MARK---HELP, Freezeless Water Connector

[Bryan]

Mark,
I'm a new MHP owner and getting an existing slot ready for a new home owner pulling in at the end of the week. Went over to test the water riser (Woodford Thermaline Sanitary Freezeless Water Connector) this afternoon and it seems like it is frozen up. I tried to put a new 2 foot heating rod down the well to "warm it up" enough to melt the ice in the riser to get things going. It seems however that whoever shut the unit off last didn't use air to blow the remaining water out and hence "froze up". My idea to melt the ice didn't work (the tip of the heating rod doesn't seem to get hot enough to melt its way down).

Any suggestions short of getting a backhoe, digging this one out and replacing with a "dry" one?

By the way... its darn cold here in Iowa too.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Mark Bower]

First of all, if you ever have to dig-up that riser, install the old-fashion type with the culvert and waterline coming up through the middle. I have worked on these and other types of new-fangled risers many times, and all end up being worthless for what they cost. Give me the old-fashioned type any day with a 3/4" pex waterline coming up through them. Plug the top with insulation and the heat from the ground will keep them warm. And if they do freeze, you won't hurt the pex.

What I would do is get a nibco-type forced air heater and turn it loose on your riser. Be careful as the plastic around the top will get warm and possibly soft. But if it runs long enough, it'll thaw it.

Mark
You gotta see my repair manual!

[Bryan]

Mark,

From what I understand the riser is 5 foot down... how long has it taken for the Nipco to heat it enough to loosen it up? Also, how to contain the heat the heater is producing... plywood sheets come to mind but won't they burn up??

Thanks again.

[Mark Bower]

I very much doubt that it's frozen 5' down. Keep working your heat rod down in the hole. The heat rod should feel warm to the touch. If not, get a different rod.

You shouldn't get anything hot enough to start a fire, but doesn't hurt to stay cautious. Just like when you thaw-out pipes on a manufactured home, never leave the heater running unattended. Perhaps buy a roll of the widest galvonized flashing that you can get. Circle the flashing around the riser, then another piece or two across the top. Sometimes I put a SHORT piece of round galvonized duct over the end of the nibco to help direct the heat down. Buy one of those adjustable galvonized elbows -- 10" or so. If things get too hot, you may have to hold the nibco back aways and duct the air up to it. You won't be able to put a real long duct directly on the end of the nibco without causing air problems with it.

Mark
You gotta see my repair manual!

[trmimo]

If you loosen the packing nut on the shutoff, you can remove the sleeve that the heat rod slides into. If the riser is not covered, this sleeve fills with rain water and that freezes, keeping you from inserting the heat rod. With the sleeve removed the heat rod should slide in. Take the sleeve indoors to thaw it. You will need to reinstall the sleeve, it's o ring and the packing nut once the water is thawed.

[Bryan]

The sleve was taken out and the hole where it slides into was covered... however, the hole where water comes out was not covered and the actual galvanized pipe that the sleve slides into somhow got water in it. Not sure how... I think whoever last used this spot failed to blow out all the remaining water in the riser. According to the diagrams that are on the internet on this type of hydrant there shouldn't be water in this pipe. In addition to what Mark suggests I'm going to run a 12 inch drill bit down to get a little of the ice out of there so I can at least get some of the heating rod down in there to start thawing. Going to try on Thursday,... I'll let you know how I come out. IF ANYONE ELSE HAS ANY SUGGESTIONS OR EXPERIENCE WITH THIS TYPE OF HYDRANT I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DIRECTION YOU CAN GIVE. Thanks

[Mark Bower]

Bryan,

Did you get the riser thawed out?

Mark
You gotta see my repair manual!

[Bryan]

Mark,

Yes, actually I just finished it up. Didn't get to it on Thursday so Saturday I went over there, used a 12" 3/16" drill bit and got some ice out and inserted the heater stick about a foot into the riser, used the Nibco for about 2 hours then I covered the whole thing with an isulated box i made and put a small heater inside the box. About 1 am this morning I got a call from the nieghbor and said I had a gyser shooting up... he shut if off for me so I went there this afternoon and blew all the water out of the riser as the manufacturer recommends, filled it with RV anti-freeze and replaced the heater stick plugging it into the neighbors MH. I put the box I made back over the whole thing to keep it warm... somehow the darn thing was frozen in the open position. Anyway, its ready for the new home they will be pulling in late this week. Thanks for your help, I was convinced yesterday when I left without being able to free it up I would be digging but I guess all it took was some time to get everything warmed up. Thanks again.