Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: GB Window Cleaning on September 28, 2011, 08:46:16 pm
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so i thought i was as ready as i could be for the winter...
pipe lagging
2kw oil rad
insulated van cover
boiler blanket for inside of van
but after daz mentioned "submersible heaters" this morning im not so sure even with all ive done that my 350 ltr tank full of water still might freeze ???
so my question to you fellow windys is what is the chance of the water in the tank freezing and what kind of submersible heater will keep my 350 ltr tank full of water from freezing?
thanks
george
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I have 350litre tank
I use the highest wattage fish tank heater,
Works good,
If you want it warm use two.
Very good
Mr B
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500 to 1000 watt fish pond heat will heat it up to 30 degrees you will find then on e bay or 2x 300 watts pond heater.
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If you go into a fish shop check which ones they use in the tanks as some can me submerged completley and others cant. They always sell the ones they use.
I found that when using aquarium heaters that the tap froze up... kettle of hot water on it and good to go !
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Is that a joke? Fish shops must get to 1000c to get that batter to stick.
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dont forget the chips and mushy peas, and get bits on . ;D
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In my experience, in past years, down in the South here, it's not the tank that froze but my hoses and connectors.
Aquarium heater and oil filled rad worked fine for me. Didn't insulate the tank but used it like a giant radiator to put a little warmth in to the back. Won't be warm but will keep it above freezing.
Left my system in the back garden shed running all the time and it didn't freeze but my transfer hose did on one occasion. Most of it's buried or insulated but of course a bit isn't and that froze.
And of course long johns for my old legs! :)
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I have a 1000w titantnium pond heater on a thermostat in a 2000l tank and from last years experience I noticed that the water was taking ages to click 'off' the thermostat....until..............I ran the tank pump back into it self and then the thermostat showed 16 deg and I only set it to come on at 5 deg....
So now have set a timer on the pump to circulate the tank water for 15 minutes every 2 hours for the 1st 48 hours and then 10 minutes every 4 hours for the rest of the week.
Cheers
Dave.
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3kw, 27" immersion heater mounted via mechanical flange. Tank of hot water & NOTHING in the van freezes! :)
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Just fitted mine so happy days 8)
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RE: pipe lagging, armaflex is the best - look on ebay, it looks like the reg stuff but -50c, make sure u buy the outdoor type (if its going from tap 2 van) as its water proof + the inner width to take your 12.5mm garden hose?, if i remember its about £7-8 a metre. hope that helps gb :)
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thanks everyone for all your responses! really helpfull of you all!
think i dont fancy cutting holes in my new 350 ltr tank and fitting an imersion heater so im gonna look into a fully submersible aquarium heater i recon!
thanks again
george
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You can get 500W ones off ebay cheap enough. ;)
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i am just moving this is my first winter wfp i dont have a drive and if i run power to the van it wll be over a path in the culde sac will that be ok or will i have to think of enougher way
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any one
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i am just moving this is my first winter wfp i dont have a drive and if i run power to the van it wll be over a path in the culde sac will that be ok or will i have to think of enougher way
You could use heat trace cable. a 6mtr length will run for nearly 10 hours off a leisure battery, but the heat output is tiny so you have to connect it to your pipework etc and then insulate the pipes over the top of it.
Alternatively, a gas heater could be used to heat the tank the night before & it'll stay warm overnight.
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i have a 350 litre tank in the van if it freezes i wont use it simple as that!
i have a backpack and trolley which will be brought inside the house with a few bottles of water and poles etc!
end of the day if its too cold outside the glass will freeze!
i will not have any heaters in my van/tank or anywhere else nor will i have highly dangerous gas bottles in my van!
if its too cold outside you cant clean windows!
very simple really isn't it ffs!
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its a question and thanks for your opinion but no need for the ffs. did you get bullied while growing up as you got anger problems mate
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sheesh , it's all about opinions let's not fall out , most info on this thread has been good so far
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i have a 350 litre tank in the van if it freezes i wont use it simple as that!
i have a backpack and trolley which will be brought inside the house with a few bottles of water and poles etc!
end of the day if its too cold outside the glass will freeze!
i will not have any heaters in my van/tank or anywhere else nor will i have highly dangerous gas bottles in my van!
if its too cold outside you cant clean windows!
very simple really isn't it ffs!
want to try living in a place that had sub 0 conditions for weeks not days and you will try anything to keep working. these guys are just sharing possible solutions
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I have a 1000w titantnium pond heater on a thermostat in a 2000l tank and from last years experience I noticed that the water was taking ages to click 'off' the thermostat....until..............I ran the tank pump back into it self and then the thermostat showed 16 deg and I only set it to come on at 5 deg....
So now have set a timer on the pump to circulate the tank water for 15 minutes every 2 hours for the 1st 48 hours and then 10 minutes every 4 hours for the rest of the week.
Cheers
Dave.
what type of pump do you use dave , I have a 1 kw heater which i intend on dropping in my 400 ltr tank overnight in pickup , but it would be give even heat distribution with pump would'nt it ???.
Will it be safe enough to run extension straight out to pickup in freezing temps , I intended on covering tank with a couple of duvets but do i need to keep them from covering heater or can i put the whole of the heater in to the water . MIKE
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If the heater is hung low into the water, then as heat rises the water will circulate naturally.
I drilled a small hole in the top of my tank, passed the cable back up through it, lowered the aquarium heater down til it was 2" from the bottom then fixed it so it wouldn't drop lower (don't want it touch the sides either ;D) and it worked fine.
Didn't make it warm, 600watt is not enough power for that, but kept it from freezing.
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Looking at instructions with heater it says a pump will circulate the heat evenly . But looking just to drop something in to tank to create some kind of flow or movement in water in order to try and get all the water at the same temp.
Thanks sparklebright heater came with the suction caps and outer protector in order to fix to side of tank always best to check before total submersion , dont want to make any mistakes ,
I think this is the best option as i have limited space in back of pickup as i have a solid tonneau type cover on back of pickup with about 5" of room above tank so hopefully this will work safely with this type of heater .
which can be seen via web link to photobucket below my profile name if you click on image with cover it will enlarge . MIKE
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silly question maybe but freezing weather doesnt affect the power cable does it? :-[
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silly question maybe but freezing weather doesnt affect the power cable does it? :-[
mine was out in -11 last winter. 30 meters of it, no problems
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thanks eco clean
GB
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i fitted a 11" immersion heater last winter ;)
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before i buy one, just thinking would an aquarium heater not melt a plastic tank if suction cupped to the side?
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If the heater is hung low into the water, then as heat rises the water will circulate naturally.
I drilled a small hole in the top of my tank, passed the cable back up through it, lowered the aquarium heater down til it was 2" from the bottom then fixed it so it wouldn't drop lower (don't want it touch the sides either ;D) and it worked fine.
Didn't make it warm, 600watt is not enough power for that, but kept it from freezing.
what capacity is your tank mate?, and did you not want to let it touch the side of the tank because it would melt the tank?
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If the heater is hung low into the water, then as heat rises the water will circulate naturally.
I drilled a small hole in the top of my tank, passed the cable back up through it, lowered the aquarium heater down til it was 2" from the bottom then fixed it so it wouldn't drop lower (don't want it touch the sides either ;D) and it worked fine.
Didn't make it warm, 600watt is not enough power for that, but kept it from freezing.
what capacity is your tank mate?, and did you not want to let it touch the side of the tank because it would melt the tank?
It won't melt the tank,.. the water takes the heat away too fast for that to even start to happen. ;)
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If the heater is hung low into the water, then as heat rises the water will circulate naturally.
I drilled a small hole in the top of my tank, passed the cable back up through it, lowered the aquarium heater down til it was 2" from the bottom then fixed it so it wouldn't drop lower (don't want it touch the sides either ;D) and it worked fine.
Didn't make it warm, 600watt is not enough power for that, but kept it from freezing.
what capacity is your tank mate?, and did you not want to let it touch the side of the tank because it would melt the tank?
It won't melt the tank,.. the water takes the heat away too fast for that to even start to happen. ;)
oh right yeah, that makes sense now you mention it!
thanks mate
anyone else had any problems with burning or melting plastic tanks from aquarium heaters?
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it wont melt the tank mate i am going to put a 1 kw heater in mine plus i am going to cover it with 2 cheap double winter duvets ,
I am going to build a frame around my static tank and insulate that with loft insulation and cover with a waterproof cover ,
I think its important to keep water in static tank at a reasonable temp otherwise it will hard work for heater to get water in van mount tank to a reasonable temp,
MIKE