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Tool Talk Discussion Forum

frozen hydrant

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deanop

02-16-2007 06:27:04




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Went to use the hydrant i've been using all winter and seems to be froze...I was wondering if anyone has a good idea to thaw out..deanop




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Bob Pete

02-18-2007 08:33:24




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
Can you open the hydrant? Probably not---anyway when you do get it opened or thawed out--- use an air bottle with 100# , hock it to the hydrant and blow it back to clean out the drain hole. It is a good idea to do this every fall to ensure the drain is open.
I put a pint of rubbing alcohol down the hydrant. Use a large plactic syringe (type you give cattle shots with) attached to a small rubber or tygon hose so you can get it in and over the fauset into the stem pipe. It may take several days or longer depending how high up it is frozen. After that-- hot water or other heat can be applied like the other people mentioned.
NOTE: If you dig it up - put a 3 x 3 foot piece of heavy rubber, pit liner, something that won't rot over the gravel---preferably 6 inches or more above the drain hole.

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paul

02-17-2007 18:07:07




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
Hot water around it. The problem is, heat rises, and the ice will be just below the surface, where the heat will be slow to travel - if at all.

Unscrew the top & work a small plastic tube down it as mentioned, pushing hot water in. You need a thin tube, you are going past the rod inside.

Hot water on the pipe, get it as warm as you can, then hook up a tire valve & push 100lbs of air in. Might crack the ice loose.

--->Paul

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flying belgian

02-17-2007 11:46:05




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
evidently some of these guys don't know difference between hydrant and fauset.



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Don L C

02-17-2007 11:15:48




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
Electric heat gun or hair drier..... or hang a lit light bulb over the handle cover it with aluminuum foil....careful not to let the bulb touch vinal sidding.....100 watt .....40 watt for on going and over night.....



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jimvw

02-17-2007 09:45:07




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 Re: fthawing rozen hydrant in a hurry in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
Take your small weed sprayer clean it out, fill with hot water, remove top of hydrant, pump hot water down thru top of hydrant, as ice melts push the end of your sprayer deeper and continue lowering it as the ice melts. you should have it thawed out in less than 5 minutes. You will probably have to use a small rubber or plastic hose over the end of your sprayer hose to add the length that you need. Obviosly you do this with the spray tip removed.

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JD Ogden

02-16-2007 19:12:10




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
When ours freezes we just turn it on and build a small fire around it and keep it going untill it thaws just another idea



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Gene Davis (GA)

02-16-2007 18:45:52




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
The frost proof faucets from Lowe's and Home Depot are wonderful for this problem!!!



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WHO CARES ?

02-16-2007 14:50:35




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
i would suggest that u adjust the hyd propababy not shuting off completely and on just enough so the water stays in the pipe adjust so it takes some pressure on the control lever to shut it off



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deanop

02-16-2007 18:36:11




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 Re: frozen hydrant to in reply to WHO CARES ?, 02-16-2007 14:50:35  
yeah,,,At my old age, i'm probably an idiot cause I want to use the hydrant at 20-30 below zero, but hey, it ain't that simple..I installed this thing correctly, and it froze...Just wanted some ideas on how to unfreeze...If this is my only problem in life i'm doing good....deanop...



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JD720GA

02-16-2007 08:08:38




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
I put a valve on the hose and then pressurize the system. Once it is pressurized I close the hydrant this allows the pressure in the hose to clear any clog in the drain for the hydrant. Once the pressure is bled off I remove the hose.



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deanop

02-16-2007 07:54:56




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
I poured hot water on it last night and had the salamander heater on it...But still froze...I think it didn't backdrain properly, as it had "froze up" in the past sometimes, when i run a hose with a sprayer, if i don't let the faucet vent...I installed it myself, and left plenty of area to drain thru at the bottom...Wouldn't you know that it wouldn't freeze during two weeks of -20 f, but now it is...thanks for replys, i'm gonna try this morn, and let you know..deanop

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deanop

02-16-2007 07:59:37




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 07:54:56  
I forgot one other thing..I was wondering if it would be possible to run a tube into the faucet and pour hot water down that? or could I be setting myself up for bigger problems...



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4010guy

02-16-2007 07:01:25




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
I live up here in nw no. dak. and if i dont use them till towards spring they have a tendency to frost up and not work,,,What i always do is take 5 gallons of very hot watter and pour it over the top of the hydrant very slowly so the pipe gets very hot and it transfers down. Never had it fail me yet..its just safer and quicker than a torch,,good luck



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Gary_Sw

02-16-2007 10:30:32




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to 4010guy, 02-16-2007 07:01:25  
Wrap a towel or two around it, then saturate the towel with hot water. The towel will hold the hot water against it longer than if you just pour it on. As the towels cool off, add more hot water. It will thaw out in no time.



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the flying Belgian

02-16-2007 06:40:43




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
have delt with many frozen hydrants over the years. fastest way is to take a 5/16 or similar rod and pound a little hole along pipe then fill that hole with hot water and pound it alittle deeper then fill deeper hole with hot water and pound a little deeper and so on and so on. you will be surprised how little time this takes. good luck



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mike a. tenn.

02-16-2007 06:36:28




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to deanop, 02-16-2007 06:27:04  
mine seems to freeze up overnight, then it will thaw out after the sun hits it. i haven't tried it yet but i figure a little time with a propane torch would pop it loose. what bothers me about it is that they're made so that they're not s'pose to freeze! the only thing i can figure is that the water table is so high here it can't drain out under the ground like it's s'pose to, or that little weep hole down there is plugged up somehow. this summer i plan to dig all mine up and pack some large gravel around the base of it inside a bottomless five gallon bucket. i'd like to hear if anyone thinks this would work or about any other "solutions" folks have tried.

-mike

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Bill in NorthCentral PA

02-17-2007 03:48:09




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to mike a. tenn., 02-16-2007 06:36:28  

I did just that (#2 stone) in about half of a plastic barrel. Drains good.

Bill



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Rustyj14

02-16-2007 07:05:25




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to mike a. tenn., 02-16-2007 06:36:28  
Sounds like the drain pipe is stuffed at the bottom end. As the other poster says, you'll probably have to dig it up and build a larger drain area down under ground. I'm not well versed on those types of hydrants, but i know about Fire hydrants. When the fire company uses a municipal water company hydrant, the fire person must disconnect any hoses or adapters from the hydrant, then hold their hand over the connector outlet, until they can no longer feel any suction, at which point, the residual water in the pipe supplying the hydrant will have drained out. This is done in any area where water can freeze in the pipes! The area that has to be drained is the barrel of the hydrant, and above the main line connection to the hydrant. That connection is below the usual frost line in that area. And, that residual water can remain in the barrel for a long time. That is usually the cause of frozen hydrants that you read about in winter-time fires!

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mike a. tenn.

02-16-2007 07:11:26




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to Rustyj14, 02-16-2007 07:05:25  
what rusty said is true, that's why i'm going to be digging all mine up and backfilling with rock so it can drain. the other point he made which i forgot to ask you about is, do you leave a hose hooked up to it? if you do...don't. it's almost a guarantee that it will freeze up if you do because the hose full of water won't let the hydrant drain.

-mike



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john cub owner

02-16-2007 19:20:23




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to mike a. tenn., 02-16-2007 07:11:26  
The drain hole is tapped, put an elbow and a short piece of pipe in it ti make sure dirt doesn't plug the hole. bed it in pea gravel, or something similar so it can drain. After doing all of that, I got a new one form Lowes last summer that would not drain. Glad I checked it before I buried it.



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deanop

02-17-2007 16:29:06




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 Re: frozen hydrant in reply to john cub owner, 02-16-2007 19:20:23  
I've used this hydrant for about 15 years now, and this is the first time its done this kind of freeze. I think the not draining is a good possability...Thankfully, we are heading to some real warm weather 30's, so think i'll hold off and try your ideas for when the sun is shining, and no north burr....wind...thanks deanop



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