Fighting the Freeze During Winter

[PaulLovesJamie]

2biz, CaCl is more caustic, both toward metals and environmentally. Beet juice has been the go-to for tractor tires for a while now, not certain but I think most dealerships around here wont put cacl in tires, beets only.
fwiw, I use wwf in most of mine now, much cheaper, easy diy, etc. Yep, the same wwf that some of us use at the wash.

 

[Nuphoenix]

While we are on the freeze subject. I found out the other day that my pump for the rail heat is seized up. Lots of corrosion in pump and flanges. Hate to see what the inside of my water heater looks like. Now it has me questioning the rails. I'm assuming there is a pipe or hose that runs through my rails. I had many breakdowns today and non stop washes to investigate further. I tried blowing air into the rails, In one connections you can here air blowing against the aluminum rails. This is an old Magic Spray Size-O-Matic. Before I shut down the bay tearing into it, does anyone know if there are rubber hoses or pipes in there or does it fill the whole rail with hot water?

 

[I.B. Washincars]

does anyone know if there are rubber hoses or pipes in there or does it fill the whole rail with hot water?

I had one of those autos for a few months. I'm going back almost 20 years, but IIRC it had stiff tubing running through the rails. I think it was the same stuff used for floor heat tubing.

 

[Fatboy769]

I had one of those autos for a few months. I'm going back almost 20 years, but IIRC it had stiff tubing running through the rails. I think it was the same stuff used for floor heat tubing.

Pat is correct. Black floor heat tubing was run through the rail.

 

[Nuphoenix]

Explored it today. Yeah it's black pex tubing. They used 1/2 inch swivel connectors on each corner and one totally disintegrated. What a pain to get out! Not looking forward to reinstalling, but I gotta get it done. Amazon now says my pump that was garunteed to arrive friday if I ordered within the next few hours now has an estimated delivery of Dec 29!!!!!!! I guess I got plenty of time to fix the tubing. I'm gonna fill the hot water tank and system with a 50/50 antifreeze solution so my the new pump will last longer. Also gotta figure out a way to flush the hot water heater since there is no drain valve. Maybe just flood it with a flow and shake it a bit? It's only a 10 gallon model.

 

[MEP001]

Amazon now says my pump that was garunteed to arrive friday if I ordered within the next few hours now has an estimated delivery of Dec 29!!!!!!!

That's been happening to me a lot lately.

 

[OurTown]

That's been happening to me a lot lately.

I have been having issues with some things that are shipped by Amazon. One item was supposed to be here in two days and after 8 it is still not here. Also some items lately shipped by Priority Mail are taking 5-7 days instead of 2-3. One package got into USPS's hands on Dec 5 and it is still not here. It shipped from a company that is only about two hours drive from me.

 

[Nuphoenix]

Ok got my rail heat going but now back to my weep mizer dilema. I want to somehow control the rail heat through the secondary output on the weep mizer but I also want to set what time it kicks on. I'm already getting ready to put a timer on the hot water heater for the rail heat, so I guess I'm gonna have to install another timer for the circulation pump. Have power run all the time to the timer and just have it close the contacts when I want circulation depending on the output of the weep mizer if it's called for. Nobody uses the IBA after 9 pm until about 6 am. I can leave the doors open and have the rail heat kick on before customers arrive in the morning. Am I sane?

 

[MEP001]

You could test your theory with a $10 appliance timer.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

Not sure how cold it gets in your town, bu I'll suggest just running the circulator pump 24x7, let the weep mizer control the heater.
Mainly because its not time of day that causes freezeups, its temp; and frozen rails would be a nightmare - standing water in the rail could freeze, but moving water wont. (same as the weep concept).
Assuming its a fractional amperage pump (if its not, consider a better pump!) your cost to run it is tiny, akin to running a 30 or 40 watt light bulb.

 

[Nuphoenix]

You could test your theory with a $10 appliance timer.

Well MEP, I thought of that but I wanted it controlled by the weepmizer plus the timer. Didn't want the pump running circulating cold water until the water heater timer kicked in. It would take the heater way too long to heat up that water while circulating. Guess my only choice so far is to install a relay between the timer and pump controlled by the weep mixer.

 

[Nuphoenix]

Not sure how cold it gets in your town, bu I'll suggest just running the circulator pump 24x7, let the weep mizer control the heater.
Mainly because its not time of day that causes freezeups, its temp; and frozen rails would be a nightmare - standing water in the rail could freeze, but moving water wont. (same as the weep concept).
Assuming its a fractional amperage pump (if its not, consider a better pump!) your cost to run it is tiny, akin to running a 30 or 40 watt light bulb.

I filled my system with a automotive antifreeze mix so I'm not worried about the fluid freezing. I'm concerned about the time and energy for the water heater to heat that fluid while it's circulating.