Weep water time of year almost back
- Thread starter packerscw
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Robert2181
Member
new waterless system
I have had a new system up and running for 2 years.
I have had a new system up and running for 2 years.
Bubbles Galore
Active member
If I can get my ducks in a row before it gets real cold, I am planning an air/antifreeze purge system.
weep
Im currently using a DX1000 Weep Mizer. I did do some more research last night and found a system called Polar Freeze Guard System. "polarfreezeguard.com says that they can eliminate my weep water". That is for sure something I want to find.
Im currently using a DX1000 Weep Mizer. I did do some more research last night and found a system called Polar Freeze Guard System. "polarfreezeguard.com says that they can eliminate my weep water". That is for sure something I want to find.
lag
Member
Looks like they are in Michigan also.. give them a try
respond from info i got
I told everyone I would respond back when I got some information back from polar freze guard. Its a patented air and antifreeze purge system that only purges when that bay has been used. I filled out there contact info form and can get a system for pretty cheap. I talked to a rep from them and he knew his stuff. Sounds like a good deal. Anyone have any good questions I should ask before I buy? I'm new in the industry. Car wash owner two years.
I told everyone I would respond back when I got some information back from polar freze guard. Its a patented air and antifreeze purge system that only purges when that bay has been used. I filled out there contact info form and can get a system for pretty cheap. I talked to a rep from them and he knew his stuff. Sounds like a good deal. Anyone have any good questions I should ask before I buy? I'm new in the industry. Car wash owner two years.
PHP:
I just looked at their system online. Looks like something I setup at my wash for my foam brushes about 10 years ago. I purge my foam brushes with a winter mix of methanol and brush with ease using a Dixmor weep mizer that also controls my high pressure guns. When the temps get down to 30 degrees F the meth. mix switches over AND purges the lines for about 1 minute. When the temps are above 30 degrees F it switches back to my regular foam brush mixture.
The polar guard system is definitely more in-depth and certainly looks like it would work. The biggest problem in my mind with the high pressure guns are the tip itself. Would the system be able to push out all of the water / soap / chemicals when the bay was not in use? I was going to attempt something on the lines of the polar freeze system myself, just did not have the time to really think it through.
I am going to call them and find out some of the operators are that have used their system.
Weep water in my area starts in Oct and runs through Mar or Apr with the worst months being Jan Feb and Mar.
The weep mizer does a good job when it is above 23 to 24 degrees F. Anything below 20 degrees is when I feel the pinch. That's also when I have the least amount of business. Same holds true for the floor heat!!!
The polar guard system is definitely more in-depth and certainly looks like it would work. The biggest problem in my mind with the high pressure guns are the tip itself. Would the system be able to push out all of the water / soap / chemicals when the bay was not in use? I was going to attempt something on the lines of the polar freeze system myself, just did not have the time to really think it through.
I am going to call them and find out some of the operators are that have used their system.
Weep water in my area starts in Oct and runs through Mar or Apr with the worst months being Jan Feb and Mar.
The weep mizer does a good job when it is above 23 to 24 degrees F. Anything below 20 degrees is when I feel the pinch. That's also when I have the least amount of business. Same holds true for the floor heat!!!
We only get about 2 or 3 weeks of really cold weather during the winters here. Floor heat is unheard of here, with only a couple of weeks of cold weather it doesn’t make economic sense to have floor heat. After 25 years we got tired of fighting the cold and ice so the last couple of years when it has gotten real cold we shut down the car washes, pump windshield washer fluid into the system and let her go until it warms up. Shutting down hasn’t hurt business one bit, they can wait a couple of days until warms up. The peace of mind is a lot better than worrying about a customer falling on the ice.
pitzerwm
Active member
In the Library I have a PP showing how to do the switching from winter FB soap and back according to the temp, with a PLC. It could be done for high pressure too. Your biggest risk is that something plugs the tip of the gun and doesn't purge. You have the same problem with weep though.
They told me from "Polar Freeze Guard" that I can hook there system up to IBA's and low pressure and foam brush. Getting rid of high pressure weep would help the most. I think if the tip gets plug then the furtherest that my bay will freeze is just to where my line enters the heated troff. Am I right? Never had a bay freeze up on me, only had the wash for really one winter.
pitzerwm
Active member
If you have a heated trough, then it will freeze up to the trough, that might kill your swivel.
Where does your weep water go now? On the floor from the gun and or brush? Or down a plumbed drain?
The floor heat would be for the wash customers only if you ran your weep down a drain and not onto the floor.
If it runs on the floor, you will have issues with the weep water freezing if you decide to turn down the floor heat.
The floor heat costs can out way the water / sewer costs by a factor of 8 to 1 when the floor heat is running full bore in the middle of the winter. To me, I would love to be able to control the floor heat as the Polar Freeze System controls the water usage using anti freeze. It comes down to a liability issue, Run the floor heat so no slip and falls, or turn it down or off and take your chances....ouch!
Yes and no. It may even freeze in the trough itself depending on how cold it gets.
I ran without a trough for the first 10 years with my low pressure lines having to circulate back and forth. Changed over to a heated trough about 12 years ago. Best move! If I get a freeze up now, the high pressure hose will freeze out in the bay, and yes the same for the swivels, but I have not had a swivel failure because of a freeze up yet.
Before the heated trough, EVERYTHING would freeze no matter how high I turned up the pressure for gun weep foam brush weep and low pressure circulation.
With the heated trough, I think this Polar Guard System will work. I also still believe you will someday get a total freeze up (Murphy's Law) Etc.
Does the weep water come out of the gun onto the floor then down the drain? Or once the gun is in the wand holder, is the other end of the wand holder plumbed into the drain?
If the weep water runs on the floor at any point, from the gun or the foam brush, the floor heat has to be kept on to keep the water runoff from freezing.
Again, even IF there is no water weeping in the bay at all (using whatever system you chose), once a customer starts to use the bay, the floor heat has to be on and set at a temp. that will allow the customer to walk on the "wet" floor from the wash and rinse process and not slip or fall due to ice buildup.
I lower my floor heat return temp to 50 F in the beginning of the winter season. As the temps fall, I have no choice but to raise it to 55 then 60 then 65 etc. depending on the weather conditions and IF I think I will get wash customers.
There are too many variables to the floor heat debate. Do you have doors on your bays? Does the wind whip through them on a normal winter day? Does the sun every reach the inside of the bay on rising or setting?
All of these things will have an effect on the floor heat settings.
Years ago I would just "Set it and forget it" all season long. NOT anymore, it's too costly!
If the weep water runs on the floor at any point, from the gun or the foam brush, the floor heat has to be kept on to keep the water runoff from freezing.
Again, even IF there is no water weeping in the bay at all (using whatever system you chose), once a customer starts to use the bay, the floor heat has to be on and set at a temp. that will allow the customer to walk on the "wet" floor from the wash and rinse process and not slip or fall due to ice buildup.
I lower my floor heat return temp to 50 F in the beginning of the winter season. As the temps fall, I have no choice but to raise it to 55 then 60 then 65 etc. depending on the weather conditions and IF I think I will get wash customers.
There are too many variables to the floor heat debate. Do you have doors on your bays? Does the wind whip through them on a normal winter day? Does the sun every reach the inside of the bay on rising or setting?
All of these things will have an effect on the floor heat settings.
Years ago I would just "Set it and forget it" all season long. NOT anymore, it's too costly!
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