Winterizing

S

Sopowerclean

New member
What is the best way to winterize a unit that you are still using during the day. I live in North Carolina and it gets cold at night. I dont want to keep wasting antifreeze. is there a way to blow the water out of pump and heat coil using air. My unit sits outside under a shelter. (cant afford garage yet). thank you

Lawrence Carter
Southern Power Clean
"Providing you a cleaner image"
 
Well, I'm a newbie, but we are having the same problem with our equipment. What we are now trying is to run the winter winshield washing fluid through the system before we pack up. It's not supposed to freeze down to 20 below. We were afraid to try the antifreeze in the system, so this is what we're trying.
 
You can recapture the antifreeze as you pump it out of the system and reuse it. It will get diluted a little every time you do this so you will have to add fresh antifreeze occasionally, remember to use the gun so you can get the antifreeze into the bypass system. I hook my gun into the same place I would connect my pressure hose normally. I can make a gallon of anti freeze last a couple of weeks before I need to add any, if you have a float tank system it will tend to get diluted quicker.
You can also blow the water out of the system, this has worked for me in the past.
 
I used the same antifreeze for three years, just freshened it up every now and then. This year I bought all new and started fresh.
 
I also use Antifreeze to protect my washer through the cold months. I also blow out all my hoses after I am done for the day when I get home because the heat from my Hot water powerwasher keeps my enclosed trailer warm enough for me to get home where nothing freezes in my trailer.

Once I'm home even if its 3-4 in the morning I now will blow out my hoses, surface machine so they don't freeze. I am also very quit doing this so not to wake up the neighbors.
 
Antifreeze solution will get slushy when the temperature drops enough. Dump the antifreeze into the float tank or use the suction of the pump. The liqued will be pumped into the system, the icy stuff left in the tank, just put the container in a sink of warm water, or put warm water in the antifreeze container and dump the melted stuff out. Add antireeze as needed. Cost through the season is minimul.

Douglas Hicks
General Fire Equipment Co of Eastern Oregon, Inc
 
I’m using heaters, portable heaters. I realize this is not cost effective but I have not even experienced the cold front we have had n the last week.


I usually get one or two nights that we drop below freezing and usually all my equipments in the field or garaged.

What’s up with this cold Stuff Scott? Its Christmas and starting to feel like it..
 
Depending how cold it gets in your area you can use windshield washer fluid, rv antifreeze(which is used to keep their pipes from freezing and breaking, usually rated to -30 or so) or regular auto antifreeze. If you recapature your solution and depending on how often you use your unit a couple of gallons should last most of the winter.
 
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