# How long will salt last in a v box hopper?



## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

Alright, already did a search but could find the info I needed to know..... so I'll be using straight salt this year with some of my lots (in the past years I used salt/sand combo) and I need to know if this will be a problem... how long can I expect the straight salt to stay granular in my hopper? I'll be filling up during the storm at my suppliers but I'm sure I'll have some left in the hopper after the event is done.... I park my truck in a heated garage and yes all the snow and Ice melts off.... my question is will the evaporation of the snow/ice and the heat make my salt stick together? I din't have a problem with my salt/sand mixture but didn't know if straight salt would react differently?

TIA 
Mike


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

anyone?... comon' I used the search button first


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Mick76;805177 said:


> anyone?... comon' I used the search button first


Hey, A for effort!

Straight salt can/will "freeze" in your spreader. The heated garage will help of course. I loaded one night thinking I would be all smart and go with straight salt this storm. Next morning I couldn't get it out. My advice would be to empty the unit when you're done. You can either empty it in the dooryard to shovel back in later, or "give it away"

Better yet, tell mama you need a loader


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## snocrete (Feb 28, 2009)

I would never say its ok to leave salt in a spreader......in a heated garage, well, you might be ok....but its still not good practice. How much will you really have left over? Is it really worth holding on to? Just spread it out on your last couple jobs....you should know how much you use after the first few runs of the season. I am saying this, because I have tried what you are saying with a flat bed truck that had a tailgte spreader on it. We would load salt in the flat bed and shovel it in the spreader. When the route was done the truck would get parked inside a heated shop. We had the heat go out 1 time, of course the salt froze. This was not as big of a problem to solve as it would be with a vbox, but still a PITA.....I did find the salt to have a gummy texture to it sometimes....I think this was due to the salt being wet when it got back to the heated shop and then sitting in there. Basically what I'm trying to say, is that i think its not a good idea to "plan" on having salt left in your spreader no matter what the conditions. good luck


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

I leave my truck & v-box in the heated shop with anywhere from a full to a partial load on almost all winter. Doesn't make sense for me to go get a less than full load and it doesn't makes sense to waste it just to get the truck empty.


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## snocrete (Feb 28, 2009)

cretebaby;805216 said:


> I leave my truck & v-box in the heated shop with anywhere from a full to a partial load on almost all winter. Doesn't make sense for me to go get a less than full load and it doesn't makes sense to waste it just to get the truck empty.


It seems this would be harder on everything that what it already is? Now in the instance of being in a region where the weather is worse than where I am at, I guess I could see it? Do you ever wash your spreader during the winter?


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

snocrete;805218 said:


> It seems this would be harder on everything that what it already is? Now in the instance of being in a region where the weather is worse than where I am at, I guess I could see it? Do you ever wash your spreader during the winter?


Only if we get caught up and there is a obvious dry spell to follow.

But to answer the OP's question, the salt will not cake more than a slight crust on top when kept inside the heated shop.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

Thank you all!


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## plowman4life (Jan 16, 2008)

the question is not how long the salt will last in the V box. its how long the V box will last with salt in it.


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## ColumbiaLand (Sep 1, 2008)

HAHA I would empty it out, if something does happen it will ruin your day. It happened to me once and that was it. I has custom covers made for our spreaders to keep out the snow and ice when the trucks are not in the garage, it works well


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## Mark Oomkes (Dec 10, 2000)

cretebaby;805230 said:


> Only if we get caught up and there is a obvious dry spell to follow.
> 
> But to answer the OP's question, the salt will not cake more than a slight crust on top when kept inside the heated shop.


Chances are pretty good that the OP is in a much higher humidity area than you are as well.

If the salt doesn't completely dry out while in the shop there is a possibility of it freezing up.


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## Luther (Oct 31, 2007)

You will have have no worries leaving salt in your spreader parked in a heated shop\garage. 

I would suggest topping it off at the end of each run, then park it.......you will improve your response time for each subsequent run.


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## Longae29 (Feb 15, 2008)

TCLA;805717 said:


> You will have have no worries leaving salt in your spreader parked in a heated shop\garage.
> 
> I would suggest topping it off at the end of each run, then park it.......you will improve your response time for each subsequent run.


We fill all of our trucks in advance of a snowfall / freezing precip and park them inside, that coupled with beet juice last year, we never had a vbox freeze up. a little bit of "prewarming" goes a long way, and when its time to get it done, guys can just hop in the truck and fly.


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## cretebaby (Aug 23, 2008)

plowman4life;805271 said:


> the question is not how long the salt will last in the V box. its how long the V box will last with salt in it.


Duh ............


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## deicepro (Mar 24, 2009)

I keep my spreader full of straight salt all of the time, non heated garage, very tight fitting cover is the key, IMO, I've had mine full for a 2 week dry spell with no problems.


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## IMAGE (Oct 21, 2007)

deicepro;808008 said:


> I keep my spreader full of straight salt all of the time, non heated garage, very tight fitting cover is the key, IMO, I've had mine full for a 2 week dry spell with no problems.


Is this other's experience with a cover also? I'm looking at adding a Vbox this winter for the first time. The vbox I'm looking at is a used gas powered stainless steel buyers, with a tarp.

Would salt pretreated with calcium chloride store better in a vbox?


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## quigleysiding (Oct 3, 2009)

Mick76;805136 said:


> Alright, already did a search but could find the info I needed to know..... so I'll be using straight salt this year with some of my lots (in the past years I used salt/sand combo) and I need to know if this will be a problem... how long can I expect the straight salt to stay granular in my hopper? I'll be filling up during the storm at my suppliers but I'm sure I'll have some left in the hopper after the event is done.... I park my truck in a heated garage and yes all the snow and Ice melts off.... my question is will the evaporation of the snow/ice and the heat make my salt stick together? I din't have a problem with my salt/sand mixture but didn't know if straight salt would react differently?
> 
> TIA
> Mike


So you must know the answer now that it's benn a year. How did it go for ya.


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## Mick76 (Aug 2, 2009)

No issues w/ the straight salt and I had a cover also. I have a tendancy to over think things.....


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## blowerman (Dec 24, 2007)

Not that I don't preload once in awhile, but in most cases we pull out of the shop and load as we leave. (The shop is heated) It only take a few min. to load and when you're done, back up in the bin and fire out what's left in the salter. Now; wash, grease & oil then repeat these steps. That way your next question won't ask what to do with a solid mass of salt inside the v-box.


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## forestfireguy (Oct 7, 2006)

We preload and park inside with loads tarped, we keep the shop 47-50 F in the winter, warmer if the mechanic is in working. I am leary to leave thing loaded between events and I'd never top off a load that was snowed on, I've been down the frozen Vbox road and I'll never go there again......


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## Matson Snow (Oct 3, 2009)

[QUOTE*=Mark Oomkes*;805695]Chances are pretty good that the OP is in a much higher humidity area than you are as well.

If the salt doesn't completely dry out while in the shop there is a possibility of it freezing up.[/QUOTE]

I miss Marks Knowledge....:salute:....Doe anyone know where he went??????.......Come on....I know someone Knows where he is.........


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## FLC2004 (Aug 29, 2010)

Mick76;805136 said:


> Alright, already did a search but could find the info I needed to know..... so I'll be using straight salt this year with some of my lots (in the past years I used salt/sand combo) and I need to know if this will be a problem... how long can I expect the straight salt to stay granular in my hopper? I'll be filling up during the storm at my suppliers but I'm sure I'll have some left in the hopper after the event is done.... I park my truck in a heated garage and yes all the snow and Ice melts off.... my question is will the evaporation of the snow/ice and the heat make my salt stick together? I din't have a problem with my salt/sand mixture but didn't know if straight salt would react differently?
> 
> TIA
> Mike


I don't have that problem. I bought tornados wesport


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## msu1510 (Jan 25, 2010)

we have covers on our spreaders, (snow ex pro v 6000's and salt dogg ss belt drive ) and one day one of the guys "forgot" to back up to the pile and empty out his spreader. The next night while the rest of us were nice and warm in our trucks plowing, he was chipping salt out of a spreader. he never "forgot" to empty it again.


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## R.J.S. SNOWPLOW (Dec 9, 2009)

I use a salt Dogg 0750 vbox I ran regular rock salt and kept it covered and truck would stay
Outside boy was it a pain in the a...the salt would get hard like cement. I learned a trick put windshield wiper fluid. About 2-3 gallons per ton. Past two years I ran magic salt only never did it get frozen


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## CS-LAWNSERVICE (Sep 3, 2011)

Well my Wife is sitting here reading over my shoulder and wants to throw her two cents in her suggestion is/was


PUT LOTS OF CRACKERS IN IT :laughing:

What can I say she keeps me laughing all year long


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## Brad3403 (Sep 8, 2008)

Matson Snow;1073601 said:


> [QUOTE*=Mark Oomkes*;805695]Chances are pretty good that the OP is in a much higher humidity area than you are as well.
> 
> If the salt doesn't completely dry out while in the shop there is a possibility of it freezing up.


I miss Marks Knowledge....:salute:....Doe anyone know where he went??????.......Come on....I know someone Knows where he is.........[/QUOTE]

I HEARD HE WAS ABDUCTED BY ALIENS!!!!!!!!!!!


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