Would this make sense to winterize?

[Ross Buettner]

If someone ran a hose from their solution outlet, into their garden hose inlet, with a waterbox full of anti-freeze.....

Run the machine at low PSI, and get everything safe for winter?

I am restricted (garage door height) to get a van inside. Running a space heater would cost hundreds per month. If I just pop off the solution reel, take the wands and tools inside, and winterize it, I should be able to leave it parked outside.

Thoughts?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Need to run it through your chem system too and get it in your heat exchangers.

Preheaters are usually the first to go.

 

[Doug Rice]

It's not hundreds a month to run a couple of small heaters. I run antifreeze in mine but I still keep 1 or 2 small heaters going to protect everything else. I don't unload the van so it will be ready to work if I need it. I just run the RV antifreeze through all the water and chemical systems. I place on heater close to my supply pump and one in the very back of van. I have an older HM4.7 and it seems to work out for the last few years. It took a couple of times to figure a system out but now it takes me about 10 minutes to winterize it. When I am ready to use it I try to drain as much of the coolant out as I can to reuse and then turn on the pump to flush it out.

 

[rwcarpet]

If someone ran a hose from their solution outlet, into their garden hose inlet, with a waterbox full of anti-freeze.....

Run the machine at low PSI, and get everything safe for winter?

I am restricted (garage door height) to get a van inside. Running a space heater would cost hundreds per month. If I just pop off the solution reel, take the wands and tools inside, and winterize it, I should be able to leave it parked outside.

Thoughts?

Man.....I bet you get a freezin' ass winter up there. I know how cold it gets around NE Ohio. I couldn't imagine having to winterize evry time you put the van away. Are there any car repair shops around that you could make a deal with to keep your van inside their shop at nite?

 

[Desk Jockey]

Doug you made it through last winter with no problems like that?

I had one we freeze up while the guys were on a WDR loss.

It was one we don't freeze protect because it comes inside and they use it for sewage clean up. However I think we are going to freeze protect all the WDR trucks this year.

 

[davep105]

Having good insulation in the van is important too. I use one small heater and it works fine. If its going to be really cold like under 10 degrees I will run two heaters. If I'm slower with work for the week I will run the rv antifreeze through the system. My electric bill goes up around 50 or 60 for those few colder months.

 

[Ross Buettner]

10 degrees?

That's a waaarm winter day here.

 

[Magic One]

RW is right on.

 

[lvcarpetcleaner]

I am so glad I'm in Nevada, we don't run into those issues.

A friend of mine once tried what you were suggesting, and the unit did not survive the hook up, so please be very careful.

 

[floorguy]

insulate it good and run the heaters....and of course keep an eye on it....

now if you are in an area where power goes out all the time then ok i see it....

but it is not hundreds to run that heater....even if it ran 24hrs a day...