Another day.....
- Thread starter gcreekrch
- Start date
gcreekrch
Well-known member
RSL said:
No such thing here.
Several springs that stay open in even in this weather and a spring-fed creek that doesn't freeze until -40 stays for a few days at the home place.
Holtry Creek at MM can be a challenge as it overflows and freezes and then the water drops. We cut steps while it is cold and now take the excavator to clean the ice back from the waterhole. If it backs up enough to escape the banks the cattle can find their own water under the snow.
If you are off the grid and need to start tractors the best thing I have found is I put quick couplers in the heater hose of my pick-up and on the equipment I need to start. Made a couple of 15' heater hoses with quick couplers on them as well.
Drive to the cold piece of equipment ( by then the pick-up is warm ) hook the heater hoses so that the water from the pick-up goes thru the cold equipment and back to the pick-up, also put on jumper cables at the same time.
When you get back in your pick-up the heater will be blowing cold air, check the oil, and other things needing attention, warm air comes from the heater in about 5 to 10 minutes, should start easily!
This has worked for me on loaders, dozers, etc for years - - - only lose a couple of drops of anti freeze each time and all your equipment is protected to the same level!
Drive to the cold piece of equipment ( by then the pick-up is warm ) hook the heater hoses so that the water from the pick-up goes thru the cold equipment and back to the pick-up, also put on jumper cables at the same time.
When you get back in your pick-up the heater will be blowing cold air, check the oil, and other things needing attention, warm air comes from the heater in about 5 to 10 minutes, should start easily!
This has worked for me on loaders, dozers, etc for years - - - only lose a couple of drops of anti freeze each time and all your equipment is protected to the same level!
gcreekrch
Well-known member
George said:
I've heard of them George, have you ever had anything to do with the diesel heaters that a lot of truckers use?
We tried the quick coupler on the heater hose trick several years ago. All it cost us was cracked heads on the tractor. Apparently when it,s 40 or 50 below that hot water hitting a cold engine can do damage. Probably works great when it's not brutally cold.
I really like the Pro-Heat, you can set the time it comes on, and they bring the engine up to operating temp in less than an hour. S-Bar seems more rugged, but you need to turn them on when you leave and they run until you come back. I haven't had much to do with them as the Pro-Heat is usually the heater of choice in the patch.
I really like the Pro-Heat, you can set the time it comes on, and they bring the engine up to operating temp in less than an hour. S-Bar seems more rugged, but you need to turn them on when you leave and they run until you come back. I haven't had much to do with them as the Pro-Heat is usually the heater of choice in the patch.
I have seen them and they look like they would work but I have never had one.
Besides I'm cheap! This will cost very little and is very effective! About $10.00 ( quick connects ) for each engine you want to equip and another $20.00 for the quick connects for the jumper hoses plus the cost of the extra hose, Probably around $100.00 for the pick-up and a couple of tractors.
I can remember an uncle of mine that kept a bunch of "smudge pots" around. Looked like bowling balls with a pipe out the top. They would hold about 1 gal of diesel and had a wick about 1 1/2" wide and about 1/4" thick Would set one under his tractor on a metal bucket upside down so the flame was about 2" below the oil pan, come back in a couple of hours and fire it right up! I have known him to turn the flame down low and I think they stayed all night.
Just make sure the engine is clean as I can see where a fire could start.
Besides I'm cheap! This will cost very little and is very effective! About $10.00 ( quick connects ) for each engine you want to equip and another $20.00 for the quick connects for the jumper hoses plus the cost of the extra hose, Probably around $100.00 for the pick-up and a couple of tractors.
I can remember an uncle of mine that kept a bunch of "smudge pots" around. Looked like bowling balls with a pipe out the top. They would hold about 1 gal of diesel and had a wick about 1 1/2" wide and about 1/4" thick Would set one under his tractor on a metal bucket upside down so the flame was about 2" below the oil pan, come back in a couple of hours and fire it right up! I have known him to turn the flame down low and I think they stayed all night.
Just make sure the engine is clean as I can see where a fire could start.
They had a deal on Prairie Farm Report a couple of years ago. The tractor was equipped with hydraulic type connectors on the cooling system. Then they wheeled over a big tank of antifreeze, connected the hoses and chucked a propane torch underneath. As the antifreeze warmed up it slowly self circulated. They were heating up big 4x4 tractors sitting out in a short time. Seemed like a pretty good setup but I can't remember the name of them.
burnt
Well-known member
In my other life as a logger, I saw the guy I worked with warm the skidder engine up with the hose deal that George is talking about. Not too many electrical outlets where the skidder parked overnight most of the time. It worked well for him but I never thought of the issue of hot coolant hitting a cold engine block or head. But we seldom get as cold here as what Silver would experience in the northerly climes! Anyway, I don't think you could hurt one of those old 353 or 453 Detroits no matter what you did to them!
Hayguy
Well-known member
now here's a thought Gcreek, i presume you heat your house with wood, why not put a water jacket on the stove with quick connects to the tractor. don't know all the logistics but i'm sure that it could be done
Big Muddy rancher
Well-known member
hayguy said:
I just plug into a current bush. :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Deb and I got it all figured out. He is going to build his shop and heat both the house and shop with hot water from a outdoor furnace. It will also supply the domestic hot water. Problem solved. Deb and I figured that out one night while waiting for Gcreek to get home from gallivanting around the country.
It will keep the wood ashes out of the house and be just one fire to keep going.
Now I just have to figure out my own heating source. :?
Hayguy
Well-known member
Big Muddy rancher said:
probably a much better solution :lol: :lol:
The water from your truck engine should be +180F which will not cause harm and it is dulited instantly with the cold water in the other engine.
I did this for about 10 years while working on the road all the time, never had a problem and we worked when other crews were spending the day getting started or burning out starters! What was really sad was when some of them would get off a dozer or excavator late in the day and just go hime. Next day spend a whole day getting the tracks out of the frozen ground! Some crews just did not last long!
We all got paid for what we did not for being there so it was in our best interest to have good runing equipment.
I even bought a fuel warmer ( coil of copper tubing that anti freeze ran thru ) and put in the tanks of two pieces that seemed prone to gelling. works great and put a shut off valve in it so you don't get your fuel to hot on warm days.
Some of you old timers might remember the "Hot Foot" floorboard heaters from the late 1970s thru the late 1980s - - - I have the patent ( expired now ) made me good money but the equipment manufacturers got wise and built better heaters so they are no longer needed. We sold a slue of them for about 10 years!
I did this for about 10 years while working on the road all the time, never had a problem and we worked when other crews were spending the day getting started or burning out starters! What was really sad was when some of them would get off a dozer or excavator late in the day and just go hime. Next day spend a whole day getting the tracks out of the frozen ground! Some crews just did not last long!
We all got paid for what we did not for being there so it was in our best interest to have good runing equipment.
I even bought a fuel warmer ( coil of copper tubing that anti freeze ran thru ) and put in the tanks of two pieces that seemed prone to gelling. works great and put a shut off valve in it so you don't get your fuel to hot on warm days.
Some of you old timers might remember the "Hot Foot" floorboard heaters from the late 1970s thru the late 1980s - - - I have the patent ( expired now ) made me good money but the equipment manufacturers got wise and built better heaters so they are no longer needed. We sold a slue of them for about 10 years!
gcreekrch
Well-known member
Big Muddy rancher said:
You are more help than you need to be!
Cedarcreek
Well-known member
gcreekrch said:Big Muddy rancher said:
You are more help than you need to be!
Thats how I heat my shop with intentions of getting the hot water run to the house to heat it and the domestic hot water too. Here coal is a better heat source for me than wood. I want to be able to work in the shop, not spending all my spare time cutting wood to keep the shop warm. Gcreek is still gonna need a current bush to keep the circulator pumps running. :wink:
gcreekrch
Well-known member
There are 3 of those outdoor/radient heaters in this area. 2 brothers got a "deal" because they bought heaters at the same time. Both have shops that are about 40x60 and comparable 15-1600 sq ft homes. They each put about $25,000 into the setups. Now they are burning twice as much wood as before and their ins. has dropped about $700 per year.
Dry pine stacked in the woodshed is 90 to 120 per cord. It is one job we hire done as we are usually busy gathering cattle when it's time to cut wood.
Not a real big incentive for me to take the bait. :wink:
Dry pine stacked in the woodshed is 90 to 120 per cord. It is one job we hire done as we are usually busy gathering cattle when it's time to cut wood.
Not a real big incentive for me to take the bait. :wink:
Hayguy
Well-known member
gcreekrch said:
so what type or make of stove do you use? and how much wood do you burn in an average winter? do you have a back-up heat source for when your away? do you cook with wood?
Big Muddy rancher
Well-known member
Cedarcreek said:gcreekrch said:Big Muddy rancher said:
You are more help than you need to be!
Thats how I heat my shop with intentions of getting the hot water run to the house to heat it and the domestic hot water too. Here coal is a better heat source for me than wood. I want to be able to work in the shop, not spending all my spare time cutting wood to keep the shop warm. Gcreek is still gonna need a current bush to keep the circulator pumps running. :wink:
I would like to do that as well but I wonder about the smell of a coal fire. Not as nice as wood smoke.
Hayguy
Well-known member
is coal readily available near you BMR?
Big Muddy rancher
Well-known member
hayguy said:
Estevan has a place to get coal but it might be better to get a load from Drumheller or where ever that better coal comes from out that way. A few guys around here burn coal and some split a semi load every year or two.
gcreekrch
Well-known member
hayguy said:
Our stove is a little CSA approved piece of garbage that won't hold a fire all night. The good stove that the ins. folks don't like is outside by the woodshed. It was made of 28 inch pipe with 1/2 inch wall. The damper will actually put a fire out if closed off and it would keep a fire for 18 20 hours.
No CSA, no ins. Been thinking of putting it back in the last few days and using the other for a bench in the corner. :wink:
We use about 8 cords of wood per year. Back up heat source is Debbie as she rarely leaves the ranch. :lol:
Propane cookstove and water heater. Electric fridge and freezer.
