More stuff freezes in October

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Oct 7, 2006
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Lee Stockwell
More truckmount fittings, wand valves, and plumbing freezes in October when we aren't yet expecting it, than in January. Every year a bunch of newbies have it happen, and a few of us ancient types forget our meds and let it happen as well.

Fred correctly pointed out that I don't start many threads. He may soon wish he'd stfu... :-) Here is my first in a while.

Thanks,
Lee
 
F

FB7777

Guest
get a heated garage, complete with hot and cool sink and floor drain for your trucks and you won't have this issue


anyone can cut and paste from the Bane blog ... I said original thought Stockstein
 
Joined
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You have never seen me do a cut and paste.

The garage is good, but there are things you can do to protect the trucks when they are out and about as well. My boys often had projects in the garage and put the trucks outside....stuff happens.

We routinely drain wand valves and solution hoses for example. It especially hurts wire reinforced hoses to have water freeze in them.
 

Becker

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I like how Fredprick just assumes all newbies can afford to build or rent garages and outfit them with sinks floor drains etc.
Even more so if they just took the plunge into TM ownership.
I guess 401k and IRAs are still going strong.

Good advice Lee, We were all green at one time.
Nothing worest than a freeze up no matter if it is your 1st yera, or 30th year.
 
F

FB7777

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it is a timely tip

I seem to remember a past October when some doofus posted pix of his ex wives friends during a Halloween party


rumor is, the ex got your heated garage in the divirce settlement howdy douschy
 

Becker

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Rumors are false.

But I'm sure you can buy the house she bought 3 years ago soon on the court house steps.


Who posted the pics? I personally never threw a Halloween party, nor attended one in years.
 

XTREME1

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I just consolidated my trucks into a 5,000 square foot warehouse next door to the rug cleaning shop......Toasty everynight with drains and water hook ups

at this point best thing I have done for the business
 

joe harper

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ruMoR..has it ... !gotcha!

This October we are expected to "PLUNG"...into the low 60's..... :shock:

SuCkerS... :p :p :p :mrgreen:
 

ruff

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OK LEE.
So for someone like me who is new to winterizing the equipment.

If the machine is going to be inactive for some time.
I ran antifreeze through the machine, heat exchangers, wands and valves.
What about the water softener, is there a need to worry about it? What do I do.

Anything else that needs to be done?

How do the Milk Stool Heaters work if put in the van to prevent freezing?

Thanks
 
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Anything that has water in it is at risk. Therefore if you can remove the water the risk goes away. I blow or vacuum the water out of my machine's HX coils, pump, regulators and brass parts at the end of the day in freezing weather. Takes just a few minutes.
 

KevinL

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Yep, it's time to clean out the garage. And drain the other truck that won't fit. I can't take the wifes spot.
 

John Watson

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Very good tips, Every year I now go and buy a new Thermo cube, They turn on and off at set temps. I have used a varity of fans, Heat lamps and differant sizes. This year I think I am going to get one of those Upright ossalating ceramic type that also has a thermostat which we set on high. We just get used to plugging it in at the end of the day while the van is outside. (Which is all the time now that the shop is gone). I hear people say that their cubes fail, but in 30 yrs of doing this, I have never had this happen. I used to reuse the thermo cube but there only 5-10 bucks why take a chance.. I place the heater in the rear facing forwards to direct it at hoses, tools, cleaning juices. I have also bougt from radio shack a remote tempeture sensor with the monitor on my dash, a reader in the house and a high low alarm programed in I feel pretty much covered. Plus when I look out on a coold and frosty morning, My trks windshield should not be frosted!!!!!

Questiom for youse smart fellers that knows abouts Therm Dynamics,

If you have a block or tank heater hooked into your cooling system, Will the heated coolant migrate through your heat exchanger and if it does will the solutions heated in the coils of the exchanger also work its way through out your heating system??
 
F

FB7777

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Lee Stockwell said:
Anything that has water in it is at risk. Therefore if you can remove the water the risk goes away. I blow or vacuum the water out of my machine's HX coils, pump, regulators and brass parts at the end of the day in freezing weather. Takes just a few minutes.
wow, I had no idea you were speaking from experience Lee, you've been at this 30 + years and it never occured to you to put up a garage for the van/vans?
 

Desk Jockey

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Lee
I've heard a lot of guys using windshield washer fluid with the antifreeze in it to keep from freezing up.

I've heard of the compressed air too, just make sure if you have chem meters to get the water out of them also.

Heated would be your best bet against damage, even gauges can freeze when it gets too cold.
 
Joined
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I had a two truck garage for many years, up to summer '07. Nice to have, but doesn't mean you can ignore the freeze risk.

I don't use chemical metering, but the pressure gauge has to be protected. I have a loop in the line filled with glycol.
 

harryhides

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Most of you guys in the south east and nor west have no clue what the meaning of "cold" really is.

Here in the frozen north it's also October ( go figure ) and it's 75 degrees and no oil or tourists on our beaches.
Getting a shack umm garage in Florida should be pretty darned cheap.
Air compressor is cheap and fast but up here you'd be crazy not to have a garage or two.
 

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