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Do You Disable Low Pressure Functions During Extreme Cold, But Stay Open?

Robert2181

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We keep our bays open all the time. Heated trough (loop from floor heat & 6 gallon tank w/circulating pump 95 degrees). Blown down system. It has already this year been down to -19 plus wind chill.
 

2Biz

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Can you elaborate on your blow down system. Air Only purge? Air Purge with WWF injection? Only LP hoses?

I'm thinking part of my issues is the PLC programming for the blow down/wwf injection. There is a 2 second delay in the program before activation of a blow down cycle. This was included to keep from initiating a blow down cycle when somebody is switching between functions which saves wwf.

To maybe fix this, I've ordered some .1 to 3 second adjustable delay relays I'm going to put on all LP functions. This will keep a 1-2 second slug of foam out of the hose when someone is switching between functions. Another way to possibly fix this is to delete the 2 sec. delay in the programming, but this would use a lot more WWF... So I'm going the delay relay route. This will also help save my SFR and TF pump motors from switch spinners! Should have done this long ago.
 

Earl Weiss

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Don't close, don't disable. Last week did not get out of single digits for several days. 2 of 8 bays had freezing issues. One FB because the hose kiknked and stopped the weep. Also use KR FB AF Soap. By the time it hit double digits with the sum out we needed to get the 2 bays working. Sat high was 23 and it was busy. Sunday high was 31 and it was really busy.
 

Robert2181

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We blow down both hp and foam brush. Our LP goes through the wand. We have a 10 sec delay before activation. Your relay may help. The way you blow down you are still leaving moisture in your lines. Do not conserve on wwf. It is way cheaper than weeping.
 

2Biz

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So you also blow-down your HP hoses! How is this working out for you? Do you mist WWF with air or do you purge with air, then WWF, then air again? Both methods obviously different, but would like to get feedback as to which method works better. I’ve thought about using Blow-Down and WWF on the HP hoses, but a frozen HP gun can create more problems than a customer not getting any water.

When my weep is full on, I could use up to 7 gallons of washer fluid to equal the cost per day. And we know we wouldn't use near that much WWF in comparison. I like the idea....
 

Robert2181

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We blow down all bays (High pressure & foam brush) after every use. We use about 5 to 9 gallons per/week. That may vary for each location because your site might be 10 times busier than mine or 10 times slower.
If you blow down with just air/wwf/air you will always still have water in the line.

Does the WWF freeze on your windshield in your car when you use it?
 

2Biz

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So RV Antifreeze works pretty good!? :)

You've had this installed for awhile and have it dialed in....How long ago has it been since you had a HP gun/hose freeze? If Ever? :confused:
 

Robert2181

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They both dilute with water. The only way you can have a freeze up is, leaky valve in the equipment room, bad check valve,trough heat to low or plugged tip.
 

cantbreak80

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2Biz,
Your "Secret Sauce" system has been proven to work on your HP lines...as long as you are absolutely, positively sure that your SFR solenoids don't leak. When the SFR repressurization pump turns on for one bay, does water flow from any of the other idle guns? If the answer is "sometimes", then those guns are gonna freeze. (That's why I don't use the secret sauce for my HP guns.) You'll recall our discussion re: the mods needed to absolutely, positively insure that SFR doesn't "contaminate" the protected bay components.
 

Robert2181

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All of our options for each bay have its own solenoid and check valve. What sfr short for?
 

2Biz

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2Biz,
Your "Secret Sauce" system has been proven to work on your HP lines...as long as you are absolutely, positively sure that your SFR solenoids don't leak. When the SFR repressurization pump turns on for one bay, does water flow from any of the other idle guns? If the answer is "sometimes", then those guns are gonna freeze. (That's why I don't use the secret sauce for my HP guns.) You'll recall our discussion re: the mods needed to absolutely, positively insure that SFR doesn't "contaminate" the protected bay components.
Yes...Yes...I would not forget that! I still have the work-around stored deep in memory! I can't believe you haven't tried it yet? For now, I know absolutely, positively, and for sure I don't have SFR leaking by my solenoids, but I'm not over-pressurizing either. I would like to try this on a few bays to start, my furthest from the ER...Even IF I decided to close those bays, it would only be a matter of putting up the cones. No manual blow down. But if it worked as advertised, no cones would be necessary, right?!?!?!
 
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