ninjageek Posted January 18, 2008 CID Share Posted January 18, 2008 I know this is WAYYYY off topic. Just need some help. Got some frozen copper pipes under a trailer that need thawed. tried space heater, no luck. So herre are my questions. 1.Does the water need to be off before I try to thaw these things out?? 2.Not my place,friend of mine, this will be fixed next year, I know how to prevent it from happing again. 3. Thought about getting a salamander heater. 60 thousand btu. Keep a close eye on it, and remove one panel of skirting. Use common sense. Dont let get to close, and use it to heat the underside of the pipes. Not right on it. Should work dont ya think?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coknuck Posted January 18, 2008 CID Share Posted January 18, 2008 I got one pipe that freezes and I turn the water on then use a propane torch and heat the pipe and when I hear water run I quit heating. I think a salamander would work good as long as you keep an eye on it and check the floor to see if its getting to hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roco Posted January 19, 2008 CID Share Posted January 19, 2008 Ok water under pressure constricts when frozen , and expands when it retrurns to water , thats when pipes burst , turn of the water supply ( removing the presure ) open the outlet tap, start heating the pipe close to the outlet , (with copper, a propane blow lamp is OK ), untill the water dribles out , then slowly work your way back along the pipe to the inlet , with plastic pipe a hair drier is best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudmanc4 Posted January 19, 2008 CID Share Posted January 19, 2008 Uhh, I would have to say NO WAY, on the salamander! Sorry, but you have to think that what can happen , will. That means exactly what you think it does, FIRE, no more home, possibly death. You can't be too careful. I would take Coknuck, or Roco's suggestion well before placing tha6t much heat, forced in a confined area. Please don't even attempt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie gorman Posted January 19, 2008 CID Share Posted January 19, 2008 1) do what they said. 2) Heat tape is your friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RTB Posted January 19, 2008 CID Share Posted January 19, 2008 Ok water under pressure constricts when frozen , and expands when it retrurns to water , thats when pipes burst , Um, water is unique in the sense that it has a lower density as a solid, than as a liquid. The pipe could've burst when it froze up, but unthawing it isn't going to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
granpa Posted January 19, 2008 CID Share Posted January 19, 2008 I know this is WAYYYY off topic. Just need some help. Got some frozen copper pipes under a trailer that need thawed. tried space heater, no luck. So herre are my questions. 1.Does the water need to be off before I try to thaw these things out?? 2.Not my place,friend of mine, this will be fixed next year, I know how to prevent it from happing again. 3. Thought about getting a salamander heater. 60 thousand btu. Keep a close eye on it, and remove one panel of skirting. Use common sense. Dont let get to close, and use it to heat the underside of the pipes. Not right on it. Should work dont ya think?? Really doesn't matter if the water is off or on. I usually try to have the line open slightly on the frozen side. Indirect heat is the only way since it probably has plastic line. Some type of heater is needed and it will take several hours. Removing a section of skirting is good but with a salamander I would run the heat through some larger pipe to keep the flame away. Avoid aiming the end of that pipe directly on something combustible. If you have a idea about where the freeze point is then that is where you aim if possible. Sorry if this information is too late. The extreme way would be hook on and move further south. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xs1 Posted January 19, 2008 CID Share Posted January 19, 2008 The extreme way would be hook on and move further south. lmao... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudmanc4 Posted January 19, 2008 CID Share Posted January 19, 2008 lmao... hahaha, it took me a second there, sorry to admit, but damn funny! :2funny: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie gorman Posted January 19, 2008 CID Share Posted January 19, 2008 I myself once had a few freeze up. I actually took a cheapo bottle torch. Left the water on and worked from the water source toward the outlets. Never turning it off. If not busted they will not do so. And grandpa's hook up might actually be the fastest way actually. Dang this is the coldest winter here in 6 years. It was the winter my youngest was born. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudmanc4 Posted January 20, 2008 CID Share Posted January 20, 2008 Cold , yep, I rode the Harley today for about 20 minutes, thats all it took me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie gorman Posted January 20, 2008 CID Share Posted January 20, 2008 Cold , yep, I rode the Harley today for about 20 minutes, thats all it took me True diehard. But us chickens are still warm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudmanc4 Posted January 20, 2008 CID Share Posted January 20, 2008 True diehard. But us chickens are still warm. Hell I thawed out in a few minutes. It took me 15 min to suit up, and just about as long to ride lol And yeh, all my pipes were frozen........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
granpa Posted January 20, 2008 CID Share Posted January 20, 2008 Cold , yep, I rode the Harley today for about 20 minutes, thats all it took me Not bad, reminds me of my first dirt bike, got it in mid December and had 1,000 miles on it by February, rode every day that winter (1972-73) no snow & no snowmobiles. Yesterday I got my Gravely out , hooked up the trailer, loaded the chainsaw and cut 2 cord by 11, no snow, different ride, no freeze-ups, air cooled. Trying for 3 loads today, it's now 6 degrees out and doing the just before sunrise drop. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roco Posted January 20, 2008 CID Share Posted January 20, 2008 Um, water is unique in the sense that it has a lower density as a solid, than as a liquid. The pipe could've burst when it froze up, but unthawing it isn't going to do that. you are absolutly right RTB , my post # 2 is , guess my brain was frozen up there , BTW the temp in the UK is 58F today , but we have had the wettest January on record , and have floods again , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie gorman Posted January 20, 2008 CID Share Posted January 20, 2008 you are absolutly right RTB , my post # 2 is , guess my brain was frozen up there , BTW the temp in the UK is 58F today , but we have had the wettest January on record , and have floods again , :haha: So how is the hosepipe ban going, did they ever lift it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roco Posted January 20, 2008 CID Share Posted January 20, 2008 :haha: So how is the hosepipe ban going, did they ever lift it? It has never been mentioned since , but we are back on flood alert again , some of the folk that got flooded back in July have just finnished renovating their houses and refurnishing , and they just got flooded again , http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1300409,00.html Todays temp reached around 60 F in some parts , that is our May average , we should be around 38 F in Jan and dry , our rain month is April , "April showers bring forth May flowers" ( old English saying) " I saw a bumble bee this morning , and they can't fly below 55 F , and my garden is going into bloom , got buds everywhere , this past 2 years the UK weather has gone mad , even the birds are nest building , Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie gorman Posted January 20, 2008 CID Share Posted January 20, 2008 Not sure if it is really global w2arming or simply the earth shifting on its axis (my favorite theory) but yes the weather is a bit weird. NOt unusual though. It was this cold 6 years back. And I even remember one winter we had -30F windchills. So this is actually not to bad of weather. But I imagine I will wish I had ordered an extra tank of propane for the winter. I sure hate to pay full price for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudmanc4 Posted January 21, 2008 CID Share Posted January 21, 2008 Not sure if it is really global w2arming or simply the earth shifting on its axis (my favorite theory) but yes the weather is a bit weird. NOt unusual though. It was this cold 6 years back. And I even remember one winter we had -30F windchills. So this is actually not to bad of weather. But I imagine I will wish I had ordered an extra tank of propane for the winter. I sure hate to pay full price for it. Well the almanac states something about an cold winter (or so I've been told) , so I had the 330 gallon removed, and a 1000 gallon put in it's place. I hated to pay all that as well, but we keep it cooler in here than probably any one here. So if it's not real cold, it'll last a bit longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coknuck Posted January 21, 2008 CID Share Posted January 21, 2008 We keep our thermostat around 61-63 degs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie gorman Posted January 21, 2008 CID Share Posted January 21, 2008 Well the almanac states something about an cold winter (or so I've been told) , so I had the 330 gallon removed, and a 1000 gallon put in it's place. I hated to pay all that as well, but we keep it cooler in here than probably any one here. So if it's not real cold, it'll last a bit longer. Yeah, we have a 500 galloner. We keep our thermostat around 61-63 degs. So you and the missus do a lot of cuddling. Or do you also burn wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coknuck Posted January 21, 2008 CID Share Posted January 21, 2008 Cuddle my ass, hell no. I got a 500 gallon tank also but at $2.40 a gallon we keep it cool and no I don't burn wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie gorman Posted January 21, 2008 CID Share Posted January 21, 2008 Cuddle my ass, hell no. I got a 500 gallon tank also but at $2.40 a gallon we keep it cool and no I don't burn wood. OH crap. I only paid like $1.60 in the late summer pre paid. They store it. Yeah, that would suck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudmanc4 Posted January 21, 2008 CID Share Posted January 21, 2008 Cuddle my ass, hell no. I got a 500 gallon tank also but at $2.40 a gallon we keep it cool and no I don't burn wood. 2.40, jaysus, I thought I got took @ 1.69 ! That goes to show how much BS goes w/ the sales ! Hell, your closer to the source than I am, not by much , but damn! Your right where we are on temp, 62 most of the time, if someone gets to not feelin good, I crank it. OH crap. I only paid like $1.60 in the late summer pre paid. They store it. Yeah, that would suck. Well that sounds better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommie gorman Posted January 21, 2008 CID Share Posted January 21, 2008 2.40, jaysus, I thought I got took @ 1.69 ! That goes to show how much BS goes w/ the sales ! Hell, your closer to the source than I am, not by much , but damn! Your right where we are on temp, 62 most of the time, if someone gets to not feelin good, I crank it. Well that sounds better! He must not have prepaid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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