[Rogue Trader]

Only a few weeks till the vans start to freeze , up til now i only had 1 van so used oil filled radiator with electric flex through letter box on those very frosty nights ...... only problem is that this year ive got 3 vans to stop freezing , i supoose that means 3 oil filled radiators!!
What do others use especially those with multiple vans........

[kordun]

hire garage,small warehouse and keep them in door

[Rogue Trader]

.

[cybersye]

if you've a static system at home, keep things in the van as simple as possible.
All I have in van is tank, pump, reel. Pump anti freeze solution through all connected hose, pump and reel if its a frosty night and flush out in the morning. Its easy and you can re-use the mixture, just flush it back into the container you pump it from.

[Pureandclean]

Plenty of bubble wrap

[Window Washers]

blowe the pipes each night if you do not have space, still a ball ache in the morning trust me.

you could get a unit as I have, keep inside, downside to afford one you have to be minted if fitting three vans inside, I could not afford it on the figures I had in front of me.

1 thing, sod putting one let alone three hears on extention cable from door to vam, I hope you do not have any kids or a wife as you are risking there lives every time you do this, read the instructions on a heater and it should say do not use extention cable due to plug melting and setting on fite (does not say that but thats what happened when I did this)  .

[Spruce]

Last winter I used a 750w heater with thermostat on frost setting in each van (Relay and Peugeot Partner).

I threw a double duvet over my 650l tank in the Relay and never had ice in the tank or frozen pumps or hose reels once, even over Christmas. The water in the tank seems to be warm enough to keep the pipe work frost free.

We fill the Partner up in the morning so the tank water level is quite low each night. If the weather was particularily cold we pumped the water out of the line by unscrewing the filter and let it suck air through. (The pump is nearly at the same level as the top of the tank.) We never had any problems. This van was left over Christmas without a heater and the remaining water in the tank froze on top. As it was still frozen when we filled the tank after New Year, we ran the engine for a while with the heater on, bled the lines and he was off to work within half an hour. The ice in his tank soon melted.

This winter we will do the same but I have fitted an Eberspacher hot air heater into my Relay to warm the van up before I get started in the morning. (Father's perogorative.)

The RO in the garage is mounted onto the wall and I cover that with a towel and keep it warm with an 100w light bulb in an old mechanics lead light hooked underneath it. The heat from the bulb is enough to keep the RO frost free. We are careful to keep the bulb well way from the towel to prevent a fire hazard. As I fill the Relay at night, the RO is working virtually all night anyway, so the water going through it will prevent it from freezing.

Spruce

[JSMC]

think i will be throwing a double duvet over the tank but it's the pipe work at pump i am worried about freezing and popping off. water would be everywhere.Any tips? just lag the pipes ye reckon

[Rogue Trader]

if you've a static system at home, keep things in the van as simple as possible.
All I have in van is tank, pump, reel. Pump anti freeze solution through all connected hose, pump and reel if its a frosty night and flush out in the morning. Its easy and you can re-use the mixture, just flush it back into the container you pump it from.

I like this idea although i would have to put the antifreeze in the tank to pump thhrough pump and di etc . ...... would this alter tds? and it would de difficult to pump out each morning if i added to the tank.

[Rogue Trader]

Plenty of bubble wrap

I like this suggestion , did you do this last year ? Did you wrap bubble wrap found all the in-van hosing as well?

[Niall McAllister]

I have a duvet round my water tank, but as someone pointed out a duvet keeps in what warmth is already there. however I live across from a garage so I may talk nicely about leaving it in there, and pick it up when they open in the morning at 8 am. cause if i don't it'll be 11 am anyway before i have defrosted enough ice to get started

[Nathanael Jones]

I was thinking a large aquarium heater in my tank might work this year. Less wattage than an oil filled rad, but it should be enough. Its also thermostatically controlled & probably a lot safer too.

[Rogue Trader]

I was thinking a large aquarium heater in my tank might work this year. Less wattage than an oil filled rad, but it should be enough. Its also thermostatically controlled & probably a lot safer too.

Not that isa an idea .....
i was out at 3am this morning (cat bought in a dead mouse) and there was front on cars.....

[JRDEasiReach]

What do you all recommend for the guy that has everything in the van, ro the works? best way to avoid freezing up totally??

Sensible answers that actually worked please lads

[Neil]

I have thought about using aquarium heaters in the past to put in my storage/processing tank, I process water in my garage over night then pump into my vans in the morning, the idea was the water would be warm enough to keep pipes and pumps free from frost during the first few hours of work when temps are lowest, We don’t normally have a problem past 11am. But I can’t see that a small aquarium heater will be able to warm the water fast enough to be of benefit particularly as cold water is being added at the same time.
Anyone used them?  

The inside of the van is not a problem provided proper insulation is used. However in the past, I have used to good effect a small paraffin glass house heater. Yes I know it’s risky but provided it’s mounted on a good solid base with nothing nearby it works fine.

[ccmids]

What do you all recommend for the guy that has everything in the van, ro the works? best way to avoid freezing up totally??

Sensible answers that actually worked please lads

i will be useing a 60 watt cylinder heater over night in my van/ 60watts is not a lot on the lecky bill but it will do the job . a mate gave it to me but i think you can get them rom argos its about 2feet long and about 3inch in diameter hope this helps you .

[paulben]

What sort of anti freeze do you use