[Central Window Cleaners]

Hi Guys,
looking for some advise on how to insulate my pumps and hoses ready for winter. the pumps are mounted on the back of the bulkhead cage above the tanks.

Also how do you insulate your static tanks, as I have mine in the garage and it froze solid last year. Is it best to raise it off the floor?

[Window Washers]

Hi Guys,
looking for some advise on how to insulate my pumps and hoses ready for winter. the pumps are mounted on the back of the bulkhead cage above the tanks.

Also how do you insulate your static tanks, as I have mine in the garage and it froze solid last year. Is it best to raise it off the floor?

if you figue out how to do it without heating up the van please let me know, I lagged all pipes last year and everyone frooze solid, tnk water is to dense to totally freeze, but metal inlets, taps ect all did.


I watch this will total interested from you and or other posters to resolve want is a apin in the bum in mornings , my wife has banned me this year using the bath for all the hose reels, so I am hoping someone is wiser

[rg1]

There is no miracle cure, no amount of pipe and tank lagging alone will prevent freezing. You need to heat your van and/or static tank overnight and the cheapest option is a oil filled radiator from b & q.

I personally use a Eberspacher truck heater which is a more expensive option initially but running costs are minimal.

Rob

[Window Washers]

There is no miracle cure, no amount of pipe and tank lagging alone will prevent freezing. You need to heat your van and/or static tank overnight and the cheapest option is a oil filled radiator from b & q.

I personally use a Eberspacher truck heater which is a more expensive option initially but running costs are minimal.

Rob

I had one but maybe a different one, was one bt installed, I took it out all it kept warm was cab and screen,

[rg1]

There is no miracle cure, no amount of pipe and tank lagging alone will prevent freezing. You need to heat your van and/or static tank overnight and the cheapest option is a oil filled radiator from b & q.

I personally use a Eberspacher truck heater which is a more expensive option initially but running costs are minimal.

Rob

I had one but maybe a different one, was one bt installed, I took it out all it kept warm was cab and screen,

That's probably cos the vents were in the cab. I re-routed mine so that one of them is in the back of the van.

[Window Washers]

There is no miracle cure, no amount of pipe and tank lagging alone will prevent freezing. You need to heat your van and/or static tank overnight and the cheapest option is a oil filled radiator from b & q.

I personally use a Eberspacher truck heater which is a more expensive option initially but running costs are minimal.

Rob

I had one but maybe a different one, was one bt installed, I took it out all it kept warm was cab and screen,

That's probably cos the vents were in the cab. I re-routed mine so that one of them is in the back of the van.

I swopped mine into the van back also, didnt cut the mustard  I remember it all to weel as I had to totally defrost 2 vans every dad and had to replace a bath after as I put scratch in it, and wife went nuts at me..

[Central Window Cleaners]

I did use a oil filled radiator in the van last year but used loads of electricity as it was such a long cold winter. Will look into the diesel option.

is it best to raise the static tank off the floor?

[rg1]

There is no miracle cure, no amount of pipe and tank lagging alone will prevent freezing. You need to heat your van and/or static tank overnight and the cheapest option is a oil filled radiator from b & q.

I personally use a Eberspacher truck heater which is a more expensive option initially but running costs are minimal.

Rob

I had one but maybe a different one, was one bt installed, I took it out all it kept warm was cab and screen,

That's probably cos the vents were in the cab. I re-routed mine so that one of them is in the back of the van.

I swopped mine into the van back also, didnt cut the mustard  I remember it all to weel as I had to totally defrost 2 vans every dad and had to replace a bath after as I put scratch in it, and wife went nuts at me..

It couldn't have been working properly, cos mine even heats the sides of the van! In the morning its lovely and warm.

[geefree]

No, the tank is the least of your worries. when things freeze.

[rg1]

I did use a oil filled radiator in the van last year but used loads of electricity as it was such a long cold winter. Will look into the diesel option.

is it best to raise the static tank off the floor?

It would help, but as already said not totally foolproof.

[Central Window Cleaners]

 I will be making room in the garage for one of the vans but even that wasn't hundred percent successful last year, but need a solution for the second van out side.

Would making the pump removable be a better option and keep all the hoses pumps and poles in the garage.
b

[JSMC]

i bought a water tank jacket and wrapped around pump as best i could and took hosereel and poles into house. I also had a fleece blanket and wrapped delivery hose from pump in this. I also had an aquarium tank heater in water tank as my whole tank froze solid. Also bought a honeywell oil radiator. Using all of this i still had problems LOL.

i bought foam pipe lagging which was useless


problem areas were elbow from tank and pump feeezing.

Not looking forward to winter.


Cardboard is a pretty good insulator also i am sure.

[geefree]

To put things into perspective, last year was the worst winter for 30 years,

i doubt we will see as many problems this winter,

Generally , we have the same sort of weather all year round, cool, warm and rain... winter a rare covering of snow and a few frosty days,

lets get prepared , but i think the odd oil filled radiator night will be the norm again this year.

[Dave Anderson]

This year I am buying industrial racking and will be using my 650 and 250 litres old tanks as storage in the shed...so end of day duties will include pumping remaining water in van tank to storage tank in shed...compressor line to reel and blow out so clean of water, pump box into shed. so no more heating of van.

Shed storage area will have one of those pulse technology thermometers(already bought) which work to maintain the set temp at a certain level. This means that only one area will be heated and the storage area will be used for housing r/o system as well. The idea this year is to build that little area and insulate it beyond the normal...

Last year may well have been a freak but we seem to get some very sub temps in Holland each year so it makes sense to protect the gear.

Dave

[traps7]

Insulate behind van panels and roof and use small frost watcher heater with stat just to take the edge off on really cold nights.
If it gets too cold you won't be going anyway because the hose will freeze on the ground or the water will on the windows or the jets will.

[weetot]

Last year I ran a B&Q electric fan heater on low setting.

Had it on an extension running from the garage, then on a timer so it went on 45 minutes before i got out of bed, this worked a treat, as it defrosted the combovan windscreen and it was toasty when I got in the van.

2 pitfalls are....

Slightly higher electric bills, and....

You need a driveway, as you dont want the public tripping over the extension.

[Gav Camm lammy 283]

jsm fr wrexham as brought a heater fr blue-bird vw conversions
approx £400 works of a gas bottle , even on a timer , his was the
only van out wfp ing last winter excellent bit ov kit
ask justin at CNC

[Smart Carpet]

Try to drain as much water out of the pipes as you can..

The cold tends to creep along the hoses..

If you drain the pump completely, there will be nothing inside it to freeze and cause damage.

Same goes for static systems, try to disconnect the inlet hose from the system.

Last year, my shed was toasty but the hose coming in from outside froze along its length and into the shed, where it damaged the fittings to the filler solenoid.