopper (1.5 – 6.0 cu yd)
• HELIXX Poly Hopper (1.5 – 5.0 cu yd)

Spread, Pre-Wet & Spray With One Hopper Spreader

Metropolitan snow and ice contractors identify with the HELIXX because of the auger style spreader system made to spread salt. Plus, the versatile nature of being able to simply flip a lever on the back of the unit and go from a pre-wet system to a direct liquid system. This makes it ideal for banks, pharmacies, fast-food restaurants, and other “obstacle course” properties that require a special de-icing approach.

Typical HELIXX Winter Storm Course—Pre & Post-Treatment

Attempting to remove snow from drive-thru lanes and achieve clean pavement is much more challenging than it needs to be without a liquid sprayer. In order to take on this type of job and deliver exceptional results, you need to have the right equipment and the right approach. The HELIXX triple threat was built for this.

1. Pre-Treat With Liquid Brine: 2 days prior to a storm, visit the property and spray it with liquid brine. This will give the brine enough time to dry and form a thin layer of salt on the surface before it starts to snow. This is the best kept secret to clean pavement. Drive down the lane around 5-7 mph to achieve the right application rate.

2. Plow With the Storm: Depending on the anticipated accumulation, you may need to plow multiple times throughout the storm. Except in rare instances, there is no need to salt in between plowing. If you do, when you return to the site you will plow away the salt and waste material. This is another way pre-treating prior the storm can save you money.

3. Post-Treat With Pre-Wet Salt (Only When Needed): In some cases, additional treatment may not be needed, but if the conditions call for it and temperatures are above 10 degrees, you may need to post-treat with straight salt. But if you have the liquid kit attachment, why not pre-wet the material and save time and material? Pre-wetting will use less salt to achieve the same results—saving you more with each application. The residual salt can also save you time by minimizing the need to return to the job. It keeps the pavement clear even as flurries and light snow still blows around.

Find a Local Brine Source to Make Matters Even Simpler

Using the HELIXX spreader with liquid kit and sourcing brine from a local supplier makes getting into liquids fool-proof. It takes all the challenges of blending your own brine out of the equation. By simplifying this piece of your operation, it allows you to really get comfortable with the concept of anti-icing and de-icing applications. You’ll learn how to perfect difficult property types made simple by spraying liquids or pre-wetting salt as well as learn how to deal with challenging conditions by activating salt at lower temperatures.

For more information on the HELIXX units, visit our publications library for installation instructions, parts lists, and owner’s manuals.