Fighting the Freeze During Winter

[Old 66 Car Wash]

Hi All! I am very new to the car wash game. Bought my first one just over a month ago. It is located in the mountains just outside of Albuquerque, NM. The temps are dropping and I am wondering how everyone keeps their systems from freezing during the winter. My system is pretty fortified out to the bays but how do you keep the hoses from freezing up? I do have a self operated wet weeping system in place. Should I just leave the bays dripping at night or try to drain each hose before I leave?

 

[JMMUSTANG]

Test your drip system.
I get a bucket with ice and water,
Put the outside probes in the bucket of ice water and see what temperature the drip starts dripping out each gun and bubble brushes.
I add more ice to the bucket, to get the water colder. Your drip starts coming out for a longer time as it gets colder.
As it gets colder the drip should spray out your guns longer. Check all guns and brushes each time.

 

[soapy]

Get a WEEP Miser ASAP. It will turn on the weep system as needed and pulses the water depending on temps. It will pay for itself in a short time. You can weep the foam brush or add methenol based soap. I mix my own adding methenil so that final dilution ends up as needed. 10% methenol is good to 25, 20% good to 10 and 30% is good to 0. Monday I had a low temperature of 1.

 

[David Rolf]

Two things that helped us when first purchased was we found out optional heaters were available for the bill changer and just plugged in. Another item was the old owner had unplugged the line heater in the hose trough which keeps the lines warm. Other than the weep suggestions keep plenty of ice melt on hand with signage to watch for ice.

 

[Roz]

We weep and turn on the floor heat at 33, and we swap our foam brush chemical to the KR winter version when we have extended cold periods. We placed wifi temp sensors in our heated troth for added measure...

 

[Sequoia]

Check how your weep water is plumbed especially the valves or soleniods.

When I first bought my wash, the weep solenoids were normally closed. So when needed, the weepmizer applied power to let water weep. That worked great until the power went out for a week due to a huge storm. I had huge freeze up problems and chased after this for the full week while power was out.

After that experience I changed my system to normally open valves/solenoids which REQUIRE power to keep them closed. So now, if the power fails, water starts weeping automatically.

 

[Roz]

The newer D1000 Weep Miser uses a normally open solenoid. Power required to close it.

 

[Randy]

The newer D1000 Weep Miser uses a normally open solenoid. Power required to close it.

All of the Dixmor DX1000 Weepmizers use a normally open solenoid valve. If you want to use a normally closed solenoid valve with a DX1000 you have to special order it from Dixmor, there are a few around but not many.

 

[Earl Weiss]

1. Weep mizer. 2. Anti Freeze Foam Brush soap. 3. Raytheon heat cable in trough connected to weep mizer output 2 with relay.

 

[mjwalsh]

IMHO, a lot depends on the elevation-how far north combined factors ... which can mean longer longevity of even below 0° F temperatures. I am sure some like us here in ND the winter operators' focus tends to be be on the 2 overhead doors for each bay. Specific current local competition in those similar areas ... might also drive how often the operator's large bay doors are somewhat forced to be used. Like most operators at all weather regions ... we definitely hope for a mild winter. Also in an effort to keep our costs down... we do our own snow removal.

Not that we broadcast this ... but we kind of shout to ourselves "yea" "more" in favor ... when the city uses its sometimes controversial "beet juice" to help deal with icy slippery streets! Oops ... our dirty little secret wish made public???

 

[mac]

I solved the winter freeze the easy way. I moved to south FL and have no weep, no boilers, no hot water, no doors, and no floor heat. Really simplifies the equipment room also.

 

[Old 66 Car Wash]

Test your drip system.
I get a bucket with ice and water,
Put the outside probes in the bucket of ice water and see what temperature the drip starts dripping out each gun and bubble brushes.
I add more ice to the bucket, to get the water colder. Your drip starts coming out for a longer time as it gets colder.
As it gets colder the drip should spray out your guns longer. Check all guns and brushes each time.

Thank you very much! This helped a ton. I have my weeps all dialed in now!

 

[JMMUSTANG]

I’m glad you have every thing working
There’s a great deal of knowledge from a lot of operators on hear to help you.
Also I would turn on the drip system and check all your lines and connections to make sure there is no drips or leaks. Fix them immediately.
You need to make sure that at a certain temperature your weep should be running constant.
I believe mine runs constant at 26 degrees.
I would suggest for a while when it gets cold that you check your drip system late at night and earlier morning to make sure they are working.

 

[Old 66 Car Wash]

Thank you! I will do that for sure. We have another cold spell this week and we are working hard to get everything dialed in before hand! Thanks again for your help!

 

[Nuphoenix]

Can I connect a circulation pump (less than an amp) and a heat cable to output 2? Or do I need a relay for each? Sorry, don't know the specs on amp draw of a 30 foot heat tape.

 

[Randy]

Can I connect a circulation pump (less than an amp) and a heat cable to output 2? Or do I need a relay for each? Sorry, don't know the specs on amp draw of a 30 foot heat tape.

I"d put a relay on the output #2. Why run the risk of damaging a Weepmiser. Your right at the max of 3 amps that the Weepmiser can handle.

 

[Nuphoenix]

Can I order a weep mizer thru KR with the NC option? Do I just add a note in the order? Is there a special model number that I can't find?

 

[MEP001]

Can I order a weep mizer thru KR with the NC option? Do I just add a note in the order? Is there a special model number that I can't find?

Call Dixmor and ask them what you need to order. You can probably get it direct from Dixmor for the same price.

 

[mjwalsh]

Call Dixmor and ask them what you need to order. You can probably get it direct from Dixmor for the same price.

Good idea. I rarely have to call Dixmor but when I have they have been "real straight-shooters" IMHO! Not sure on the customizing though? They might suggest or you can figure out or one of us on this forum can help you design an acceptable workaround!

 

[2Biz]

Can I order a weep mizer thru KR with the NC option? Do I just add a note in the order? Is there a special model number that I can't find?

Why do you want a NC weepmizer? Typically output 1 is energized when no weep is called for AND using a NO solenoid. The solenoid is powered closed when no weep is called for. That way if power goes out, the NO solenoid will keep things from freezing.

To answer your other question, along with what Randy said, put a relay between each connected device on output 2. Why chance running the weepmizer relay at max load when you can put the load on a $10 relay? I choose to protect my $350 weepmizer investment! I have output 2 run 3 different functions. Floor heat, trough heat tape, and a home brew PLC system that winterizes 8 LP hoses. All running off separate relays and powered by output 2.