Winter antifreeze purge, air purge whatever system

[copperglobe]

Should have been doing this sooner but now it's getting colder....

In your experience what system is best for anti-freezing your foam brush, SS spray guns and in-bay automatics? Talking antifreeze soap, air purge, whatever.

 

[2Biz]

I prefer an automated washer fluid air blowdown system for all LP functions and weepmiser/weep for HP with the ability to shut down bays easily during extreme cold. I always keep at least 1-2 bays open even down to -16° only because that is as cold as its got since buying the wash!

An automated washer fluid/blowdown system for LP will pay for its self many times over comparing to water usage for weep. I know others have a blowdown system for HP, but that's stretching it for me. Closing all but 1-2 bays down during extreme cold saves about 400-600 gallons a day....4 bays full out weeping the HP lines uses about 800 gallons a day. I've had people wash at -6°. So I keep a bay open just for those die-hards!

 

[Randy]

We don’t get the cold weather like some areas of the US. When it gets real cold here we shut down the car wash, take the guns and foam brush handles off, pump windshield washer fluid into the systems and call it good until it warms up, last year we shut down for 5 days. With no floor heat, no one has floor heat in this area of the PNW the bays floors get real slippery so it’s more of a safety thing than it is about trying to wash cars when it’s freezing cold outside. We might wash 10 cars when it’s 15 deg. outside. It’s not with the trouble go to too wash such a small number of cars.

 

[soapy]

I use self regulated heat tape in the troughs and that keeps all the LP functions except foam brush from freezing. I make my own anti freeze foam brush soap with methanol and foam concentrate. Weep miser for the SS HP hose. Automatics I use doors and radiant heat. I have already seen 10 degrees this winter and it is not unusual to stay below freezing for 30 to 60 days at a time.