D&S 5000 freezing up when below 20

[robblackburn]

I know that it is asking alot but I am having trouble with my D&S 5000 completly freezing up when the temps fall below 20. I do not have doors and the wind really blows thru the bay. My current solution is to just close the automatic when the temps reach 25 and then reopen when warms up. This seems to work fine but if I leave open below 25 it will almost freeze immediatiely. My guess is that the tips instantely freeze and the blow down does not get a chance to do anything. Any suggestions other than getting doors.

Thanks.

Rob

 

[dogwasher]

This is a interesting topic that Im in the middle of investigating! I just installed two DS 5000 units. I was told the units would be great because I wouldn't waste any more weep water. Well I wasn't told they were going to freeze up either. Blow down to me means blow out the water and nothing to freeze(wrong). Unfortunitly I guess I have to do the engineering on this because DS didnt? If the water is blown out and the windshield fluid is properly added I dont care how cold it is or what the wind chill is I dont think it should freeze. When you say the tips are freezing do you think that the pre soak is on its way threw the lines and freezing the tips shut just before it sprays out? I have another theory and that is the selenoids are letting a small amount of liquid past the selenoid shut off valves in the mechanical room and after a few hours the hanging hoses are filling up with a small amount of liquid and freezing. People like to visit my wash at night and I cant afford to shut the units down, I just got a quote to install wynstar doors at $8,000 per door not including any electrical, instead of buying four of there rediculous overpriced rubber doors I will use the money to buy a Corvette and at least feel like I got some value for my money!

 

[galen]

Can you try to turn the air regulator up a bit to see if more air pressure will blow the lines out more throughly? You may have some low spots in the lines, and the water is pooling there. If you can also lengthen the time of the blow down could help.

 

[MEP001]

You can also adjust the number of times it blows down after each wash. I believe it goes up to 8; default is 2. If nothing else, consider rigging up an antifreeze purge.

 

[Waxman]

I don't understand an IBA car wash in a cold climate without doors. Can't imagine it! I get problems down around 12-15 degrees with lots of washing going on and cars in and out with doors cycling up and down. No way I'd operate without doors! Only washes I've seen doing this are the Laser 4000's that weep through every nozzle + underbody. There's weep water everywhere!

If you added up the extra cost of all that weep plus more to keep the floors thawed, wouldn't you just get doors? Or, looked at another way, compare the money you lose by shutting down below 25 degrees(which here would be much of Winter) to the cost of doors.

Not all doors cost $8000.

 

[ted mcmeekin]

we have American Overhead doors with commercial electric operators and 50,000 cycle torsion springs. They are not as fast but far more economical. They are white panels with glass panels abot 2/3 the way up. Over the years we have had some problems but changed all the rollers to SS with extra long shafts. These rollers are much better. Last y

 

[ted mcmeekin]

Sorry post was cut short. Last year we installed strip heaters on door tracks. With these mods and a little maintenance they have performed very well. The doors look great and are very economical. They were $ 6500 for a pair installed. The operators are in the equipment room. May not be the best for very cold long winters but have worked for us. It was 7 degrees the other day and they worked fine.We have floor heat and tube heaters in the bay.

Ted

 

[car washing systems inc]

Why not just add a weep sol. that turns on at the temp you are having the problem at, use a relay to shut you air purge off and use a weep mizer to control the weep, in the north east i do not use air purge i just dont trust it, i no water is getting $$ but it is still cheaper than freezing up and would be a lot less $$ that doors. 8000.00 per door sounds high what size doors are they

 

[robblackburn]

Thanks for all of the replies. How do you add antifreeze ( windishield washer fluid) to the blowdown? I may also try to increase the frequency of the blow down and the air pressure to try and force more out. In theory this should work fine but we just need to get all of the liquid out.
Thanks.

 

[MEP001]

For an antifreeze blowdown you could theoretically connect the blowdown output to a pump that would come on and purge the lines. You could also use a PLC which would save you money in the long run since you could purge each hose very accurately to prevent wasted antifreeze, as well as blow the lines out with air before a wash so it wouldn't purge antifreeze on the cars.

 

[SteveT]

I am also looking at adding a door to one end of my IBA to help minimize the freezing problem (Denver). I am strongly considering a polycorbate door via a local and reputable distributor. The cost installed is around $7,500. Question: will the spray freeze and hamper the door lift capability - because of the ice weight?

 

[lag]

Question: will the spray freeze and hamper the door lift capability - because of the ice weight?

We have doors on the entrance ,and exit of all our autos. Door freeze up is a constant issue. We do run heat strips on the tracks ,and radiant heat in the bays when it is below 15 degrees.
When we run only one door it will get ice on it,and the door at times will not go up ,unless we put more air to it. If it is above 20 icing does not cause much problems.