Main Category > Using a Hydroseeding unit for Anti-Icing, De-Icing & Liquids for Anti-Icing

Duh, Its an Emergency!!

(1/5) > >>

muddstopper:
With all the snow we are getting right now, I have been contacted to do some plowing. I normally dont do snow or ice work, but this developement has kept me busy all summer. Any how, of course I dont own a plow truck, but I do have a tractor with FEL and Scrape. I also have my old jet hydroseeder tank I could use to spray with. My question is, since I dont stock anytype of ice melt, and it isnt a popular item with the stores in my area. Can I mix the icemelt commonly found at grocery stores and Lowes in my hydroseeder and spray it on the roads. If so, how much would it take to mix a 500gal tank load? How far will this amount go, and How well does this material dissolve in water? I will hook up my trashpump to recirculate the solution for mixing.  If i do this, its just going to be a onetime thing, I hope, so I plan on just useing some old spray hose and drilling it full of holes to make a spray boom and just gravity feeding the mix onto the road. If it turns into a more often thing, I might consider making a proper boom attachment and maybe fix it to where I have pressure at the boom. Might even just purchase a regular spray rig. Can you have one here tommorow Ray?:D

I could also use some pricing suggestions for the icemelt spraying. I charge by the hour for my tractor.

BSDeality:
you might have better luck asking on some winter-services websites for the technical questions on the deicing materials.   I have two forums in mind (not sure if I can post/link them here).  The short answer is yes you can do it, however there is a science behind it and you can really mess things up (make them more slippery) if you're brine solution is miss-mixed.  I wouldn't use the stuff you find at the grocery store/HD/lowes, its very expensive that way.  look into bulk supplies or just purchasing a product like Magic -0. There are dealers in NC I believe.

Be careful with the FEL pushing snow, its very easy to tweak the arms on the machine if you hit something buried in the snow. Very costly to fix.  I would only use the scraper for the lots/driveways and use the FEL to stack the snow.

Turboguy:
I have to agree with what BSDeality said basically.  Here is what I can add right now.

Yes, the granular stuff could be disolved into a liquid.  To do it properly you really need some kind of brine generator.   We did make two kinds but did not feel they were the way to go.  You want about a 25% solution so you need a hygrometer.  (we sell them if you want to go that way)

It may be easier than you think to find liquid de-icers.   We have a list of suppliers on our site at http://www.icecontrolsprayers.com   Brenda also has a more updated list she could fax or send you.   Many guys sell it in totes and a tote could be shipped to you or easily picked up.   (For reference we have a new anti icing sprayer not on  our website yet that converts the tote to an electric ice control sprayer.   All you do is change the lid.  )

Now let's talk a bit about the hose with holes and gravity feeding.  There are a lot of materials that people use for this.  They include anything from Salt brine which is cheap to calcium chloride which is not real expensive to Magnesium Chloride and blends that include it which is not so cheap.   I would not recommend even thinking about salt brine and the best product is as usual in most situations the more expensive ones.  I suggest  you think if you want to spray something that you may well be paying around $ 2.50 or so a gallon through something as inexact as you would be with gravity feeding.  

We have boom set ups starting at $ 150.00.  I can even sell you the nozzle off that one and you can rig up something yourself even cheaper and that would be my suggestion.  If it takes off for you the really cool boom that is perfect for anyone doing it regular is $ 495 and one other that is good is $ 395.00  

Pricing is a little more difficult.  There are so many variables that it is hard to give a set answer.   A lot of guys price by time and materials.   Some jobs include hose work such as steps and walks and even spraying between parked cars that is hard to do any other way.  Other jobs are just roads or parking lots.   If it helps the material is usually applied with a minimum rate of 20 Gallons per highway lane mile and often around 30 Gallons or so.   It has been a while since I did the math but I belive a highway lane mile should equal about an acre and a third of parking lot.

I believe the sites that BSDeality was refering to was Plowsite and Lawnsite and I know I see you posting on Lawnsite a lot so it is not news to you.   For the record we are here to serve the industry and to help people and have no objection to links to other forums or to manufacturer's web sites.

BLMLand:
Mudd,
The ideal solution for NaCl(sodium chloride) is 23.3%, Mgcl2(magnesium chloride) is 27-30%.  I use mag. chloride and it takes @3,300 lbs. to make 500 gallons of brine.  It is much easier and cheaper to buy it in liquid form.  Most anti-icing sulutions will come with corrosion inhibitors.  Use straight nozzles, or like you suggested, drill holes @8 inches apart and gravity feed.  Applications rates for mag. chloride are almost always 0.1-0.2 gallons/1000 sq.ft., Salt brine varies from 0.2-0.4 gallons/1000 sq.ft.  Mag. Chloride gets slippery if too much is applied or the pavement temp. is above 35deg.  Here is some more info. on dry and liquid ice control.
http://www.pca.state.mn.us./publications/parkinglotmanual-june06.pdf

BSDeality:

--- Quote from: Turboguy;19964 ---I believe the sites that BSDeality was refering to was Plowsite and Lawnsite and I know I see you posting on Lawnsite a lot so it is not news to you.   For the record we are here to serve the industry and to help people and have no objection to links to other forums or to manufacturer's web sites.
--- End quote ---
The other sites are Plowsite & Letstalksnow.com  LTS is a great resource, all be it a less popular site, there are more people that actually know what they're talking about.

Ray, I'd love to see that tote sprayer, got any pictures you can email me?

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page