fear of freezing

M

Michael Cappa

Member
I have been contacted to do quite a bit of work recently and have a concern about my pump and unloader freezing. I live in northeast ohio and the temps here are around 20-30 degrees on average this time of year. I know about the anti freeze thing while in transport but what about while doing the work. Due to circumstances beyond my control I will be forced to use my back up cold water machine. The machine will be out doors exposed to the elements while I am doing the work and am worried about the freezing temps. Is there anything I should look out for, be worried about? How do I combat the freezing of my machine while I am working?
Thanks in advance.
 
do you

use a tank or spigot water.
Spigot water is prob around 40 to 45 deg. so just keep the water moving. Also keep the pump away from the wind. It can lower the temp of the pump.
if you use a tank then route the water from the unloader back to the supply tank[you cant upstream if you do this] or just use a open gun.
moving water wont freeze.
 
I didn't think that moving water would freeze, just making sure, it is late and the old brain is only at 50% or so, lol.
Thanks Ron P. you are a plethera of info and knowledge.
 
i had to spend an hour and half thawing out my machine this morning at a job site myself,everything was frozenfrom the supply hose to the high pressure hose.
i hate working in the winter.
 
If you are working for food service, you could run it thru the dish washer to thaw... The hoses...

Hope it helps, Tim...

Matt
 
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I got lucky today........I havent run the washers in three weeks, and the supply lines were not frozen.......I was really suprised. I was all set to run a hose directly into the float tank........but they were ok.

It was 25 degrees when I left my house at 12:30 pm........then had to pull the trailer over 15 miles (open trailer)...........still not frozen.
 
it might be kinda hard to put 450 foot of water hose and 300 foot of high pressure hose in the dishwasher but sounds like it would work.
i took a 5 gallon bucket and got hot water from inside sink to get the pump unfrozen,then used the hot water from burner to get supply line unfrozen while using water tank,then had to slowly thaw out high pressure line by trickling the hot water thru it.
i am working at the airport and for some reason it is always cold as sh*t out there.
 
Extreme,
Why don't youtry makeing a small box to set over the pressure washer and the heat from the motor might make enough heat to help keep it from freezing.
 
Lenny, would you believe I did think of making a box out of plywood and insulating it to put over the machine. I am a little afraid of it maybe getting the fuel tank to hot though. I worry too much. I guess if the fuel tank gets too hot I won't have to worry about anything else freezing either huh, lol.
 
this might help

i use a langth of exsaust hose. The type that they use at the local garage to vent the exsaust out from the garage.
It's a 3" rubber hose about 12 ft long.
I put it on the exsaust of the truck to use as a defroster
I pre-heat my 13hp honda on my air compressor and thaw out my hyd. jack after a snow.[im a mobile tireman, but not for long].
You could make a box and put your hoses in it then just hook the rubber hose to the box and the exsaust pipe.
instant heater box that runs off your truck.
You can also use a piece of wire wrapped around the end of the hose atthe end to hold it next to your pump and motor.
i got the hose at www.grainger.com
 
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the hose

it is called thermoplastic rubber ducting hose
$135 for 25 ft.
you need to know the radius of your exsaust and go 1/2 inc bigger. no.4xx46 in the 2001 2002 book.
 
You can keep the water from frezzing , by putting the high pressure hose in the water tank and start your pressure washer before you leave the house.

Mel
 
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