Frost alarm?

[gimmeagig]

Hi,
I'm in northern Idaho and I have a van with a CDS in it.I was told to put a heater into it in the winter and let it run pointing at the machine.
I don't want to put the truck into the garage every night and also don't want to run an electric heater every night just in case it freezes.
Is there such a thing like a thermometer that I can mount outside my house that will set of some kind of an alarm inside my house when it freezes?
Then I would still have enough time to move the truck inside and get the heater started.

 

[Kevin B]

Yes, there are. There are also thermometers that will kick your heater on for you. My advice Roxy, antifreeze your unit. How many jobs are you doing a week right now? If its none or some, you could just antifreeze it and not worry about heat. When it gets super cold, your gonna wanna button that thing up inside.

 

[Becker]

I lived in your area for years! Moved away 6 years ago.

My risk it. If the temps are to get below say 30 at night why not part it inside?

I use to park my van in a garage at night when I lived in Spokane, The garage was detached but I was golden to to about 23 for a night time low. Lower than that I put out a heater in the van with a thermostat.

And if I did not park in the garage I did the same thing. Heater with thermostat.


Watch weather.com, add a few degrees for error.

Not worth the risk. Pressure gauge will be the 1st to break, Not a huge expense, but $50-70. 2ND might be your wand valve.

Worst case, a heat exchanger, pump tons of fittings.

This machine is your money maker. Don't go cheap when it comes to protecting it!

 

[Trevor Truitt]

Roxy~

I agree with what Becker said, check weather.com for their hour-by-hour forecast, and if below 34 degrees, put a heater in or watch the temp with a wireless system. Seems like their forecast is only accurate within 6 degrees.

An uninsulated van should survive 30 degrees OK, 28 if it was run that day. My personal experience and I won't pay you for broken parts if I am wrong.

Since you are still getting going, maybe you can take most of your tools and hoses inside and put antifreeze through the mount. Not too hard to flush out when you have a job to do.

Lots of options, mostly personal preference.

 

[John Olson]

Go to radio Shack and get the Remote thermometer with alarm. I tried to get them at a cost that I could just stock but the price they have them at I can't beat so I just send people there.

 

[John Watson]

Roxy, great advice from John O. But, also get a thermo cube and plug your heater into it. They are set to come on at about 34-35 degrees and shut off at 42-45 degrees. I have used them for years with out the alarm and inside the house van temp gauge which would be an added plus, Think I might go get me a couple this year. One for my wells pump house would be nice also.. Some people say they don't work and are a farce. I have had no problems. Once I did doubt one so I coupled 2 together in case one failed and had no problems. Only cost a few bucks, saves a lot on elec. When heater heats van I also had that on a thermostat set at 60 degrees. I would set the thermo cubes in the coldest place in the van or if the van was in the garage leave the cube outside the van if the garage got to cold it would kick my heater on. I use a small heater to also keep my chemical room from freezing thermostat set at 55 degrees. If you remember my shop 2175 sq with 10 ft walls and vaulted ceiling. I heat 2 bays 696 sq ft for my rug processing area when needed the rest I could heat but why bother except for my 8x10 insulated chem and supply room.

 

[steve g]

John Olson" data-source="" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

Go to radio Shack and get the Remote thermometer with alarm. I tried to get them at a cost that I could just stock but the price they have them at I can't beat so I just send people there.

ditto that, I sleep good on cold night, especially the ones that get down to zero, because if it gets below 35 an alarm goes off

 

[Numero Uno]

The radio shack version is first choice,for 2nd choice.

If you have a Big Lots around,they are 12.99...

They have about 12 on the shelf as of yesterday...

 

[R W]

I still won't chance a freeze up.....I park mine in a garage with an overhead Reznor heater, set at about 40*. That way, the TM doesn't freeze, and the truck is fairly warm to start out on a cold morning. Of course, I've been doing this for almost 30 years now.