Protecting your LubeMizer, etc.

[Magicman]

OK, I know that 32* is really not freezing to most folks, but here's what I do to protect the lube pump and filter.  I use "quick connectors" on the lube bottle anyway.  At the end of the day, I just unhook from the bottle and connect a length of hose.  After "purging" all of the water out, the pump then replaces it with windshield washer fluid.

[backwoods sawyer]

I use a quick disconnect to remove the tank, drain the first section of hose prior to the pump, reinstall, disconnect prior to the guide and blow out the pump and remaining sections of hose down to the spray nozzels, no water is left in the system to freeze.

[customdave]

I use windsheild washer fluid all year round in my lube bottle then I don't have to worry about freeze ups ! I buy it in 21/2 gal jugs buy the truck load & keep a shed 1/2 full of it, this way it keeps the cost down....


                                                                Dave

[backwoods sawyer]

I use windsheild washer fluid all year round in my lube bottle then I don't have to worry about freeze ups ! I buy it in 21/2 gal jugs buy the truck load & keep a shed 1/2 full of it, this way it keeps the cost down....

I just run the garden hose straight out of the pump house into the 35 gallon drum on the back of the truck. No truck load to buy, no storage shed to build, and that seems to keep my lube cost down quite low. Water is cheap and my well dose not run dry.

[Dave Shepard]

You have washer fluid in your well? :D

I drain out the system much like Magicman. We don't run the mill much in the winter, so I don't have to do it very often.

[customdave]

Backwoods, there is a plus side though, since I've had my mill I have never run out windsheild wash for my vehicles!!! ;D


                                                           Dave

[Bibbyman]

Anyone have experience with the LubeMizer system freezing up?

We've been getting days with highs in the low 30's and nights below freezing.  I'd put some -20 windshield fluid in the water mix just to keep from having problems when we sawed.  When we got done for the day,  I'd flush out with straight windshield fluid and bring the tank to the house.

Well,  I forgot one evening earlier in the  week.  It had been warm enough but we didn't saw the next day and then the next night it got down to maybe 10 degrees and didn't get up to the teens the next day – when I finally remembered.  The system was frozen.  The bowl had a snow cone like slush in it I guess because there was some washer fluid in the mix.

I tried thawing out the pump and lines with heat lamp and hair drier.  It should be thawed out.  But the pump won't pump.  I looked for a breaker reset but found none unless it's one of the bank of breakers under the control panel.  None of them looked tripped but I reset them anyway.

As the system was added on,  and I didn't file the wiring diagrams where I could find them,  I've got an e-mail into Sparks for help when he comes in in the morning.

Bummer!  :'(

[customdave]

Bibbyman, you could take some methanol & pour it in to suction line of pump & it should work its way through the pump to get her going, be worth a try!

                            Dave

[Dave Shepard]

I froze ours last month Bibby. I kept looking for breakers, as it wouldn't even make a noise. Must have thawed out, as it just started working after a while.

[Magicman]

Mine froze one time.  It didn't do any damage and started pumping when it thawed out.  I heard of one person's "sight glass" freezing and breaking.

In the Winter, I always do my little proceedure no matter what.  I also add 1 gallon of wiper fluid to the 5 gallon lube jug.  That keeps it from freezing.....here anyway.  BTW, the "pumping" mechanism can be replaced/repaired without replacing the motor.  It's a simple operation.

Just a note:  Not all wiper fluid has antifreeze.  The blue Summer stuff is not much more than colored water.  That's why I use the Prestone product.

[Bibbyman]

What I get ain't the higher price Prestone but I do note that it is winter de-icer stuff and how much below zero it's good for.

[Bibbyman]

I may be in luck.  I pulled the wires to the pump and got no voltage.  I looked some more and found two fuse blocks. One was ok but the other was blown.   The fuses were inline inside a black rubber capsules about the size of a stack of four quarters.  The fuse is a plug in blade type used in newer cars.  It's got a 4 on it so I guess it's .4 amps.  Anyway,  off to the parts store.  Maybe that will fix it.

[Magicman]

4 or .4 ?

My LubeMizer was "added" also, so I probably have the same arangement.  Bet if I pulled the book out I would find out.  Oh well, mine ain't broke, so I'll let it sleep for now....

[pigman]

When my unit froze a few years back it broke the sight glass and popped open two of the plastic check valves. The pump was not damaged and since I let it thaw before I tried to start it, the fuse was not blown.

[sparks]

Here is the ratio of washer solvent and water.   Hope this helps.   

[jcbrotz]

Unfortunatly I freeze mine guite often, a couple times a year anyway. Biggest problem it caused is when I tried to back it into the shop to thaw it only a 7ft door :(. Not a good thing to try. Most of the time I run used antifreeze (free) but she is froze right now need to saw tomorrow so I'll be out there later today with a torch to thaw her out. I luckily have done no damage YET hope my luck continues :D. Its kind of a open system so should not ruin anything but if its cold enough it probably will. reminder to put antifreeze in tomorrow and the next day(my mental note).FYI I have had bad luck with washer fluid jellying but not freezing hard, wont spray when you want it to >:(

[Magicman]

The Prestone that I use is rated to -34, so the 1-5 ratio that I use looks about right....   I knew that it works.

[Bibbyman]

It works!  8)

It was only a 50¢ fuse.

Just in case there are others that had problems finding the fuse block,  here is where it was found on our mill and what it looked like.  Yours my look different and could be somewhere else as our LubeMizer system was added on a couple of years back.  And the control unit is mounted on the box on the mill.





Here is what the block looks like opened up.  Note the cover is under my thumb and another fuse block above my fingers.





I bought two fuses and stored the spare inside the box with some electrical tape.  A good shot of the fuse block can be seen above and left.

[Magicman]

Mine was added in about '03, so I'll bet that it is the same arrangement.

[jcbrotz]

My fuse is in the control box for the lubemizer 3x4 box behind the foward drum switch(factory install) Don't ask me how I know : If its froze solid and you try and run it you will need to find it :(

[Magicman]

If its froze solid and you try and run it you will need to find it :(

That's the reason that I always purge mine and refill with WW fluid.....   A simple procedure that eliminates grief.

[Bibbyman]

If its froze solid and you try and run it you will need to find it :(

That's the reason that I always purge mine and refill with WW fluid.....   A simple procedure that eliminates grief.

That works every time.  Every time I remember to do it...  :-\

[Magicman]

That works every time.  Every time I remember to do it...  :-\

:D :D :D :D :D

[jcbrotz]

If its froze solid and you try and run it you will need to find it :(

That's the reason that I always purge mine and refill with WW fluid.....   A simple procedure that eliminates grief.

That works every time.  Every time I remember to do it...  :-\

Works everytime I remember also :D But I saw on the road alot and somtimes I forget to do it before I leave and she will be al froze up when I get home & then I normally wont remember til the next time I saw.

[Bibbyman]

Well,  it's good to know they'll take some abuse from freezing and have a good chance of coming out of it with only a blown fuse.

I did have some windshield antifreeze in it.  With just water I may not have been so lucky.