Winter options

[Boo Boo]

Hello, i'm a first year PRO in Northern New England and am looking at making up brine soultion. I was wondering what everyone uses to prevent freeze ups.:eek:

[KPToilets]

The easiest way I have found to make salt water brine takes a tank (150-300 gallons), a sump pump, 1-1/2 hose, and granular salt(look like table salt). Fill the tank with water, hook the hose to the pump, place the pump in the tank and loop the hose back into the tank so that the water can recirculate. Turn the pump on and let the water recirulate, then start adding salt slowly. 1/2lbs/gal = 26 degree F ... 2lbs/gal = 0 degree F. Let the the pump Recirculate for 5-10 mimutes. Turn the pump off, hook the hose to the truck, turn the pump on and fill the truck.

[PNaida]

We use calcium chloride to make our brine. 280kg of calcium to 400 imp gallons of water in the coldest time of the year, and adjusted accordingly for warmer times. This will not freeze in -30c. What we were finding is that urine was diluting the brine solution and on really cold days it was causing freezing. Last year we started putting rock / road salt into the urinals, so as the user urinates in it it will produce it's own brine as well. We didn't have one freeze up last year. Remember if you use the rock salt in the urinal to put something over the hole so all the salt doesn't flow into the holding tank, but still allows the urine to flow through.

Cheers

[Boo Boo]

Guys, thanks for the responses.Do you use a salometer as well; or does weighing the salt do the trick?

[PNaida]

Actually, we started of with a weaker solution this time of year and work up to that full strength in the cold of winter. If you want to experiment make your solution and fill a pop bottle with it, then hang it from a tree. If it freezes you need more salt. Play with different mixes to see what works for your area.

Here's to not having Poopsicles. :D